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Heaven Tree #1
The Heaven Tree
England in the reign of King John - a time of beauty and squalor, of swift treachery and unswerving loyalty. Against this violent background, the story of Harry Talvace, master mason, unfolds.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
22 people are currently reading
1526 people want to read
About the author
Edith Pargeter
48 books194 followersaka Peter Benedict, Jolyon Carr, Ellis Peters (later editions of her work are sometimes published under this pseudonym), and John Redfern
West Midlands Literary Heritage website biography
Novelist. Born September 1913 at Horsehay, Shropshire. Her father was a clerk at a local ironworks. Edith attended Dawley Church of England School and the Coalbrookdale High School for Girls. Through her mother, she grew to love the history and countryside of Shropshire, her home for all of her life.
Before World War II she worked as a chemist's assistant at Dawley. During this time she started writing seriously for publication while gathering useful information on medicines that she would draw upon later when tackling crime stories. Her first published novel was Hortensius, friend of Nero (1936), a rather dry tale of martyrdom that was not a great success but she persevered and The city lies foursquare (1939) was much more warmly received.
During the war she worked in an administrative role with the Women's Royal Navy Service in Liverpool, a relatively brief period away from Shropshire, and for her devotion to duty she received the British Empire Medal. Many more novels appeared at this time, including Ordinary people (1941) and She goes to war (1942), the latter based on her own wartime experiences. The eighth champion of Christendom appeared in 1945 and from now on she was able to devote all her time to writing. She was particularly proud of her Heaven tree trilogy, which appeared between 1961 and 1963, which had as a backdrop the English Welsh borderlands in the twelfth century.
It was not until 1951 that she tackled a mystery story with Fallen into the pit, the first appearance of Sergeant George Felse as the investigating police officer. Her other great character, and the one for which the author will continue to be known the world over, Brother Cadfael, was to follow many years later. The first appearance of this monk at Shrewsbury Abbey was in A morbid taste for bones (1977) and he mixed his herbs and unravelled mysteries in this atmospheric setting for a further nineteen novels. This kept the author very busy for the remaining 18 years of her life, to the virtual exclusion of all other work.
The name "Ellis Peters" was adopted by Edith Pargeter to clearly mark a division between her mystery stories and her other work. Her brother was Ellis and Petra was a friend from Czechoslovakia. A frequent visitor to the country, Edith Pargeter had begun her association and deep interest in their culture after meeting Czechoslovakian soldiers during the war. This was to lead to her learning the language translating several books into English.
She won awards for her writing from both the British Crime Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. She was also awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), an honorary Masters Degree from Birmingham University and the Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Society for Foreign Relations. There is a memorial to her in Shrewsbury Abbey.
After her death in October 1995, The Times published a full obituary that declared that here was "a deeply sensitive and perceptive woman....an intensely private and modest person " whose writing was "direct, even a little stilted, matching a self-contained personality".
West Midlands Literary Heritage website biography
Novelist. Born September 1913 at Horsehay, Shropshire. Her father was a clerk at a local ironworks. Edith attended Dawley Church of England School and the Coalbrookdale High School for Girls. Through her mother, she grew to love the history and countryside of Shropshire, her home for all of her life.
Before World War II she worked as a chemist's assistant at Dawley. During this time she started writing seriously for publication while gathering useful information on medicines that she would draw upon later when tackling crime stories. Her first published novel was Hortensius, friend of Nero (1936), a rather dry tale of martyrdom that was not a great success but she persevered and The city lies foursquare (1939) was much more warmly received.
During the war she worked in an administrative role with the Women's Royal Navy Service in Liverpool, a relatively brief period away from Shropshire, and for her devotion to duty she received the British Empire Medal. Many more novels appeared at this time, including Ordinary people (1941) and She goes to war (1942), the latter based on her own wartime experiences. The eighth champion of Christendom appeared in 1945 and from now on she was able to devote all her time to writing. She was particularly proud of her Heaven tree trilogy, which appeared between 1961 and 1963, which had as a backdrop the English Welsh borderlands in the twelfth century.
It was not until 1951 that she tackled a mystery story with Fallen into the pit, the first appearance of Sergeant George Felse as the investigating police officer. Her other great character, and the one for which the author will continue to be known the world over, Brother Cadfael, was to follow many years later. The first appearance of this monk at Shrewsbury Abbey was in A morbid taste for bones (1977) and he mixed his herbs and unravelled mysteries in this atmospheric setting for a further nineteen novels. This kept the author very busy for the remaining 18 years of her life, to the virtual exclusion of all other work.
The name "Ellis Peters" was adopted by Edith Pargeter to clearly mark a division between her mystery stories and her other work. Her brother was Ellis and Petra was a friend from Czechoslovakia. A frequent visitor to the country, Edith Pargeter had begun her association and deep interest in their culture after meeting Czechoslovakian soldiers during the war. This was to lead to her learning the language translating several books into English.
She won awards for her writing from both the British Crime Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. She was also awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), an honorary Masters Degree from Birmingham University and the Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Society for Foreign Relations. There is a memorial to her in Shrewsbury Abbey.
After her death in October 1995, The Times published a full obituary that declared that here was "a deeply sensitive and perceptive woman....an intensely private and modest person " whose writing was "direct, even a little stilted, matching a self-contained personality".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 11, 2014
June 2012
If I could give this book 6 stars I would. Anyone who writes should read Edith Pargeter, she draws her characters so clearly, that you really care what happens to them, and there were many parts of this book where I was choked with tears and emotion.
There was a TV programme about architecture where the presenter scaled the walls of castles, climbed into the turrets of churches and swung out on harness and wire over huge drops to examine details of decoration or stonework. This book excited and involved me about the early architect's plans and his skills as a stone mason, in a way that program did not.
Why did I wait so long to read this book I acquired several years ago? Well it is the first of a trilogy and I was waiting to get the other two books before embarking on it. However it stands alone and the next book concerns the son of the first central character, (just born when this book finished) so it is no barrier to my enjoyment of the book, and there is no tearing hurry to acquire the sequel.
I urge anyone who enjoys tales of the mediaeval world, a good story that carries you on reading far into the night, and strong characters, to read it!
June 2014
I have just reread this book. I wanted to pick up a book I really admire to see how the author constructs her narrative, how the plot is built, how the dialogue is given individual voices etc.. In other words I wanted to look at it objectively and work out her techniques. I failed miserably as from the first moment the story gripped me again and I just read from beginning to end over a couple of days. Working out how Pargeter weaves her magic is something I would love to do, but for which I seem to lack the discipline. It is a testament to her skill and craft that I am unable to analyse it coldly. I become instantly gripped by her story, involved with her characters, and eager to read onwards swiftly. This is an amazing story, which also taught me much about history, architecture, and human nature.
