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Pagan Chronicles #5
Babylonne
Exotic and exciting, this unflinching coming-of-age tale featuring a headstrong heroine weaves a vivid tapestry of life in the Middle Ages.
Early thirteenth-century Languedoc is a place of valor, violence, and persecution. At age sixteen, Babylonne has survived six bloody sieges. She's tough, resourceful, and — now that her strict aunt and abusive grandmother intend to marry her off to a senile old man — desperate. Disguised as a boy, Babylonne embarks on an action-packed adventure that amounts to a trust the mysterious Catholic priest — a sworn enemy to her Cathar faith — who says he's a friend of her dead father, Pagan. Or pursue a fairy-tale version of her future, one in which she'll fight and likely die in a vicious war with the French. Though Babylonne never knew her irreverent father, fans of Catherine Jinks's novels about Pagan Kidrouk will be sure to see the resemblance in his feisty daughter.
Early thirteenth-century Languedoc is a place of valor, violence, and persecution. At age sixteen, Babylonne has survived six bloody sieges. She's tough, resourceful, and — now that her strict aunt and abusive grandmother intend to marry her off to a senile old man — desperate. Disguised as a boy, Babylonne embarks on an action-packed adventure that amounts to a trust the mysterious Catholic priest — a sworn enemy to her Cathar faith — who says he's a friend of her dead father, Pagan. Or pursue a fairy-tale version of her future, one in which she'll fight and likely die in a vicious war with the French. Though Babylonne never knew her irreverent father, fans of Catherine Jinks's novels about Pagan Kidrouk will be sure to see the resemblance in his feisty daughter.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
377 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Jinks
62 books537 followersCatherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 7, 2010
3.5 stars
I inadvertently discovered Catherine Jinks last fall when I read The Reformed Vampire Support Group. Since then, I have been looking for any other books that she has written and pick them up at every opportunity.
Babylonne is a very different young adult book. Set in the Middle Ages, our young heroine (Babylonne) is an orphan living a very difficult life. She is under the care of her grandmother, who beats and torments her regularly. Babylonne’s people are very religious, fanatical, almost to the point of a cult. They do not eat anything that is the product of fornication – no milk, eggs, cheese, or meat. They do not believe in marriage to procreate as this will cause sin. They are very anti-Catholic.
It is this background that gives Babylonne her personality. Babylonne is a little bit of a heretic in her universe. She is a free thinker and is opinionated. Because of her behavior, her rather rabid grandmother decides that it is time to marry off Babylonne to an old man so that she could care for him. Babylonne overhears the plan and makes plans of her own to run away and join the knights. She cuts her hair, packs her meager belongings, dresses like a boy, and sets off.
As she begins her journey, she meets Father Isadore. Father Isadore knew Babylonne’s father and has sworn that he would take care of her. Babylonne is now disguised as Benoit, Father Isadore’s servant.
The story is told from Babylonne’s point of view. Babylonne’s fairy tale is interspersed throughout the book. You get a taste for the dangers of traveling in the Middle Ages. Babylonne’s upbringing shaped her world views, but through Father Isadore’s patience she learns that the world is not such a horrible place full of sin.
There is an amazing battle/siege scene in the book. You can sense the smells and the sounds through the author’s descriptions. The horror of the battle, the atrocities committed, the general mayhem and terror, are all described well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone 14 years and older. If you haven’t read any Catherine Jinks books before, give her a try.
I inadvertently discovered Catherine Jinks last fall when I read The Reformed Vampire Support Group. Since then, I have been looking for any other books that she has written and pick them up at every opportunity.
Babylonne is a very different young adult book. Set in the Middle Ages, our young heroine (Babylonne) is an orphan living a very difficult life. She is under the care of her grandmother, who beats and torments her regularly. Babylonne’s people are very religious, fanatical, almost to the point of a cult. They do not eat anything that is the product of fornication – no milk, eggs, cheese, or meat. They do not believe in marriage to procreate as this will cause sin. They are very anti-Catholic.
It is this background that gives Babylonne her personality. Babylonne is a little bit of a heretic in her universe. She is a free thinker and is opinionated. Because of her behavior, her rather rabid grandmother decides that it is time to marry off Babylonne to an old man so that she could care for him. Babylonne overhears the plan and makes plans of her own to run away and join the knights. She cuts her hair, packs her meager belongings, dresses like a boy, and sets off.
As she begins her journey, she meets Father Isadore. Father Isadore knew Babylonne’s father and has sworn that he would take care of her. Babylonne is now disguised as Benoit, Father Isadore’s servant.
The story is told from Babylonne’s point of view. Babylonne’s fairy tale is interspersed throughout the book. You get a taste for the dangers of traveling in the Middle Ages. Babylonne’s upbringing shaped her world views, but through Father Isadore’s patience she learns that the world is not such a horrible place full of sin.
There is an amazing battle/siege scene in the book. You can sense the smells and the sounds through the author’s descriptions. The horror of the battle, the atrocities committed, the general mayhem and terror, are all described well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone 14 years and older. If you haven’t read any Catherine Jinks books before, give her a try.
November 13, 2012
Reviewed by Christina Tsichlis for TeensReadToo.com
BABYLONNE, by Catherine Jinks, is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl in early thirteenth-century Languedoc.
It is a time of war, persecution, and religious controversy. Jinks' knowledge of the era as a scholar lends a truth and vividness to the coming-of-age tale of a young, feisty girl in the middle of a war. She is able to paint everything from the sights, sounds, and smells of monasteries to the sights, sounds, and smells of wars and infirmaries inside besieged fortresses. Her writing is not for the weak of heart, or the weak of stomach in some places.
Babylonne is a young woman who has spent her life surrounded by bloodshed and abuse and has remained an independent thinker despite it all. She never knew her mother, a Good Christian, and never knew her father, an Arab-born Roman priest. She lives with her aunt and other women in a convent of sorts. As she is considered to be a child with no father, because her father was a Roman priest, she is mistreated and abused in many ways.
Finally, when she is going to be married off to a man who is so old that he sees everything as giant bouncing olives, she makes a run for it.
While Babylonne runs through her city, stolen goods in tow, she runs into a Roman priest, Isidore, whom she despises at first. Gradually, Isidore teaches her to trust and the differences between her faith and his faith come into question and are open for debate. Her original wish, to fight for the exiled lords against the French, comes into question as she learns what war really means. Babylonne's honest voice is dramatic, humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking.
The one thing that I truly wish was different with this book is the cover art. Babylonne is supposed to be as dark as a Moor but the cover shows her as pale, brown-eyed, and red-haired. While the cover is dramatic and beautiful, I wish that it showed the main character as she is written, because everything else is so carefully researched and laid out.
Overall, Jinks' writing style is easy to get into and the historical knowledge makes Babylonne's world leap off the page.
BABYLONNE, by Catherine Jinks, is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl in early thirteenth-century Languedoc.
It is a time of war, persecution, and religious controversy. Jinks' knowledge of the era as a scholar lends a truth and vividness to the coming-of-age tale of a young, feisty girl in the middle of a war. She is able to paint everything from the sights, sounds, and smells of monasteries to the sights, sounds, and smells of wars and infirmaries inside besieged fortresses. Her writing is not for the weak of heart, or the weak of stomach in some places.