If I could give this book 6 stars I would. Anyone who writes should read Edith Pargeter, she draws her characters so clearly, that you really care what happens to them, and there were many parts of this book where I was choked with tears and emotion.
There was a TV programme about architecture where the presenter scaled the walls of castles, climbed into the turrets of churches and swung out on harness and wire over huge drops to examine details of decoration or stonework. This book excited and involved me about the early architect's plans and his skills as a stone mason, in a way that program did not.
Why did I wait so long to read this book I acquired several years ago? Well it is the first of a trilogy and I was waiting to get the other two books before embarking on it. However it stands alone and the next book concerns the son of the first central character, (just born when this book finished) so it is no barrier to my enjoyment of the book, and there is no tearing hurry to acquire the sequel.
I urge anyone who enjoys tales of the mediaeval world, a good story that carries you on reading far into the night, and strong characters, to read it!
June 2014
I have just reread this book. I wanted to pick up a book I really admire to see how the author constructs her narrative, how the plot is built, how the dialogue is given individual voices etc.. In other words I wanted to look at it objectively and work out her techniques. I failed miserably as from the first moment the story gripped me again and I just read from beginning to end over a couple of days. Working out how Pargeter weaves her magic is something I would love to do, but for which I seem to lack the discipline. It is a testament to her skill and craft that I am unable to analyse it coldly. I become instantly gripped by her story, involved with her characters, and eager to read onwards swiftly. This is an amazing story, which also taught me much about history, architecture, and human nature.
May 17, 2018
This is the first book of a trilogy and I'm giving it 4.5 stars. The half star reduction from 5 is for some technical historic and plot flaws that may well be nitpicking on my part but, while minor, they did bother me. Nevertheless, the artistry of Edith Pargeter as demonstrated in this book is incredible.
The story is about Harry Talvace, the second son of a local English noble at the beginning of the 13th century. My initial historic problem or complaint is with Harry's noble birth and the manner in which his life is allowed to be lived. When we first meet Harry he is 15 years old and finishing an education he is given by his father to prepare for life as a clerk. He is also allowed to pursue this education in the company of a boyhood friend that is the son of the mason that is a villein of Harry's father. Harry's friend's name is Adam and in the course of teaching his trade to his son Adam's father also teaches Harry the mason's craft. All of this is contrary to everything I know about medieval nobility and their behavior and customs but on the whole this is a minor point as the arc of the story begins with these two boys.
Through a youthful misadventure these boys run afoul of medieval law with the consequences falling much more heavily on the lower born Adam than on the noble born Harry. Harry is appalled by the injustice of what the law requires and believes what is required is wrong. This leads to flight and the boys begin a life of exile as laboring masons. The story continues for 10 or more years with the boys returning to England under the patronage of a English lord that wishes Harry to build a church for him on his estate. I do not wish to reveal too much of this story and ruin its enjoyment for other readers but as this story continues two ladies are introduced and romantic elements are introduced into the story.
Now this is where this book grabbed me. The story itself is not very complicated or involved. Far from it. The story is pretty straight forward and doesn't really contain a lot of action as one might expect from a novel set in 13th century England. What the book does have is an intensity of emotion displayed in the characters the like of which I haven't encountered since reading Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" and then her "Atlas Shrugged" decades ago. Rand's crazy philosophy aside she was an incredibly gifted writer and the relationships she created in those books were very powerful. After reading this book I think Edith Pargeter has created equally powerful relationships. The dynamics between the four primary characters is quite compelling even though the expressions of love contained in the book seem to spring from nowhere and have no basis in the plot which seems to challenge their credibility but who cares as the emotional tidal wave the author has created just sweeps the reader along. There are some pretty moving explosions of passion, good and bad, in this book that will keep the reader fully enthralled and turning pages. There are two more books to be read and I now look forward to continuing down the path the author has left for me.
The story is about Harry Talvace, the second son of a local English noble at the beginning of the 13th century. My initial historic problem or complaint is with Harry's noble birth and the manner in which his life is allowed to be lived. When we first meet Harry he is 15 years old and finishing an education he is given by his father to prepare for life as a clerk. He is also allowed to pursue this education in the company of a boyhood friend that is the son of the mason that is a villein of Harry's father. Harry's friend's name is Adam and in the course of teaching his trade to his son Adam's father also teaches Harry the mason's craft. All of this is contrary to everything I know about medieval nobility and their behavior and customs but on the whole this is a minor point as the arc of the story begins with these two boys.
Through a youthful misadventure these boys run afoul of medieval law with the consequences falling much more heavily on the lower born Adam than on the noble born Harry. Harry is appalled by the injustice of what the law requires and believes what is required is wrong. This leads to flight and the boys begin a life of exile as laboring masons. The story continues for 10 or more years with the boys returning to England under the patronage of a English lord that wishes Harry to build a church for him on his estate. I do not wish to reveal too much of this story and ruin its enjoyment for other readers but as this story continues two ladies are introduced and romantic elements are introduced into the story.
Now this is where this book grabbed me. The story itself is not very complicated or involved. Far from it. The story is pretty straight forward and doesn't really contain a lot of action as one might expect from a novel set in 13th century England. What the book does have is an intensity of emotion displayed in the characters the like of which I haven't encountered since reading Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" and then her "Atlas Shrugged" decades ago. Rand's crazy philosophy aside she was an incredibly gifted writer and the relationships she created in those books were very powerful. After reading this book I think Edith Pargeter has created equally powerful relationships. The dynamics between the four primary characters is quite compelling even though the expressions of love contained in the book seem to spring from nowhere and have no basis in the plot which seems to challenge their credibility but who cares as the emotional tidal wave the author has created just sweeps the reader along. There are some pretty moving explosions of passion, good and bad, in this book that will keep the reader fully enthralled and turning pages. There are two more books to be read and I now look forward to continuing down the path the author has left for me.
January 14, 2024
I struggled with this one. I wanted the premise--the story of a master mason--but the delivery was more along the lines of medieval politics. I don't care for political novels to begin with, and medieval politics are so much worse. Poaching laws and their outsize punishments have given me the ick since middle school, at least, and it didn't help that this novel started with a poaching incident.
Pargeter was a socialist (too socialist for the Labour Party, which she left in 1949) and she imposes her socialism on the main character...who is of noble birth. He can talk anyone into giving him what he wants, and he is ~profoundly gifted~ in masonry. So, you know I just loved him. /s And it didn't help that I wanted more about the building of the church, and all I got was his pride and how he carved portraits of his friends and family in the church. Do I care that he dared to act ethically in an unjust system? Well...it's just that every time he did, he got himself and people he cared about in more trouble, and he cared not for the consequences.