Babylonne is a young woman who has spent her life surrounded by bloodshed and abuse and has remained an independent thinker despite it all. She never knew her mother, a Good Christian, and never knew her father, an Arab-born Roman priest. She lives with her aunt and other women in a convent of sorts. As she is considered to be a child with no father, because her father was a Roman priest, she is mistreated and abused in many ways.
Finally, when she is going to be married off to a man who is so old that he sees everything as giant bouncing olives, she makes a run for it.
While Babylonne runs through her city, stolen goods in tow, she runs into a Roman priest, Isidore, whom she despises at first. Gradually, Isidore teaches her to trust and the differences between her faith and his faith come into question and are open for debate. Her original wish, to fight for the exiled lords against the French, comes into question as she learns what war really means. Babylonne's honest voice is dramatic, humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking.
The one thing that I truly wish was different with this book is the cover art. Babylonne is supposed to be as dark as a Moor but the cover shows her as pale, brown-eyed, and red-haired. While the cover is dramatic and beautiful, I wish that it showed the main character as she is written, because everything else is so carefully researched and laid out.
Overall, Jinks' writing style is easy to get into and the historical knowledge makes Babylonne's world leap off the page.
December 14, 2009
Life as a female in the Cathar Revolt, Medieval France.
Nothing like " A KNights Tale or "BlackNight" or "Arthur" maybe closer to "Gathering Blue", Lois Lowry, Midwife's Apprentice; Catherine Cookson; or WolF Roland or the "Last Trumpter of Krackow"!
Interesting story of the Cathar Revolt told by a young lady who was the result of a Noble man and a Nun or Lady of Royality as a nun. This story is set in Medieval France besieged by savage warfare and liveihood. The young lady, Babylonne is abused by her guardians and looks for a way of escape. Babylonne lives by her wits but sees that a life of education is a possible way out of her predictament. She ends up in the middle of siege.
Catherine Jinks is a very good author with Character development, conflict and use of setting. Her characters may have weaknesses but they know their strengths and use them to the best of their ability.
Nothing like " A KNights Tale or "BlackNight" or "Arthur" maybe closer to "Gathering Blue", Lois Lowry, Midwife's Apprentice; Catherine Cookson; or WolF Roland or the "Last Trumpter of Krackow"!
Interesting story of the Cathar Revolt told by a young lady who was the result of a Noble man and a Nun or Lady of Royality as a nun. This story is set in Medieval France besieged by savage warfare and liveihood. The young lady, Babylonne is abused by her guardians and looks for a way of escape. Babylonne lives by her wits but sees that a life of education is a possible way out of her predictament. She ends up in the middle of siege.
Catherine Jinks is a very good author with Character development, conflict and use of setting. Her characters may have weaknesses but they know their strengths and use them to the best of their ability.
May 31, 2008
Babylonne is Pagan's daughter and this story takes place in her 17th year in 1277 when she runs away from the grandmother and aunt who took her in after her mother's death. Babylonne never knew her father but she has inherited his irreverant spirit and is also a memorable character. I enjoyed this a lot but I think teens who know little of French history might be confused. For the right teen and those who read all the Pagan books, this is a rewarding and enjoyable story. Jinks, as always, pulls no punches in her presentation of life in this bloody period.
October 22, 2014
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Divided. On the one hand, I always like covers that indicate what sort of story the book is going to be. But I don’t like the character impersonator, especially since Babylonne is half Arab, and that girl clearly isn’t.
Characters: Babylonne is like the female version of Pagan Kidrouk, which makes sense, since she’s his daughter. She’s got his snarkiness, his penchant for finding trouble (and just like Pagan, it really isn’t her fault that so many bad things happen to her; it just does), and his quick thinking. But she’s also pretty bitter, and justifiably so. Her sarcasm has a super sharp edge that Pagan’s never did, and it’s this that sets her personality apart from his. Amazingly enough, though, Babylonne doesn’t have The Attitude, and she feels genuine - not like she has a major chip on her shoulder, and a need to prove herself. She’s a very strong, resourceful, and fun protagonist. I love Isidore perhaps even more than I did in Pagan’s Scribe. He’s kind and gentle and brave, and while he has grown from the naïve boy that he was in Pagan’s Scribe, he still has a bit of that innocence that makes one affectionately shake one’s head at him.
The Romance: There isn’t any!
Plot: Babylonne has been raised a Good Christian - that is, a Cathar. But her cruel and abusive relatives are unduly mean to her, because she’s illegitimate, and decide to marry her off to the oldest man in town, to get rid of her. Well, Babylonne isn’t one to take something lying down, so she disguises herself as a boy and runs away, intending to join the exiled lords to fight the French. But she doesn’t count on Isidore catching her and trying to persuade her to a different plan - one that is not likely to get her killed. And she also doesn’t count on this young man knowing her father, whom she’s always assumed took her mother against her will. The plot, perhaps, isn’t the world’s most exciting, and yet it’s highly engaging. It’s definitely more of a character-driven story, than plot-driven, and even so - with the French invading and Cathars being hunted down, there’s plenty of exciting moments. Still, the Reader spends more time reading about the developing trust and friendship between Isidore and Babylonne than the ensuing battles. And I loved it.
Believability: The Author isn’t afraid to paint life the way it was back then: in a word, filthy. And therefore accurate. From what I know about Cathars from my own studies, she paints a pretty accurate picture of them, as well as Catholics, and she also portrays them both fairly. Both religions had their flaws, and both religions had their pros.
Writing Style: I’m not a huge fan of her style, I’ll admit, and the way in which she writes Babylonne is even worse than the Pagan Chronicles. It’s present-tense first-person, extremely choppy, and almost like stream of consciousness, though not nearly as difficult to understand. There’s nothing poetic about it, nor would I call it movie-ish. But at the same time, it also connects the Reader to Babylonne much more than a prettier narration would, because we get to see Babylonne’s thought processes and reactions to everything. The style takes some getting used to, and I’ll never say that I like it, but I can tolerate it. The Author also isn’t, as I said earlier, afraid to paint life back then the way it was, and it sometimes makes for a rather nasty read. Don’t eat anything during this book, and it’s quite possible that you will feel the need for a bath afterward. The Author is almost as good making Readers hate people as Charles Dickens is.
Content: While nothing happens, there is a lot of sexual suggestions. Rape, homosexuality, and molestation are often mentioned, though not in any detail - and again, nothing actually happens. The Author acknowledges that this time period was not safe for girls - or young boys, - and she’s not an Author who shies away from things.
Conclusion: There’s a tremendous siege, which is exciting and depressing at the same time. While the book ends happily for the most part, it does have a very bittersweet tone, so don’t expect to feel all warm and fuzzy at the conclusion. Pagan Kidrouk is one of my all-time favorite male protagonists in literature, so it was awesome to read about his daughter, Babylonne. What’s also nice about this book is the Author wrote it to where one doesn’t have to read the Pagan Chronicles to enjoy it (though I, personally, would recommend that you do; it’ll make you appreciate the characters more). It can be considered a stand-alone novel.
Recommended Audience: Girl-and-guy read, sixteen-and-up, good for historical fiction fans and Pagan Chronicles fans.
Characters: Babylonne is like the female version of Pagan Kidrouk, which makes sense, since she’s his daughter. She’s got his snarkiness, his penchant for finding trouble (and just like Pagan, it really isn’t her fault that so many bad things happen to her; it just does), and his quick thinking. But she’s also pretty bitter, and justifiably so. Her sarcasm has a super sharp edge that Pagan’s never did, and it’s this that sets her personality apart from his. Amazingly enough, though, Babylonne doesn’t have The Attitude, and she feels genuine - not like she has a major chip on her shoulder, and a need to prove herself. She’s a very strong, resourceful, and fun protagonist. I love Isidore perhaps even more than I did in Pagan’s Scribe. He’s kind and gentle and brave, and while he has grown from the naïve boy that he was in Pagan’s Scribe, he still has a bit of that innocence that makes one affectionately shake one’s head at him.
The Romance: There isn’t any!
Plot: Babylonne has been raised a Good Christian - that is, a Cathar. But her cruel and abusive relatives are unduly mean to her, because she’s illegitimate, and decide to marry her off to the oldest man in town, to get rid of her. Well, Babylonne isn’t one to take something lying down, so she disguises herself as a boy and runs away, intending to join the exiled lords to fight the French. But she doesn’t count on Isidore catching her and trying to persuade her to a different plan - one that is not likely to get her killed. And she also doesn’t count on this young man knowing her father, whom she’s always assumed took her mother against her will. The plot, perhaps, isn’t the world’s most exciting, and yet it’s highly engaging. It’s definitely more of a character-driven story, than plot-driven, and even so - with the French invading and Cathars being hunted down, there’s plenty of exciting moments. Still, the Reader spends more time reading about the developing trust and friendship between Isidore and Babylonne than the ensuing battles. And I loved it.
Believability: The Author isn’t afraid to paint life the way it was back then: in a word, filthy. And therefore accurate. From what I know about Cathars from my own studies, she paints a pretty accurate picture of them, as well as Catholics, and she also portrays them both fairly. Both religions had their flaws, and both religions had their pros.
Writing Style: I’m not a huge fan of her style, I’ll admit, and the way in which she writes Babylonne is even worse than the Pagan Chronicles. It’s present-tense first-person, extremely choppy, and almost like stream of consciousness, though not nearly as difficult to understand. There’s nothing poetic about it, nor would I call it movie-ish. But at the same time, it also connects the Reader to Babylonne much more than a prettier narration would, because we get to see Babylonne’s thought processes and reactions to everything. The style takes some getting used to, and I’ll never say that I like it, but I can tolerate it. The Author also isn’t, as I said earlier, afraid to paint life back then the way it was, and it sometimes makes for a rather nasty read. Don’t eat anything during this book, and it’s quite possible that you will feel the need for a bath afterward. The Author is almost as good making Readers hate people as Charles Dickens is.
Content: While nothing happens, there is a lot of sexual suggestions. Rape, homosexuality, and molestation are often mentioned, though not in any detail - and again, nothing actually happens. The Author acknowledges that this time period was not safe for girls - or young boys, - and she’s not an Author who shies away from things.
Conclusion: There’s a tremendous siege, which is exciting and depressing at the same time. While the book ends happily for the most part, it does have a very bittersweet tone, so don’t expect to feel all warm and fuzzy at the conclusion. Pagan Kidrouk is one of my all-time favorite male protagonists in literature, so it was awesome to read about his daughter, Babylonne. What’s also nice about this book is the Author wrote it to where one doesn’t have to read the Pagan Chronicles to enjoy it (though I, personally, would recommend that you do; it’ll make you appreciate the characters more). It can be considered a stand-alone novel.
Recommended Audience: Girl-and-guy read, sixteen-and-up, good for historical fiction fans and Pagan Chronicles fans.
April 27, 2021
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5
--
Plot: Set in Languedoc (southern France, now) in the 13th Century. A bastard by a Catholic priest, an orphan with Arab blood, and surrounded by a derisive family of overzealous Cathars, 16-year-old Babylonne is kicked around by practically everyone in her life. After her aunt and grandmother decide to marry her off to an impotent old man in a last-ditch attempt to "save her from fornication and preserve her immortal soul", Babylonne decides enough is enough and runs away, dreaming of helping the noble resistance of exiled Cathar knights against the insidious French.
When a mysterious priest turns up claiming to know her father (not that she cares) and offering his aid, Babylonne is suspicious but desperate. The two then strike up a tenuous companionship to travel together amidst a backdrop of simmering religious tensions and war - Cathars vs Catholics, Languedoc vs France [history spoiler alert: France wins and the Cathars are wiped out].
--
This is the only book I've read in the series, so it's kinda funny that I started with the last one (especially as I'm normally a huge stickler for reading in chronological order). The novel sometimes regales the reader with references to characters and events from previous books, and my reaction (and Babylonne's) is basically 'ok, that's cool'. I'm planning on hunting down the others one day, but regardless this can still definitely be read standalone. In a way, reading this without the full context of the previous books' adventures added to the overall experience, as Babylonne too is floundering around in the dust of other people's stories and has little to no emotional connection to them.
I first read this book probably more than 10 years ago back in primary school, and it's a testament to how much the writing, story, and characters drew me in that I still remember so much of it after so long.
It's a lowkey sort of tale, exploring the perspectives of regular people caught in the spokes of history's wheel, pushed by the actions of great figures and its consequences. It's a pretty grim portrayal of what it was like to live back then, especially so if you were a woman. Heapings of casual misogyny, sexual assault/threats, and religious shaming abound. Also death. Death, destruction, and war. It was also just a really gross time (boy, am I glad I live in the 21st Century - yay clean toilets!).
The first half is basically a road trip, made lighter by Babylonne's spunky inner dialogue and the crazy personalities they encounter. However, it gets turned around on its head in the second half where it becomes a really tense and gripping siege warfare story. I always end up feeling hollow by the end of the book, partly because I'm shell-shocked like Babylonne is by all the death and destruction but mostly because I want to stay with these characters and find out if they get a happy ending.
Anyways, I just really care about these characters. Snappy, scrappy Babylonne who always puts up a strong front but is deep down a pretty scarred child. Gaunt, gentle Isidore, with a heart of gold and a core of steel, dealing with his own ghosts. Two souls bound by circumstance (or shared history? fate?) who eventually form a strong family bond.
There's some pretty heavy themes in this story; the cycle of anger and revenge, the ravages of war, the persecution of those different to you (in religion or beliefs, etc.). Another one (taken more in context of the Pagan series overall) is the passage of time/history and how everyone's stories fade away so that only the achievements are left. Whew. Anyways. It's all packaged in Babylonne's fast-paced and snarky voice, however, so the book is generally a lot more light-hearted than I might be making it appear.
*frets about the wellbeing of these fictional characters* God, I hope they all ended up living a long and fulfilling life.
(Also, Isidore is the best.)
--
Plot: Set in Languedoc (southern France, now) in the 13th Century. A bastard by a Catholic priest, an orphan with Arab blood, and surrounded by a derisive family of overzealous Cathars, 16-year-old Babylonne is kicked around by practically everyone in her life. After her aunt and grandmother decide to marry her off to an impotent old man in a last-ditch attempt to "save her from fornication and preserve her immortal soul", Babylonne decides enough is enough and runs away, dreaming of helping the noble resistance of exiled Cathar knights against the insidious French.