What troubled me about Pargeter's female characters is that she gives them no sense of interior life, or the reader any indication of the world of women. The three (3) female characters exist only in relation to male characters. There is one obsessive relationship (on the part of a woman) that just doesn't ring true, even when considering the dubious choices made by lovesick maidens in medieval literature.
All this to say...you bet I'm reading the rest of the series. My least favorite character is dead and I was promised "The Heaven Tree" (aka a cathedral) and I will be expecting it.
PSA: Edith Pargeter also wrote as Ellis Peters. For some reason this completely blew my mind, even though it's not really that surprising. And since I liked her monastic characters the best, I am continually more eager for her Brother Cadfael novels!
Content warnings: medieval nastiness
Pargeter was a socialist (too socialist for the Labour Party, which she left in 1949) and she imposes her socialism on the main character...who is of noble birth. He can talk anyone into giving him what he wants, and he is ~profoundly gifted~ in masonry. So, you know I just loved him. /s And it didn't help that I wanted more about the building of the church, and all I got was his pride and how he carved portraits of his friends and family in the church. Do I care that he dared to act ethically in an unjust system? Well...it's just that every time he did, he got himself and people he cared about in more trouble, and he cared not for the consequences.
What troubled me about Pargeter's female characters is that she gives them no sense of interior life, or the reader any indication of the world of women. The three (3) female characters exist only in relation to male characters. There is one obsessive relationship (on the part of a woman) that just doesn't ring true, even when considering the dubious choices made by lovesick maidens in medieval literature.
All this to say...you bet I'm reading the rest of the series. My least favorite character is dead and I was promised "The Heaven Tree" (aka a cathedral) and I will be expecting it.
PSA: Edith Pargeter also wrote as Ellis Peters. For some reason this completely blew my mind, even though it's not really that surprising. And since I liked her monastic characters the best, I am continually more eager for her Brother Cadfael novels!
Content warnings: medieval nastiness
February 26, 2017
Why aren't more people talking about this amazing book? I am indebted to Gladys Hunt ("Honey for a Woman's Heart") for mentioning the Heaven Trilogy among her favorite books! While I was looking forward to some good reading, this book stunned me. It was rich and deep and deserves to be read again. After staying up late to read the climatic finish, I couldn't read or write for days. It is a book worth savoring and to move on too quickly seemed like disrespecting a masterpiece.
Very seldom does a single book bring together strong characters, compelling plot line, and inspirational themes - the essence of an excellent work. Not only does this book accomplish these essential three, Pargeter has also created a living historical setting.
We KNOW the main characters, we understand what makes them tick and while we do not know HOW they will act, we anticipate situations in which they MUST act. The plot flows between the decisions of the characters and the historical setting as smoothly and inconspicuously as life itself. Too much historical fiction involves projecting current ideas back onto characters in a setting of sparse historical facts. Pargeter's is the genius of creating a historical setting that goes beyond mere facts to illuminate for the reader how people lived, how people thought, and what their struggles were about.
And finally, when it is all said and done, these characters inspire us. They exhort us to be honest people by being willing to pay the price for honesty. They encourage us to be courageous people who are moved to action on behalf of others even when afraid. They remind us that acting selflessly demands sacrificing self. And they challenge us with the thought: If confronted so, would I be able to act nobly?
...and praise the LORD, there are TWO more books that I am looking forward to reading!
So, here is my proclamation: READ THIS BOOK. Men will resonate with the strong male themes and characters, women will revel in the complex relational dynamics (and romance), young people will find an ideal to emulate. Spread the word!
The Green Branch (Heaven Tree Trilogy #2), Pargeter, 1962
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Very seldom does a single book bring together strong characters, compelling plot line, and inspirational themes - the essence of an excellent work. Not only does this book accomplish these essential three, Pargeter has also created a living historical setting.
We KNOW the main characters, we understand what makes them tick and while we do not know HOW they will act, we anticipate situations in which they MUST act. The plot flows between the decisions of the characters and the historical setting as smoothly and inconspicuously as life itself. Too much historical fiction involves projecting current ideas back onto characters in a setting of sparse historical facts. Pargeter's is the genius of creating a historical setting that goes beyond mere facts to illuminate for the reader how people lived, how people thought, and what their struggles were about.
And finally, when it is all said and done, these characters inspire us. They exhort us to be honest people by being willing to pay the price for honesty. They encourage us to be courageous people who are moved to action on behalf of others even when afraid. They remind us that acting selflessly demands sacrificing self. And they challenge us with the thought: If confronted so, would I be able to act nobly?
...and praise the LORD, there are TWO more books that I am looking forward to reading!
So, here is my proclamation: READ THIS BOOK. Men will resonate with the strong male themes and characters, women will revel in the complex relational dynamics (and romance), young people will find an ideal to emulate. Spread the word!
The Green Branch (Heaven Tree Trilogy #2), Pargeter, 1962
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 18, 2016
I am on record as an Edith Pargeter fan. She, herself, considered this trilogy (of which this is the first book) to be the piece of writing that was truest to her intention and to the best she could achieve. I agree.
Her intention was to try to articulate the experience of someone not merely artistically talented but supremely gifted and the creation of a work of art that was outstanding of its kind. She opted for architecture and located it historically in an era of architectural challenge and development that enabled the place to be England and on the Welsh border, where she so often placed her action.
The characters are very characteristically Pargeter; she had little interest in the bad in people but focused by choice onto the good, the potential for positive. In Isambard we find a man tending to the 'bad' who could have been reformed by the love of a good woman had things not fallen out as they did. Harry does have his weaknesses (thankfully!) and contributes to the fraught situation. Eventually, the book ends in tragedy. To be continued.....
Her intention was to try to articulate the experience of someone not merely artistically talented but supremely gifted and the creation of a work of art that was outstanding of its kind. She opted for architecture and located it historically in an era of architectural challenge and development that enabled the place to be England and on the Welsh border, where she so often placed her action.
The characters are very characteristically Pargeter; she had little interest in the bad in people but focused by choice onto the good, the potential for positive. In Isambard we find a man tending to the 'bad' who could have been reformed by the love of a good woman had things not fallen out as they did. Harry does have his weaknesses (thankfully!) and contributes to the fraught situation. Eventually, the book ends in tragedy. To be continued.....