When a mysterious priest turns up claiming to know her father (not that she cares) and offering his aid, Babylonne is suspicious but desperate. The two then strike up a tenuous companionship to travel together amidst a backdrop of simmering religious tensions and war - Cathars vs Catholics, Languedoc vs France [history spoiler alert: France wins and the Cathars are wiped out].
--
This is the only book I've read in the series, so it's kinda funny that I started with the last one (especially as I'm normally a huge stickler for reading in chronological order). The novel sometimes regales the reader with references to characters and events from previous books, and my reaction (and Babylonne's) is basically 'ok, that's cool'. I'm planning on hunting down the others one day, but regardless this can still definitely be read standalone. In a way, reading this without the full context of the previous books' adventures added to the overall experience, as Babylonne too is floundering around in the dust of other people's stories and has little to no emotional connection to them.
I first read this book probably more than 10 years ago back in primary school, and it's a testament to how much the writing, story, and characters drew me in that I still remember so much of it after so long.
It's a lowkey sort of tale, exploring the perspectives of regular people caught in the spokes of history's wheel, pushed by the actions of great figures and its consequences. It's a pretty grim portrayal of what it was like to live back then, especially so if you were a woman. Heapings of casual misogyny, sexual assault/threats, and religious shaming abound. Also death. Death, destruction, and war. It was also just a really gross time (boy, am I glad I live in the 21st Century - yay clean toilets!).
The first half is basically a road trip, made lighter by Babylonne's spunky inner dialogue and the crazy personalities they encounter. However, it gets turned around on its head in the second half where it becomes a really tense and gripping siege warfare story. I always end up feeling hollow by the end of the book, partly because I'm shell-shocked like Babylonne is by all the death and destruction but mostly because I want to stay with these characters and find out if they get a happy ending.
Anyways, I just really care about these characters. Snappy, scrappy Babylonne who always puts up a strong front but is deep down a pretty scarred child. Gaunt, gentle Isidore, with a heart of gold and a core of steel, dealing with his own ghosts. Two souls bound by circumstance (or shared history? fate?) who eventually form a strong family bond.
There's some pretty heavy themes in this story; the cycle of anger and revenge, the ravages of war, the persecution of those different to you (in religion or beliefs, etc.). Another one (taken more in context of the Pagan series overall) is the passage of time/history and how everyone's stories fade away so that only the achievements are left. Whew. Anyways. It's all packaged in Babylonne's fast-paced and snarky voice, however, so the book is generally a lot more light-hearted than I might be making it appear.
*frets about the wellbeing of these fictional characters* God, I hope they all ended up living a long and fulfilling life.
(Also, Isidore is the best.)
June 8, 2017
This book is a companion to the Pagan series and it's also marvelous. I loved the gradual friendship between Babylonne and Isidore (yes, a grown-up Isidore is in this book). The ending was a bit rushed; the book didn't feel quite finished. Otherwise, it was perfect.
June 26, 2010
A sort-of fifth book of the "Pagan Chronicles" and yet a stand alone novel, "Babylonne" was good, but not nearly as good as the books that featured Pagan.
Babylonne is Pagan's sixteen year old illegitimate daughter. She has grown up believing that her Perfect mother (a Cathar) was raped by a Roman priest (Catholic), that she was the sinful result and that she barely deserved to live. Growing up in a Cathar household, Babylonne is forbidden anything that might have been, or could be, the result of "fornication" (although technically any sort of sex is taboo, not just fornication), meaning that everything from meat to eggs to marriage and having children is prohibited.
Fed up with her life (and her relatives) Babylonne decides to run away before her aunts and grandmother can marry her off to a man three times her age (her family decides that since Babylonne is such a great sinner that they may as well marry her off to get her out of their hair). On the way out, she bumps into a Roman priest, Father Isidore. Terrified that he will try and rape her (Catholic priests already have a bad reputation in the 13th c.) Babylonne tries to evade him. But Isidore soon catches her and asks her if she knows her father. She doesn't, but he claims to have been great friends with her father, Archdeacon Pagan Kidrouk. He claims that Pagan loved her mother very much and would never have raped her. The only reason that he would have been anything but chaste (and the evidence is standing right before Isidore) is that Pagan's best friend Lord Roland had just died and Pagan had been in need of much comfort. Babylonne doesn't want to believe him, but when he explains that her father had died not more than a month before and that he had collected his belongings and was making a pillgramige on Pagan's behalf, she starts to come around. Before she knows it the two of them have set off on a journey that will make her question her faith (both religously and in men) and possibly even change her headstrong personality that is so reminiscent of her father's....
My biggest complaint with this one is that Babylonne, despite what Jinks claims in the "About the Author" section, is not like her father. Yes, she has some of his daring and bravery, etc., but she does not have the ready wit, sarcasm and brillance that made Pagan shine. There is some, but not enough. Too, by the end of the novel we feel as if there has been no closure. Babylonne has experienced a lot, but nothing has really changed! There are no definites for her future. I hope that Jinks writes a follow-up novel simply to finish off the series more acceptably, more so than to continue with Babylonne.
Babylonne is Pagan's sixteen year old illegitimate daughter. She has grown up believing that her Perfect mother (a Cathar) was raped by a Roman priest (Catholic), that she was the sinful result and that she barely deserved to live. Growing up in a Cathar household, Babylonne is forbidden anything that might have been, or could be, the result of "fornication" (although technically any sort of sex is taboo, not just fornication), meaning that everything from meat to eggs to marriage and having children is prohibited.
Fed up with her life (and her relatives) Babylonne decides to run away before her aunts and grandmother can marry her off to a man three times her age (her family decides that since Babylonne is such a great sinner that they may as well marry her off to get her out of their hair). On the way out, she bumps into a Roman priest, Father Isidore. Terrified that he will try and rape her (Catholic priests already have a bad reputation in the 13th c.) Babylonne tries to evade him. But Isidore soon catches her and asks her if she knows her father. She doesn't, but he claims to have been great friends with her father, Archdeacon Pagan Kidrouk. He claims that Pagan loved her mother very much and would never have raped her. The only reason that he would have been anything but chaste (and the evidence is standing right before Isidore) is that Pagan's best friend Lord Roland had just died and Pagan had been in need of much comfort. Babylonne doesn't want to believe him, but when he explains that her father had died not more than a month before and that he had collected his belongings and was making a pillgramige on Pagan's behalf, she starts to come around. Before she knows it the two of them have set off on a journey that will make her question her faith (both religously and in men) and possibly even change her headstrong personality that is so reminiscent of her father's....
My biggest complaint with this one is that Babylonne, despite what Jinks claims in the "About the Author" section, is not like her father. Yes, she has some of his daring and bravery, etc., but she does not have the ready wit, sarcasm and brillance that made Pagan shine. There is some, but not enough. Too, by the end of the novel we feel as if there has been no closure. Babylonne has experienced a lot, but nothing has really changed! There are no definites for her future. I hope that Jinks writes a follow-up novel simply to finish off the series more acceptably, more so than to continue with Babylonne.
July 2, 2016
I'm giving Babylonne a 5. It's the first book I've read by Jinks and I found her style engaging and accessible. My copy recommends it to readers aged 12 and up, and, with the protagonist being 16 years old, the target readership is young YA. For that reason, (unlike other reviewers wanting sex and romance) I did not expect more than it delivered.
Violence in the novel is kept under check (considering it's the Cathar Crusade and blood-hungry mercenaries roam the countryside) with Babylonne hearing or experiencing most gory bits from a distance. Yes, she does tend badly wounded soldiers during a siege, but the details are not as graphic as they might've been. And although she comes close, at no time during her encounters is she physically violated, (except for the beatings from her aunt).
In fact, sensory descriptions of this turbulent war were not as strong as I'd expected, and while latrines (and Babylonne's aversion to them) were mentioned often, the actual smell was not described, just inferred. So will scenes in this novel turn your gut, as some reviewers have suggested? No.
I enjoyed Babylonne's little fairytale imaginings at the start of many chapters; they gave insight to her hopes and dreams. It was a lovely plot device. I also appreciated Babylonne's character growth through the novel as she learned who to trust and what to believe.
For the medieval battle scenes and descriptions of knights' attire, weaponry and war machines, it might've been useful for young YA readers to have a glossary at the back of the book.
Finally, the ending leaves us with hope for Babylonne's future and her place in the world. Some have thought it was rather abrupt, but Babylonne's earlier fairytale imaginings when thinking of her protector the priest, Isadore, foreshadow and fill in the details.
Read this from the point of view of a 12-15 year old, not from an adult's perspective. It's not an adult book. Highly recommended.
Violence in the novel is kept under check (considering it's the Cathar Crusade and blood-hungry mercenaries roam the countryside) with Babylonne hearing or experiencing most gory bits from a distance. Yes, she does tend badly wounded soldiers during a siege, but the details are not as graphic as they might've been. And although she comes close, at no time during her encounters is she physically violated, (except for the beatings from her aunt).
In fact, sensory descriptions of this turbulent war were not as strong as I'd expected, and while latrines (and Babylonne's aversion to them) were mentioned often, the actual smell was not described, just inferred. So will scenes in this novel turn your gut, as some reviewers have suggested? No.
I enjoyed Babylonne's little fairytale imaginings at the start of many chapters; they gave insight to her hopes and dreams. It was a lovely plot device. I also appreciated Babylonne's character growth through the novel as she learned who to trust and what to believe.
For the medieval battle scenes and descriptions of knights' attire, weaponry and war machines, it might've been useful for young YA readers to have a glossary at the back of the book.
Finally, the ending leaves us with hope for Babylonne's future and her place in the world. Some have thought it was rather abrupt, but Babylonne's earlier fairytale imaginings when thinking of her protector the priest, Isadore, foreshadow and fill in the details.
Read this from the point of view of a 12-15 year old, not from an adult's perspective. It's not an adult book. Highly recommended.
February 11, 2020
Good, but it could've been a fair bit longer. And I wish Isidore and Babylonne weren't separated for such a solid chunk of the book. It feels more like an introduction to a new series rather than an ending. Still enjoyable though. Catherine Jinks is as good of a writer as she's always been.
Also, it seems like the book is sometimes called "Babylonne" and other times "Pagan's Daughter", which explains why there's so many confused reviewers who've never read the previous four books in the series. You don't really need to, I guess, but it certainly adds some much needed context.
Edit: There's one thing that bugs me a little that I just thought of. I realize that the books have a general theme of "orphan with a difficult life discovers goodness, feels loved and feels love for older father figure", so I can understand that Jinks wanted to keep that going. But it's a little painful this time. Pagan dies a month - not years, not some unmentioned time period - a month before Babylonne meets up with Isidore. I feel like it could've been just as interesting, and certainly more satisfying, to close the series by ending the cycle and have Babylonne be taken to Pagan by Isidore. I get that realism is important, but hearing that Pagan had died just as a footnote in the story - the character we've rooted for the whole series - is a little depressing.
Also, it seems like the book is sometimes called "Babylonne" and other times "Pagan's Daughter", which explains why there's so many confused reviewers who've never read the previous four books in the series. You don't really need to, I guess, but it certainly adds some much needed context.
Edit: There's one thing that bugs me a little that I just thought of. I realize that the books have a general theme of "orphan with a difficult life discovers goodness, feels loved and feels love for older father figure", so I can understand that Jinks wanted to keep that going. But it's a little painful this time. Pagan dies a month - not years, not some unmentioned time period - a month before Babylonne meets up with Isidore. I feel like it could've been just as interesting, and certainly more satisfying, to close the series by ending the cycle and have Babylonne be taken to Pagan by Isidore. I get that realism is important, but hearing that Pagan had died just as a footnote in the story - the character we've rooted for the whole series - is a little depressing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2009
Catherine Jinks has an incredible talent for transporting the reader straight into whatever character and time period she's chosen to write about. "Babylonne" is a sort-of sequel to her Pagan chronicles; it is the story of Pagan's daughter, a feisty, angry Cathar who runs away from home and finds herself in the company of a Christian priest who knew her father. This causes trouble, since she believes that Christian priests are all evil and that her father raped her mother.
And then, well, stuff happens to them. The plot isn't the tightest, with soldiers and pilgrims and various other challenges wandering in to cause trouble at random times, but it's fun to be along for the ride. Babylonne's voice is compelling, and makes you feel like you're in the thirteenth century without feeling like you're being told what the thirteenth century is like. The ending sequence, with Babylonne trapped in the middle of a siege, is breathlessly exciting; and the ending -- while a tiny bit too abrupt -- is satisfying. An impressive feat.
And then, well, stuff happens to them. The plot isn't the tightest, with soldiers and pilgrims and various other challenges wandering in to cause trouble at random times, but it's fun to be along for the ride. Babylonne's voice is compelling, and makes you feel like you're in the thirteenth century without feeling like you're being told what the thirteenth century is like. The ending sequence, with Babylonne trapped in the middle of a siege, is breathlessly exciting; and the ending -- while a tiny bit too abrupt -- is satisfying. An impressive feat.
July 26, 2016
This book is set in the era of the crusades, and brings us a story about a teen who has been raised to believe that she is a child of rape, illegitimate, and dishonorable due to her birth. She is abused, mistreated, illfed and generally shunned except when work needs to be done.
She decides to run away and find someone who is happy to have her around, and although I didn't agree with her destination, I did agree with her decision. Along the way she finds out that her world is not what she thought it was, and that not everyone is the way she has had them described.
She also finds truths about herself which she has difficulty accepting.
The main issue I had with the book is that it left us to make assumptions (what is a Good Christian?) and also had Babylonne reacting in ways that did not fit the rebellious character she was initially painted to be. I also rated it down due not to language or nudity but simply because the story focused more on the unsavory bits, and left no chance for our character to see that beauty can be found in unlikely places.
She decides to run away and find someone who is happy to have her around, and although I didn't agree with her destination, I did agree with her decision. Along the way she finds out that her world is not what she thought it was, and that not everyone is the way she has had them described.
She also finds truths about herself which she has difficulty accepting.