July 3, 2025
1.75 ou 2 étoiles
Il se passe à peu près rien, y a pas d'enjeux... Dans les piliers de la terre de Ken Follett (qui a ptet du prendre de linspi ici vu qu'il est aussi question de construire une église...), les persos sont peut être certes plus manichéens (encore qu'en ce qui me concerne j'ai pas ressenti toute la complexité émotionnelle vendue par le livre...dsl) mais y a des PÉRIPÉTIES, des personnages féminins ayant vraiment de l'importance (et pas juste qui idolatrent le MC masculin qui ne fait pas grand chose) et quand la grande histoire se mêle à la petite, on voit où l'auteur veut en venir. Là, les 50 pages sur les gallois j'ai pas compris l'intérêt, et j'ai à peine entraperçu les complexités du règne de Jean sans terre dont j'ai BEAUCOUP entendu parler à la fac. Il y avait un potentiel historique exploitable et intéressant je pense ; politiquement c'est une période riche pour l'Angleterre, mais là RIEN mdr genre aled, 200+ pages se passent entre 1209 et 1215 et Ellis décide de quasi rien nous dire sur les galères de Jean sans Terre à part Llewelyn (mais attention il en est question par les on dits transmis par un personnage qui déteste les gallois ET le roi donc y a aucun truc concret auquel on assiste !! et aucune tension alors qu'on est tout près des zones de combat !!)
Bref
Le MC, Harry, a des idées très sociales, il est prêt à sacrifier sa place pour aider son meilleur ami qui est serf. Donc il est très moderne politiquement par rapport à son époque (un peu genre paternaliste social capitaliste tmtc), et pourquoi pas d'ailleurs... MAIS en ce qui concerne les femmes c'est la cata
Liste
- Il rencontre une fille de 10 ans quand il en a 16 et il la trouve trop belle et il se dit 'woa quand elle sera adulte hmmmm...' (🤨🤨🤨)
- Quand il se sépare de la fille de 10 ans et qu'il en a 16, il l'embrasse sur la bouche. Ensuite quand il vieillit, il se dit 'ptn elle était trop belle la fille de 10 ans, je veux me marier avec elle' et il essaye de la retrouver
- Il se plaint que 'un jour les filles veulent que tu fasses un truc, et le lendemain si tu veux le faire elles veulent plus !! pff !!! elles sont si compliquées et chiantes !!!' bah mec ça s'appelle le CONSENTEMENT, mais visiblement ça t'intéresse que quand c'est dans un cadre homosocial
- Les rares personnages féminins ayant un tant soit peu d'importance (2.5 parce que la troisième on la voit finalement assez peu) sont absolument en pâmoison devant lui SANS raison, on dirait que c'est le messie c'est super bizarre. La relation avec sa mère met mal à l'aise je trouve
- Il dit à sa fiancée ('''blague'''') 'haha mais quand on sera mariés si tu te conduis pas bien je te frapperai de toute façon xD ' et ça les fait RIRE
- Il parle à sa femme de la tromper...
- Il abandonne sa femme enceinte pour sa quête de justice
Bref
Son meilleur ami disparaît d'un coup mais après tout c'est pas grave hein...tant pis...
J'ai trouvé le personnage principal irréaliste, comme les dialogues (il prend personne au sérieux et se croit super smart j'imagine). Le seul perso intéressant était l'antagoniste (même s'il est pas tellement méchant au final, juste bizarre et confus ds sa life) ; Benedetta aurait été super cool si on lui avait donné de la profondeur au delà de son amour obsession
Je suis déçue par le fait qu'elle décide que comme c'est le moyen âge (fin j'imagine) elle peut faire une critique sociétale pour les dynamiques de pouvoir et tout, mais pas des personnages féminins forts et (au moins un peu) indépendants. C'est peut être parce que ça date de 1960... et encore...
Je vais tenter de lire la suite comme j'ai l'intégrale mais je suis maso
PS: Askip c'est sur la construction d'une église mais on apprend vraiment pas grand chose là dessus à part qu'il veut pas rajouter une croix sur son jubé pour qu'il y ait plus de lumière et que pour les sculptures il fait les têtes des gens qu'il aime/connait (mais alors l'approvisionnement, la gestion du chantier, le fonctionnement du chantier, les personnages du chantier... quasi rien, en tt cas c'était trop faible vu que ça fait 480 pages ce qui est BIEN SUFFISANT pour nous donner des explications et des péripéties)
Dsl
je voulais aimer ce livre
adios
Il se passe à peu près rien, y a pas d'enjeux... Dans les piliers de la terre de Ken Follett (qui a ptet du prendre de linspi ici vu qu'il est aussi question de construire une église...), les persos sont peut être certes plus manichéens (encore qu'en ce qui me concerne j'ai pas ressenti toute la complexité émotionnelle vendue par le livre...dsl) mais y a des PÉRIPÉTIES, des personnages féminins ayant vraiment de l'importance (et pas juste qui idolatrent le MC masculin qui ne fait pas grand chose) et quand la grande histoire se mêle à la petite, on voit où l'auteur veut en venir. Là, les 50 pages sur les gallois j'ai pas compris l'intérêt, et j'ai à peine entraperçu les complexités du règne de Jean sans terre dont j'ai BEAUCOUP entendu parler à la fac. Il y avait un potentiel historique exploitable et intéressant je pense ; politiquement c'est une période riche pour l'Angleterre, mais là RIEN mdr genre aled, 200+ pages se passent entre 1209 et 1215 et Ellis décide de quasi rien nous dire sur les galères de Jean sans Terre à part Llewelyn (mais attention il en est question par les on dits transmis par un personnage qui déteste les gallois ET le roi donc y a aucun truc concret auquel on assiste !! et aucune tension alors qu'on est tout près des zones de combat !!)
Bref
Le MC, Harry, a des idées très sociales, il est prêt à sacrifier sa place pour aider son meilleur ami qui est serf. Donc il est très moderne politiquement par rapport à son époque (un peu genre paternaliste social capitaliste tmtc), et pourquoi pas d'ailleurs... MAIS en ce qui concerne les femmes c'est la cata
Liste
- Il rencontre une fille de 10 ans quand il en a 16 et il la trouve trop belle et il se dit 'woa quand elle sera adulte hmmmm...' (🤨🤨🤨)
- Quand il se sépare de la fille de 10 ans et qu'il en a 16, il l'embrasse sur la bouche. Ensuite quand il vieillit, il se dit 'ptn elle était trop belle la fille de 10 ans, je veux me marier avec elle' et il essaye de la retrouver
- Il se plaint que 'un jour les filles veulent que tu fasses un truc, et le lendemain si tu veux le faire elles veulent plus !! pff !!! elles sont si compliquées et chiantes !!!' bah mec ça s'appelle le CONSENTEMENT, mais visiblement ça t'intéresse que quand c'est dans un cadre homosocial
- Les rares personnages féminins ayant un tant soit peu d'importance (2.5 parce que la troisième on la voit finalement assez peu) sont absolument en pâmoison devant lui SANS raison, on dirait que c'est le messie c'est super bizarre. La relation avec sa mère met mal à l'aise je trouve
- Il dit à sa fiancée ('''blague'''') 'haha mais quand on sera mariés si tu te conduis pas bien je te frapperai de toute façon xD ' et ça les fait RIRE
- Il parle à sa femme de la tromper...