The main issue I had with the book is that it left us to make assumptions (what is a Good Christian?) and also had Babylonne reacting in ways that did not fit the rebellious character she was initially painted to be. I also rated it down due not to language or nudity but simply because the story focused more on the unsavory bits, and left no chance for our character to see that beauty can be found in unlikely places.
June 19, 2010
I'm a total sucker for Medieval fiction, but as I began reading Babylonne, I knew this was going to be something I would not like. Although I did love her sarcastic, tom-boyish personality, I absolutely hated how gross and disgusting the world she lived in was described. I felt sick at some points in the book. I will say the ending was a very good ending, and I also commend Ms. Jinks in that she did not through in a knight in shining armor, and still had a satisfying ending that I felt good about finishing.
December 28, 2009
This is a gritty,non-romanticized historical novel about 13th century France and religious intolerance. The protagonist is tough, vulnerable, and refreshingly non-heroic. She does what she must to survive and occasionally what seems right. Her thoughts and behavior reinforce the reader's sense of being in the midst of the squalor and chaos.
January 4, 2024
Just finished this book, almost 20 years after reading this first few in high school. The pagan chronicles is a series I’ve returned to several times over the years. I love the historical grounding and world of pre French languedoc. I love the sights, sounds and philosophical immediacy of these books. And the way they all explore orphans finding father figures. This fifth one very much follows that same formula. The snarky, gutsy teen protagonist narrates in an annoyed aggressive tone, but eventually softens because of a kind mentor.
Character wise, this book is a little less interesting than the others, imho. Isidore isn’t as dynamic or interesting as pagan - and seems more temperamentally similar to Roland, which is strange because he is full of opinions and color in book 4.
Babylonia is interesting, but feels like a rehashed version of her father. Her brashness never lets us worry that anything too bad will happen to her.
But as an immersion into history this is my favorite. Jinks has done such a great job establishing the tension between France and languedoc, catholic and cathar, in the previous books. And here the story is told from the cathar pov, during the bloodiest most violent era of that struggle. The cathars aren’t portrayed sympathetically, like in book 2, but instead like abusive nihilists who brainwash their children. Which is a very bold and interesting choice. Maybe it’s my imagination but I felt like I could see jinks own theological allegiance most clearly in this one, during a scene in which isiodore debates against gnostic anti materialism. As an orthodox Christian, I enjoyed that.
My biggest complaint (with this and with all of the books in the series) is that they end abruptly. The battles are less interesting than the relationships. And in this one especially the relational resolution is rushed and unsatisfying.
Overall, strongly recommend this series to anyone who likes witty, complex medieval fiction.
Character wise, this book is a little less interesting than the others, imho. Isidore isn’t as dynamic or interesting as pagan - and seems more temperamentally similar to Roland, which is strange because he is full of opinions and color in book 4.
Babylonia is interesting, but feels like a rehashed version of her father. Her brashness never lets us worry that anything too bad will happen to her.
But as an immersion into history this is my favorite. Jinks has done such a great job establishing the tension between France and languedoc, catholic and cathar, in the previous books. And here the story is told from the cathar pov, during the bloodiest most violent era of that struggle. The cathars aren’t portrayed sympathetically, like in book 2, but instead like abusive nihilists who brainwash their children. Which is a very bold and interesting choice. Maybe it’s my imagination but I felt like I could see jinks own theological allegiance most clearly in this one, during a scene in which isiodore debates against gnostic anti materialism. As an orthodox Christian, I enjoyed that.
My biggest complaint (with this and with all of the books in the series) is that they end abruptly. The battles are less interesting than the relationships. And in this one especially the relational resolution is rushed and unsatisfying.
Overall, strongly recommend this series to anyone who likes witty, complex medieval fiction.
August 26, 2021
"We are all spirits of angels, imprisoned by lust in bodies of clay."
- Cathar proverb
This book is like an inflamed appendix.
Cut it out and you'll feel better.
What happens in here? Nothing much, apart from a lot of horse riding, whining, more riding, a bloody siege, Babylonne, the main character hating on Isidore who somehow turned into a holy, good fearing vampire (as in, he is pale, tall, whispers like a ghost and moves like one too).
And Pagan? I'm so disappointed in him. So much disappoint.
Totally ruined the Pagan Chronicles.
- Cathar proverb
This book is like an inflamed appendix.
Cut it out and you'll feel better.
What happens in here? Nothing much, apart from a lot of horse riding, whining, more riding, a bloody siege, Babylonne, the main character hating on Isidore who somehow turned into a holy, good fearing vampire (as in, he is pale, tall, whispers like a ghost and moves like one too).
And Pagan? I'm so disappointed in him. So much disappoint.
Totally ruined the Pagan Chronicles.
July 28, 2018
This was a fantastic book! I loved the narrative stream of consciousness style, and the narrator herself. It’s coming of age story, but the realizations of our heroine are not the usual boring coming of age things. I also very much enjoyed the historical detail of the Cathars. That was pretty amazing for a children’s book. I didn’t realize this was the 5th book of the Pagan series, and I hope I didn’t spoil myself on accident. Highly recommend.
April 25, 2012
Kaydee Brain
4.24.2012
Hunter
Babylonne
The book, Babylonne, was written by Catherine Jinks and published by Candlewick Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This publication took place in 2008 and the book has 382 pages. Unfortunately, this was not on my favorite book list.
Babylonne is about a teenage girl in the Middle Ages who is without mother and father and lives with rather abusive aunt and grandmother. The girl’s name is Babylonne and has a small grudge against the world and is a bit more aggressive than most girls of her time. Just one day before being forced into marriage, she runs away. Along the way she meets Isidore. Isidore is a Roman Priest in which Babylonne has no time for. But despite this, Isidore offers to escort Babylonne to her destination. Overtime, the two begin to grow together. During the period of this book, the French are invading during a siege. I did not like this book because I feel it is hard to fallow and difficult to understand.
This book was had to fallow and difficult to understand because of the terminology used by the author. ““Gloria Patri et Filio!” he exclaims, crossing himself.” (Jinks, 138). I experienced a lot of terminology such as this, and was absolutely confused. Therefore, I had a hard time fallowing the actions of Babylonne and the supporting characters. Much of this language and other language was found in Babylonne.
The author, Catherine Jinks, is a medieval scholar living in Australia. She has written previous novels for young adults that take place in the Crusades. Jinks says that it is harder to write as a girl than a boy in the Middle Ages. For this reason, she says, is why Babylonne is a bit aggressive.
Overall Babylonne is a good book for young adults wishing for an insight into the Middle Ages. However, to understand this novel a little background knowledge is needed. If you try to read it without it, the book is hard to understand. Something to be learned from this story is to not judge someone by their occupation or appearance. This is shown through the relationship between Babylonne and Isidore. First Babylonne thought Isidore was a “stuck up” priest who cared only about his occupation, when by the end of the novel, she couldn’t live without him.
4.24.2012
Hunter
Babylonne
The book, Babylonne, was written by Catherine Jinks and published by Candlewick Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This publication took place in 2008 and the book has 382 pages. Unfortunately, this was not on my favorite book list.