- Il abandonne sa femme enceinte pour sa quête de justice
Bref
Son meilleur ami disparaît d'un coup mais après tout c'est pas grave hein...tant pis...
J'ai trouvé le personnage principal irréaliste, comme les dialogues (il prend personne au sérieux et se croit super smart j'imagine). Le seul perso intéressant était l'antagoniste (même s'il est pas tellement méchant au final, juste bizarre et confus ds sa life) ; Benedetta aurait été super cool si on lui avait donné de la profondeur au delà de son amour obsession
Je suis déçue par le fait qu'elle décide que comme c'est le moyen âge (fin j'imagine) elle peut faire une critique sociétale pour les dynamiques de pouvoir et tout, mais pas des personnages féminins forts et (au moins un peu) indépendants. C'est peut être parce que ça date de 1960... et encore...
Je vais tenter de lire la suite comme j'ai l'intégrale mais je suis maso
PS: Askip c'est sur la construction d'une église mais on apprend vraiment pas grand chose là dessus à part qu'il veut pas rajouter une croix sur son jubé pour qu'il y ait plus de lumière et que pour les sculptures il fait les têtes des gens qu'il aime/connait (mais alors l'approvisionnement, la gestion du chantier, le fonctionnement du chantier, les personnages du chantier... quasi rien, en tt cas c'était trop faible vu que ça fait 480 pages ce qui est BIEN SUFFISANT pour nous donner des explications et des péripéties)
Dsl
je voulais aimer ce livre
adios
April 30, 2012
Spoilers toward the end.
I read this first when I was about fifteen. My grandmother was reading it, knew I was writing, and suggested I read it for the language, and also because I was very interested in history.
I read the book at least a dozen times in my teen years, and fiercely desired to be able to write that kind of prose. I love rich characterizations, and though I have seen people complain that it starts too slowly, I find that beginning very important.
Is it now unfashionable to love words, to like to read authors who use words beautifully and descriptively? I don't know, but I am only concerned with what I enjoy as a reader, not with trends and fads. I still find this book has much to teach me. English is a beautiful language, and I want to read it used with depth, with lushness.
While Pargetter may romanticize her characters, her 12th century England is not so written. It is brutal for the villeins, and deeply unfair. She shows that that the nobility had almost complete control over those under them, and very few people would interfere. That is a recurring theme in this book, and also crops up in her Cadfael series. (Tangentially, while Pargetter, writing as Ellis Peter's wrote lovely Cadfael novels, I think of those as her eveningtide books; there is far more passion apparent in The Heaven Tree trilogy).
As the story moves on, introducing Isambard (a wonderfully explored character, I think) we can see that there is going to be a clash of wills and self-destructive pride that will pull the roof down on every-one involved. But true tragedy of the ending, for me, is that genuine love that exists between Harry and Isambard. This was the first book I cried floods of tears over, and when a book touches me that deeply, it is very special. Re-reading it recently, I was pleased when I cried again. I felt as if I were not desensitized to beauty, because there is no gore, no horror, no great violence, no sex in this book (all of which I will read without a blink) just exceptional characters, and a grand and poignant story.
I read this first when I was about fifteen. My grandmother was reading it, knew I was writing, and suggested I read it for the language, and also because I was very interested in history.
I read the book at least a dozen times in my teen years, and fiercely desired to be able to write that kind of prose. I love rich characterizations, and though I have seen people complain that it starts too slowly, I find that beginning very important.
Is it now unfashionable to love words, to like to read authors who use words beautifully and descriptively? I don't know, but I am only concerned with what I enjoy as a reader, not with trends and fads. I still find this book has much to teach me. English is a beautiful language, and I want to read it used with depth, with lushness.
While Pargetter may romanticize her characters, her 12th century England is not so written. It is brutal for the villeins, and deeply unfair. She shows that that the nobility had almost complete control over those under them, and very few people would interfere. That is a recurring theme in this book, and also crops up in her Cadfael series. (Tangentially, while Pargetter, writing as Ellis Peter's wrote lovely Cadfael novels, I think of those as her eveningtide books; there is far more passion apparent in The Heaven Tree trilogy).
As the story moves on, introducing Isambard (a wonderfully explored character, I think) we can see that there is going to be a clash of wills and self-destructive pride that will pull the roof down on every-one involved. But true tragedy of the ending, for me, is that genuine love that exists between Harry and Isambard. This was the first book I cried floods of tears over, and when a book touches me that deeply, it is very special. Re-reading it recently, I was pleased when I cried again. I felt as if I were not desensitized to beauty, because there is no gore, no horror, no great violence, no sex in this book (all of which I will read without a blink) just exceptional characters, and a grand and poignant story.
March 25, 2024
Love loved this book. Not like a fast read exactly but loved it so much!!
August 31, 2018
This book is kind of like The Fountainhead of medieval fantasy. It's about a cathedral builder in the 1200s. There are parts of this book that are very much worth 5 stars. But there are also some flaws that, sadly, cost the book as a whole two stars in my estimation.
First, the good stuff. The writing is beautiful. Pargeter was obviously someone very much moved by beauty, and she is able to transmit the longing that it inspires very well in her prose. The descriptions of the cathedral (the eponymous heaven tree) are some of the most gorgeous prose passages I've read this year. This is mostly where the 5-star passages come from.
Flaws: the main characters are perfect. They are SO perfect. They are the MOST beautiful, the MOST clever, the MOST spiritual, the MOST sexual, the MOST gifted individuals you will ever meet. I call this the Kvothe Syndrome. Many fantasy books die slow deaths because of this disease.
Fantasy authors tend, in my opinion, to indulge themselves, especially in the formation of main characters. They create characters that represent their ideal people-- characters they would like to fall in love with. If the reader also falls in love with that character, great. But if the reader DOESN'T, then they will be disgusted by the lavish praise the author heaps on their own character by making them SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER. I got very tired of hearing Pargeter describe Harry Talvace's "flashing sea-green eyes." I get that you are head over heels for your own character. But stop. Even Rand (Rand!!) did better than that with Howard Roark. At least he was ugly.
By contrast, the villain in this book is way, WAY more interesting than the main characters, because he has desires that can never be satisfied, like a real person. He cannot leverage his genius against the world to achieve everything he ever wanted, like a real person. He is brokenhearted and betrayed. He's the best character.
Second flaw: there is too much historical context. I wanted more cathedral building. There is a solid 50 pages where we leave the building sight and dabble in English politics. Good in Penman. Not good in a book about cathedrals.
This book could have been great. Really, really, great. The premise of an artist struggling to create a masterpiece through adversity is great. And I actually really enjoyed large swaths of it. But these loose ends make me sad. They unravel the book for me.
First, the good stuff. The writing is beautiful. Pargeter was obviously someone very much moved by beauty, and she is able to transmit the longing that it inspires very well in her prose. The descriptions of the cathedral (the eponymous heaven tree) are some of the most gorgeous prose passages I've read this year. This is mostly where the 5-star passages come from.
Flaws: the main characters are perfect. They are SO perfect. They are the MOST beautiful, the MOST clever, the MOST spiritual, the MOST sexual, the MOST gifted individuals you will ever meet. I call this the Kvothe Syndrome. Many fantasy books die slow deaths because of this disease.
Fantasy authors tend, in my opinion, to indulge themselves, especially in the formation of main characters. They create characters that represent their ideal people-- characters they would like to fall in love with. If the reader also falls in love with that character, great. But if the reader DOESN'T, then they will be disgusted by the lavish praise the author heaps on their own character by making them SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER. I got very tired of hearing Pargeter describe Harry Talvace's "flashing sea-green eyes." I get that you are head over heels for your own character. But stop. Even Rand (Rand!!) did better than that with Howard Roark. At least he was ugly.
By contrast, the villain in this book is way, WAY more interesting than the main characters, because he has desires that can never be satisfied, like a real person. He cannot leverage his genius against the world to achieve everything he ever wanted, like a real person. He is brokenhearted and betrayed. He's the best character.
Second flaw: there is too much historical context. I wanted more cathedral building. There is a solid 50 pages where we leave the building sight and dabble in English politics. Good in Penman. Not good in a book about cathedrals.
This book could have been great. Really, really, great. The premise of an artist struggling to create a masterpiece through adversity is great. And I actually really enjoyed large swaths of it. But these loose ends make me sad. They unravel the book for me.
January 8, 2019
I loved the first book in this trilogy.
The historical setting is England in the 13th century, the background of Welsh unrest is familiar to me, having read Here be Dragons in 2017. There the POV was from the Welsh side and the story focused on Llewelyn, the rebel prince of Wales. It was good to see the situation from the other side of the conflict (from the English perspective), besides while Penman’s book focuses on the nobility, Pargeter prefers shining light on the life of lower classes, merchants, artisans and villains.
In this first book, the protagonist is Harry Talvace, the second son of a minor Norman noble, turned stone mason who longs to build a splendid church as his masterpiece and legacy. There are obvious parallels with The Pillars of the Earth although I liked The Heaven Tree more as it is better researched, more historically rich in details and accuracy.
I’m not a big fan of romance, but there have been exceptions in the past and this book is one of them. Harry is a very likeable character, possessing many virtues, such as bravery, loyalty, honor, etc. properly abiding to the chivalry social code. The first book concludes with a tragedy, which is very fitting of this genre, Benedetta emerging as the epitome of the medieval heroine, I loved her!
I’m looking forward to continuing the series with the second book.
Highly recommended to historical fiction lovers and readers who enjoy “chansons de geste” and courtly romance type novels.
The historical setting is England in the 13th century, the background of Welsh unrest is familiar to me, having read Here be Dragons in 2017. There the POV was from the Welsh side and the story focused on Llewelyn, the rebel prince of Wales. It was good to see the situation from the other side of the conflict (from the English perspective), besides while Penman’s book focuses on the nobility, Pargeter prefers shining light on the life of lower classes, merchants, artisans and villains.
In this first book, the protagonist is Harry Talvace, the second son of a minor Norman noble, turned stone mason who longs to build a splendid church as his masterpiece and legacy. There are obvious parallels with The Pillars of the Earth although I liked The Heaven Tree more as it is better researched, more historically rich in details and accuracy.
I’m not a big fan of romance, but there have been exceptions in the past and this book is one of them. Harry is a very likeable character, possessing many virtues, such as bravery, loyalty, honor, etc. properly abiding to the chivalry social code. The first book concludes with a tragedy, which is very fitting of this genre, Benedetta emerging as the epitome of the medieval heroine, I loved her!
I’m looking forward to continuing the series with the second book.
Highly recommended to historical fiction lovers and readers who enjoy “chansons de geste” and courtly romance type novels.
February 18, 2016
I like the idea of medieval historical fiction, but apart from rare exceptions like The Name of the Rose, Barry Unsworth's Miracle Play, or Kevin Crossley-Holland's Arthur trilogy, so many of the books I've tried have failed to pull of that difficult trick of being readable to a modern audience while also sounding authentic. Patrick O'Brian is an absolute master of this with his Aubrey and Maturin series (although set long after the Middle Ages!).
Edith Pargeter in The Heaven Tree almost achieves the balance between verisimilitude and readability; it's a full-blooded tale of love, war and betrayal set in the troubled Welsh Marches at the beginning of the thirteenth century. There is plenty of action and incident and the plotting is spot on, although the telling of the tale sometimes feels laborious. It was published in 1960 and is very much of its time, a 'historical romance' with rather too much romance for my liking. But, that said, the author's knowledge of the period and the place is unsurpassed, and the world her characters inhabit feels very real. This is the first book in a trilogy and I'm not sure if I will go on to read the others - but I felt the same after reading the first of the Aubrey/Maturin series, and went on to read all twenty!
Edith Pargeter in The Heaven Tree almost achieves the balance between verisimilitude and readability; it's a full-blooded tale of love, war and betrayal set in the troubled Welsh Marches at the beginning of the thirteenth century. There is plenty of action and incident and the plotting is spot on, although the telling of the tale sometimes feels laborious. It was published in 1960 and is very much of its time, a 'historical romance' with rather too much romance for my liking. But, that said, the author's knowledge of the period and the place is unsurpassed, and the world her characters inhabit feels very real. This is the first book in a trilogy and I'm not sure if I will go on to read the others - but I felt the same after reading the first of the Aubrey/Maturin series, and went on to read all twenty!
October 10, 2024
Love Cadfael, like Felse, did not like this one: too dark and violent for my taste. I won't be reading the other two in the trilogy.