Babylonne is about a teenage girl in the Middle Ages who is without mother and father and lives with rather abusive aunt and grandmother. The girl’s name is Babylonne and has a small grudge against the world and is a bit more aggressive than most girls of her time. Just one day before being forced into marriage, she runs away. Along the way she meets Isidore. Isidore is a Roman Priest in which Babylonne has no time for. But despite this, Isidore offers to escort Babylonne to her destination. Overtime, the two begin to grow together. During the period of this book, the French are invading during a siege. I did not like this book because I feel it is hard to fallow and difficult to understand.
This book was had to fallow and difficult to understand because of the terminology used by the author. ““Gloria Patri et Filio!” he exclaims, crossing himself.” (Jinks, 138). I experienced a lot of terminology such as this, and was absolutely confused. Therefore, I had a hard time fallowing the actions of Babylonne and the supporting characters. Much of this language and other language was found in Babylonne.
The author, Catherine Jinks, is a medieval scholar living in Australia. She has written previous novels for young adults that take place in the Crusades. Jinks says that it is harder to write as a girl than a boy in the Middle Ages. For this reason, she says, is why Babylonne is a bit aggressive.
Overall Babylonne is a good book for young adults wishing for an insight into the Middle Ages. However, to understand this novel a little background knowledge is needed. If you try to read it without it, the book is hard to understand. Something to be learned from this story is to not judge someone by their occupation or appearance. This is shown through the relationship between Babylonne and Isidore. First Babylonne thought Isidore was a “stuck up” priest who cared only about his occupation, when by the end of the novel, she couldn’t live without him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2012
The book Babylonne, by Catherine Jinks, tells the story of a young teenage girl by the name of Babylonne. Babylonne never knew her father, and never had any desire to, for she believed that he had raped her mother and then left her to raise the child on her own. In the same way, Babylonne never really had a chance to get to know here mother either, for she was killed by Sir Mumfort of France for her Heretic beliefs. Babylonne, orphaned and alone, is left only her abusive grandmother and aunt as kin, and they believe her more of a nuisance to them than anything else. Tired of being abused, Babylonne flees the house wiht what few valuyables she could find, and goes on a journey to go and join the faidit knights, a group of noble lords who oppose the Lord of France and his tyranny. Along the way, she meets Father Isidore, a Roman priest thought to be an idol worshiper due to his beliefs. The pairing does not get along at first, but as the journey progresses and Babylonne begins to learn more about her past, her father, and her mother, she begins to realize that Isidore really is a good man, and begins to wonder what makes their two religious denominations so very hateful towards one another. Along the way, Babylonne and Isidore are seperated, and Babylonne is taken away to join the Faidit knights. Will the "noble" lords turn out to be everything she hoped for? Will the pairing of Babylonne and Isidore ever cross paths again? Well, we all know I can't give TOO much away. You''l have to read the book and find out for yourself.
Overall, I thought the book was very well written, but was also not at all what I was expecting when i picked it up. I was expecting more war, and this novel to be more of a story about a female soldier, disguised as a male to fight the French and avenge the tragic death of her mother. As it turns out, there was a war, but not in the outer world, but within the confines of Babylonne's heart. In my opinion, this book was rather anticlimactic, and more of a chick-flick book than I first expected. Overall, I would recommend this book to girls who do not mind a little bit of war as well, and anyone who is looking for some suspense.
Overall, I thought the book was very well written, but was also not at all what I was expecting when i picked it up. I was expecting more war, and this novel to be more of a story about a female soldier, disguised as a male to fight the French and avenge the tragic death of her mother. As it turns out, there was a war, but not in the outer world, but within the confines of Babylonne's heart. In my opinion, this book was rather anticlimactic, and more of a chick-flick book than I first expected. Overall, I would recommend this book to girls who do not mind a little bit of war as well, and anyone who is looking for some suspense.
December 22, 2011
I found the book easy to read and engaging, however the way it was written kind of annoyed me. It was in first person, which I do like, but the author wrote in a way that for some reason I didn't like. Here, let me give you a quote:
"Aaagh! Speaking of clouts, my nose is a mess. Throb, throb, throb. (Navarre can't seem to look at me without hitting me anymore.)"
I don't like the way she uses onomatopoeic words, and I also have something against brackets. I don't know why but for some reason it seems unprofessional to me, and I tend to accidently skip over them when I'm reading, and miss what was said. I know, it's wierd and I shouldn't judge a book like that, but that's just how it is.
Also, I find she seems a bit inconsistent with the historical accuracy. She gets dates and big facts right, and Babylonne keeps thinking about how she shouldn't eat cheese or do this or that, but then she thinks like a 21st century girl. She used sayings that probably wouldn't be used back then, and there were some contradictions in that. For example, she uses the Lord's name in vain, which I'm not personally offended by but seems inconsistent with the fact that she was so religious at the time. She also thinks modern saying like
"(Who, me? Touch your books? Never.)" and "Huh?"
that in a book set in medieval times just seems like the author couldn't imagine herself as the character enough to think the way that she would, and instead writes the way that she, a twenty-first century girl, would think rather than someone back then.
I'm not saying the book is bad, it was interesting and easy to read and I kinda like the storyline, but there were little things that annoyed me in it, which doesn't usually happen when I read books. So if you can overlook those personal pet hates of mine, I reccomend this book to you because you just might like it.
"Aaagh! Speaking of clouts, my nose is a mess. Throb, throb, throb. (Navarre can't seem to look at me without hitting me anymore.)"
I don't like the way she uses onomatopoeic words, and I also have something against brackets. I don't know why but for some reason it seems unprofessional to me, and I tend to accidently skip over them when I'm reading, and miss what was said. I know, it's wierd and I shouldn't judge a book like that, but that's just how it is.
Also, I find she seems a bit inconsistent with the historical accuracy. She gets dates and big facts right, and Babylonne keeps thinking about how she shouldn't eat cheese or do this or that, but then she thinks like a 21st century girl. She used sayings that probably wouldn't be used back then, and there were some contradictions in that. For example, she uses the Lord's name in vain, which I'm not personally offended by but seems inconsistent with the fact that she was so religious at the time. She also thinks modern saying like
"(Who, me? Touch your books? Never.)" and "Huh?"
that in a book set in medieval times just seems like the author couldn't imagine herself as the character enough to think the way that she would, and instead writes the way that she, a twenty-first century girl, would think rather than someone back then.
I'm not saying the book is bad, it was interesting and easy to read and I kinda like the storyline, but there were little things that annoyed me in it, which doesn't usually happen when I read books. So if you can overlook those personal pet hates of mine, I reccomend this book to you because you just might like it.
April 22, 2016
Plot summary: Babylonne is 16, and her aunt wants her to marry an elderly man who thinks he's an olive. Raised with some bizarre religious beliefs, Babylonne decides to run away. But can she trust the priest who's been following her, and who claims to be a friend of her father's - a father she's never met?
Thoughts: I loved the Pagan books as a teenager. Reading this - which is written in a very similar voice - was like coming back to them again. But where Pagan was funny and a joy to read, Babylonne is much harder to warm to. She's grown up believing that her mother (a Cathar, killed during a seige when Babylonne was a baby) was raped by her father (a Catholic monk). When Isidor comes into her life and challenges what she's been taught all her life, she's understandably reluctant to believe him.