September 26, 2017
This is historical fiction that makes the 12th century borderlands between Norman England and Celtic Wales come alive. The characterisations are amazing - the people in this story are real, and fascinating, and the women are just as interesting as the men. From villains to saints to background characters that have more craft in them than the main characters in other novels, the people make this book. I completely got lost in this world...what a great read! The author believed this trilogy was her greatest work...I believe her.
December 17, 2011
Oh my, I loved these books about a marcher castle called Parfois and the lord, builders and locals who inhabited that medieval world. Pargeter turned into Ellis Peters and did medieval who-done-its for Futura, until her death. Futura was my publisher at the time, but got swallowed up by Robert Maxwell's printing empire, to re-emerge as Little Brown.
June 3, 2008
Some books can be both harsh and sweet at the same time. Edith Pargeter has given us such a one in her twelfth century trilogy, The Heaven Tree which introduce us to cathedral builder, Harry Talvace. The complex purity of his character sends chills down my spine just thinking of him.
Want to read
July 29, 2013OH, this is the same author known as Ellis Peters, who wrote the Brother Cadfael series!!!
December 27, 2024
There are not words enough to express my admiration for this glorious novel. I read it first some 30 years ago and loved it and recommended it to others frequently, but never read it again myself till now. I appreciate its soaring prose, its glowing characters, its lofty themes so much more now. Integrity, loyalty, a passion for beauty, charity, righteousness--all set against the colorful backdrop of a cathedral being built in 13th century England.
This is the first book of a trilogy. I am eager to read the other two books again.
This is the first book of a trilogy. I am eager to read the other two books again.
August 30, 2025
well, this was exactly what I needed at the moment. Romantic, action, maybe a bit sappy, but really a nice story. And it continues!
June 28, 2025
I'm a little sad about this one. I was expecting to love it so much more. The writing was lovely and the beginning was great... but the rest of it was bogged down with unnecessary political detail that you'd have to have extensive study of the period to understand. The ending had good points and definitely made an impact, but I disliked the relationship that was primarily highlighted in it. All in all, I'm still a fan of the author, but I'm disappointed that this one is not a new favorite.
June 21, 2017
Uma maravilhosa história sobre o melhor e o pior que existe no ser humano. A personagem Harry Talvace tocou-me profundamente, pela coragem e honestidade com que defende os seus ideais. Mas há outras personagens e situações fabulosas,descritas de uma forma linda e envolvente, que me ofereceram momentos de grande alegria e emoção. Adorei!
April 14, 2015
I enjoyed the story but the language was not easy to read. I did learn some history about artisans, about feudal rights of land owners, and the absolute cruelty which was grueling to even read about.
June 26, 2024
Opening in the year 1200, this sweeping novel follows Harry Talvace. The teenager is fiercely loyal, especially to his foster brother Adam. When he finds that the law as applied to those living on his father's estate don't equate with justice, he takes steps to ensure justice is met - and pays for it by having to flee his home. He ends up in France, a gifted sculptor, and eventually is commissioned to return to England to help build a cathedral for Ralf Isambard, to whom he pledges his word to finish the work. Harry finds love along the way and derives great joy from his craft. But his Achilles heel is his steadfast refusal to bend from doing what he believes to be right, even when his happiness and his very life are at stake.
This was such a grand, romantic story, less in the sense of a love story and more in the sense of an idealized view of reality. The characters love fiercely and earnestly, and Harry is so steadfast to his ideals that it's hard to imagine anyone not admiring and loving him. He is nearly too good to be true! Similarly, once Benedetta pledges her love, nothing will stand in the way of it. It seemed almost implausible that she would persevere in her faith for that love even in the face of it not being returned or that she would feel natural emotions like rejection or jealousy. She's too pure to feel real.
I did enjoy Harry's story and his loyal friends and loved ones. He leads an admirable life that is also full of exciting exploits. While his story concludes with book one, I'm curious to see where life will take the remaining characters in books two and three.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This was such a grand, romantic story, less in the sense of a love story and more in the sense of an idealized view of reality. The characters love fiercely and earnestly, and Harry is so steadfast to his ideals that it's hard to imagine anyone not admiring and loving him. He is nearly too good to be true! Similarly, once Benedetta pledges her love, nothing will stand in the way of it. It seemed almost implausible that she would persevere in her faith for that love even in the face of it not being returned or that she would feel natural emotions like rejection or jealousy. She's too pure to feel real.
I did enjoy Harry's story and his loyal friends and loved ones. He leads an admirable life that is also full of exciting exploits. While his story concludes with book one, I'm curious to see where life will take the remaining characters in books two and three.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
July 20, 2023
Generalized thoughts: enjoyed parts of this book, but might not get through the next two. I appreciate that the time lapse had to happen, but the catalyst that led Harry to leave his home and family was so powerful that the stakes for the rest of the story felt pretty shallow and contrived in comparison. My initial interest in this book came from all the praise around its portrayal of quotidian medieval life near the border of Wales and England; the book ended up shining a lot more when it described Harry's love for his work and materials. Having the two female characters who matter in the story love him with totally disproportionate and unrealistic devotion made my eyes roll to the back of my skull. That, along with the writing style, gave it all a slightly Arthurian flavor. For me, overall, there wasn't enough history in the historical fiction and all the characters ended up turning into archetypes, despite the strong beginning of the book.
Now that I think of it, this book is the anti-Fountainhead in nearly every way... which is kind of fascinating and bizarre. Character development is weird or subsumed in both books in favor some higher thematic point (which is quite heavy handed in its delivery as well), but otherwise, the motivations and establishing contexts are so oppositional that it really is like they are inverted reflections of each other. Oh, but The Heavenly Tree is waaaay shorter and not a painful slog. And characters don't pontificate for an entire chapter.
Now that I think of it, this book is the anti-Fountainhead in nearly every way... which is kind of fascinating and bizarre. Character development is weird or subsumed in both books in favor some higher thematic point (which is quite heavy handed in its delivery as well), but otherwise, the motivations and establishing contexts are so oppositional that it really is like they are inverted reflections of each other. Oh, but The Heavenly Tree is waaaay shorter and not a painful slog. And characters don't pontificate for an entire chapter.
November 19, 2017
Zřejmě neumím číst historické, a navíc milostné romány. Takže i hodnocení je pro mě dost těžké. Tak jsem k tomu přistoupila takto: Jedna hvězda za příběh, spíše za posledních cca 50 stran, 2. za zasazení do historických reálií a třetí asi za popisy práce s kamenem a vytváření nádherného stavebního díla. Postava hlavního hrdiny Harryho, je naprosto nereálná, chová se tak, že se tomu nedá uvěřit (po devíti letech najednou zjistí, že se kdysi zamiloval do desetiletého děvčete a pak ji vroucně miluje, přestože ji celou dobu neviděl a vůbec nic o ní neví). Jeho vztah k matce a vlastní rodině je taky velmi zvláštní, a vůbec jeho chování a hluboké sociální smýšlení, kdy si myslí, že může změnit daná zákonná a tradiční pravidla své doby, působí neuvěřitelně až nesmyslně. Velice zvláštně na mě působilo i to, že je v knize vždy věnován veliký prostor popisu sličnosti mužů, jejich krásných nohou, vlasů, držení těla a popis krásných žen je daleko střídmější. Další postava – Benedetta – samostatná žena na svou dobu snad až příliš, obklopená muži, úspěchem a netrpící nedostatkem peněz, se zase nějak záhadně, do Harryho zamiluje tak, že odvrhne celý svůj dosavadní způsob života a nabídne mu svoji lásku. A to ho jen slyšela pod okny zpívat. Příběh je vlastně stavěn na náhodách, které jsou jistě v životě často dost významné, ale tady se mi jich zdálo trochu moc.
September 15, 2018
Edith Pargeter also wrote under the name Ellis Peters, and she was the author of the Cadfael mysteries. The Heaven Tree takes place in early 13th century England, France, and Wales. The author's deep knowledge of the early middle ages, plus her deft skill at developing both characters and plot, makes this a page-turner, an extremely engaging book. It's the sort of book that you'd like to read all in one sitting, but it's a little too dense to do that -- so you get to stay with it for days.
The lead character, Harry, is the son of a nobleman whose closest friend and blood-brother, Adam, is the son of a villein, a serf. Through no fault of theirs, the boys get into trouble and are accused of poaching another nobleman's deer. The penalty for Harry is flogging, but for his blood-brother the penalty is flogging and then losing his hand, which grossly unequal legality so horrifies Harry that he manages to steal two horses and run away with Adam before the full sentence can be carried out.
The entire book involves one exciting and credible adventure after another. Highly recommended. It's out of print, so you have to search for it. I found it both on Amazon and Powell's (powells.com)
The lead character, Harry, is the son of a nobleman whose closest friend and blood-brother, Adam, is the son of a villein, a serf. Through no fault of theirs, the boys get into trouble and are accused of poaching another nobleman's deer. The penalty for Harry is flogging, but for his blood-brother the penalty is flogging and then losing his hand, which grossly unequal legality so horrifies Harry that he manages to steal two horses and run away with Adam before the full sentence can be carried out.
The entire book involves one exciting and credible adventure after another. Highly recommended. It's out of print, so you have to search for it. I found it both on Amazon and Powell's (powells.com)
April 1, 2025
This is the first book in a trilogy of books set in the Middle Ages between the English and Welsh border. It tells the story of Harry Talvace, an artist who is commissioned to build a cathedral. Born to the family of a knight, Harry stands up for his values after an altercation with his father and flees to France to develop his artistic abilities only to be hired to return to England some years later. Mostly this story is the conflict between two men--Harry and the man who has hired him to build the cathedral. Edith Pargeter has written a page-turner with deep themes of justice and independence. The characters are well developed and sympathetic. Written in a flowery language, it took me some time to get used to, but I was hardly noticing by the end. The middle part of the book is slow as Pargeter describes the political machinations that were going on in the day to give context to the characters actions. But at the end I could not put this book down as it rushed to itss stunning conclusion. There is no doubt that I will be reading the next two books in this trilogy soon!
June 8, 2017
When I started this I was worried it was going to be more of a young adult novel, but fortunately the scope changed about one fifth of the way in. This really wasn't a story about ideas, it was all about the characters. Usually that doesn't do it for me, but the medieval setting helped keep it interesting. There was a lot of tension in the first section and then a large part of the middle seemed to kind of lag because it was just pushing the story along. Then the last 3rd of the book went back to leaving you wondering if the characters you had grown to love were going to be okay or not. The ending was rather abrupt, but still pretty exciting.
This really seems like it would make a great movie.
While the first book is a story that stands alone well, I am definitely tempted to read the next two books in the series.
This really seems like it would make a great movie.
While the first book is a story that stands alone well, I am definitely tempted to read the next two books in the series.
June 22, 2018
Many parts of this book are perfect. I'm tempted to say the whole thing is perfect, but of course, that's not true about anything. But this book is lovely and true. The characters simply shine -- they are fully imagined and fully realized. The endings are perfectly anticipated in the beginnings without any force, manipulation, or predictability. Pargeter's use of language is dazzling. While I do love to read books more than once, it's rare that I read a section of a book and immediately turn the pages back to read it again, simply for the pleasure and beauty of the writing. That happened in this book. For reasons passing my understanding, people like Pillars of the Earth, which is about a medieval cathedral builder. This book is also about a medieval cathedral builder. Do not, do not, DO NOT read Pillars of the Earth. Do, do DO read The Heaven Tree.
August 6, 2025
Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters of Brother Cadfael fame) believes this is her greatest work. While I haven't made up my mind yet, there is something higher and exalted about this book. This is NOT a mystery like her other books - yet Brother Cadfael fans will find Shrewsbury of 1144 very familiar.
In this book, Pargeter set about to create the ultimate artist - and she was very successful in Henry Tarvace. He has a passion, gift, and focus to build a beautiful church to God. But he also sees the value and worth of each human being around him. Right from the beginning this sense of justice puts him on a collision course with what is "legal." This book will linger in my mind and haunt me for some time to come. The ending is the eminemntly artistic and brings the book to a satisfying conclusion.
In this book, Pargeter set about to create the ultimate artist - and she was very successful in Henry Tarvace. He has a passion, gift, and focus to build a beautiful church to God. But he also sees the value and worth of each human being around him. Right from the beginning this sense of justice puts him on a collision course with what is "legal." This book will linger in my mind and haunt me for some time to come. The ending is the eminemntly artistic and brings the book to a satisfying conclusion.
February 10, 2026
I picked up The Heaven Tree Trilogy at the thrift in Nelson County (Virginia) almost a decade ago and have loved these books ever since! They aren't the books for everyone, and I generally gently skim the sections in the books concerning English/Welsh politics and specifics, of which there is plenty. I could understand that being frustrating if you didn't give the story a longer chance. I'm here for what Edith Pargeter is a *master* of, & that's friendships, relationships, and descriptive writing. She has all the particular inclusions to hit my heart notes. After multiple reads, I still feel dread when things become perilous, I still re-read beautiful pieces of dialog between friends and lovers, and I still am hoping one day I can write prose like this woman! Delicate as tatted lace & fierce as a tiger's mouth.
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