While Babylonne may LOOK and sound like her father - who apparently loved her mother very much, and it would never have turned physical if he hadn't needed comforting after Lord Roland's death - she has none of his charm or wit. While she gradually comes around to the idea that what she's been led to believe for so many years may not be accurate, it takes a long time to get there, during which - knowing what we, as readers, know of Pagan, it's difficult to like her.
What the story lacked, for the most part, was a sense of closure. The ending felt rushed and unresolved, almost like the intention was for the story to immediately continue. However, Jinks seems at this stage to have little intention of continuing Babylonne's story, which almost leaves me wishing that she'd left the Pagan series as it was.
Thoughts: I loved the Pagan books as a teenager. Reading this - which is written in a very similar voice - was like coming back to them again. But where Pagan was funny and a joy to read, Babylonne is much harder to warm to. She's grown up believing that her mother (a Cathar, killed during a seige when Babylonne was a baby) was raped by her father (a Catholic monk). When Isidor comes into her life and challenges what she's been taught all her life, she's understandably reluctant to believe him.
While Babylonne may LOOK and sound like her father - who apparently loved her mother very much, and it would never have turned physical if he hadn't needed comforting after Lord Roland's death - she has none of his charm or wit. While she gradually comes around to the idea that what she's been led to believe for so many years may not be accurate, it takes a long time to get there, during which - knowing what we, as readers, know of Pagan, it's difficult to like her.
What the story lacked, for the most part, was a sense of closure. The ending felt rushed and unresolved, almost like the intention was for the story to immediately continue. However, Jinks seems at this stage to have little intention of continuing Babylonne's story, which almost leaves me wishing that she'd left the Pagan series as it was.
June 28, 2014
Okay, I'll tell you that this is a very boring book. Yes, there are a few bad words and curses, plus a Crusade-like feeling to Babylonne, but honestly, it was very boring. I couldn't read the entire book. I was just so bored.
First of all, the writing is boring. How the main character, Babylonne, talks is very annoying. She always uses "I" and never describes things the easier way. She is all like "I see..." instead of "The priest..." blah, blah, blah. After reading a bunch of "I"s, I have to admit that I do find this book very boring. I swear that every paragraph contains an "I." Or at least, that is how far I got. I abandoned this book at the halfway point, because there were a few...scary parts of Babylonne. I don't mean scary in story and plot, I mean scary in elements of the story. Nothing linked up correctly. Everything was...very odd.
Second, the plot is so slow... I'm not even going to describe it. It was that painful for me to remember what it is like. I'm not putting myself under that again!
Third, the main character is not attractive at all. With her amount of hatred and defiance in her thoughts and feelings, I would actually expect her to run away from home by the time she was only thirteen years old. Perhaps, even younger. Of course, she only ran away at her later age, because the plot demands it. Plus, I will add that she is very annoying. I can't stand her. Every word I read, I just want to use that to strangle her. Ugh! I just hated it. What did that author say about another dead author's leg bone? I want to do the exact same thing.
Rating: One out of Five
First of all, the writing is boring. How the main character, Babylonne, talks is very annoying. She always uses "I" and never describes things the easier way. She is all like "I see..." instead of "The priest..." blah, blah, blah. After reading a bunch of "I"s, I have to admit that I do find this book very boring. I swear that every paragraph contains an "I." Or at least, that is how far I got. I abandoned this book at the halfway point, because there were a few...scary parts of Babylonne. I don't mean scary in story and plot, I mean scary in elements of the story. Nothing linked up correctly. Everything was...very odd.
Second, the plot is so slow... I'm not even going to describe it. It was that painful for me to remember what it is like. I'm not putting myself under that again!
Third, the main character is not attractive at all. With her amount of hatred and defiance in her thoughts and feelings, I would actually expect her to run away from home by the time she was only thirteen years old. Perhaps, even younger. Of course, she only ran away at her later age, because the plot demands it. Plus, I will add that she is very annoying. I can't stand her. Every word I read, I just want to use that to strangle her. Ugh! I just hated it. What did that author say about another dead author's leg bone? I want to do the exact same thing.
Rating: One out of Five
December 7, 2014
Like the WNBA or Supergirl, the female character spin-off franchise just isn't as good.
The siege of La Becede has nothing on, well, Jerusalem. Or even Carcassone. On the plus side, the "dress up like a boy and run away from an arranged marriage" cliche, though played straight, is surprisingly appealing just from Babylonne's grit, resilience, and surprising lack of wallowing self-pity. Plus, the tongue-in-cheek portrayal of daily communal life (and survival) in the Cathar diaspora is strangely vibrant and riveting.
Man, what happened to Isidore? He kind of dropped the epileptic fits/guilt therefrom, the awkwardness around women, the super hard-line Catholic idealism, the worrying, the misanthropy.... pretty much any distinguishing character feature. He's a blander, happier version of Roland without the Templar badassery and dysfunctional family issues.
Honestly, a one-sided two-person relationship does not a good novel make. At certain points, even though it would've been a terrible idea and completely non-canonical, I couldn't help but think, "have sex already!" or, "Stab the bishop in the neck!"
It would've made the book actually interesting.
The siege of La Becede has nothing on, well, Jerusalem. Or even Carcassone. On the plus side, the "dress up like a boy and run away from an arranged marriage" cliche, though played straight, is surprisingly appealing just from Babylonne's grit, resilience, and surprising lack of wallowing self-pity. Plus, the tongue-in-cheek portrayal of daily communal life (and survival) in the Cathar diaspora is strangely vibrant and riveting.
Man, what happened to Isidore? He kind of dropped the epileptic fits/guilt therefrom, the awkwardness around women, the super hard-line Catholic idealism, the worrying, the misanthropy.... pretty much any distinguishing character feature. He's a blander, happier version of Roland without the Templar badassery and dysfunctional family issues.
Honestly, a one-sided two-person relationship does not a good novel make. At certain points, even though it would've been a terrible idea and completely non-canonical, I couldn't help but think, "have sex already!" or, "Stab the bishop in the neck!"
It would've made the book actually interesting.
July 2, 2011
I have mixed feelings about this book.
The cover really has nothing to do with the book contents...I thought it would be 'like' Graceling or Finnkin of the Rock, but it isn't.
I really liked the writing style, character development, all that. Action mixed with dialogue, all was good.
But the end was a real let down. No happy ending, but that's ok. It's just I thought Father Isadore would DO something. Other than his vow to take care of Babylonne, the book didn't really go anywhere with that.
Were the Lords mentioned towards the end real? Did the author just plop these two characters into real history? Not sure.
MAYBE, I should have read the Pagan books, and gotten an idea of things first.
The cover really has nothing to do with the book contents...I thought it would be 'like' Graceling or Finnkin of the Rock, but it isn't.
I really liked the writing style, character development, all that. Action mixed with dialogue, all was good.
But the end was a real let down. No happy ending, but that's ok. It's just I thought Father Isadore would DO something. Other than his vow to take care of Babylonne, the book didn't really go anywhere with that.
Were the Lords mentioned towards the end real? Did the author just plop these two characters into real history? Not sure.
MAYBE, I should have read the Pagan books, and gotten an idea of things first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2008
Babylonne's mother was a Cathar martyred in the perpetual battles in France in the 1100's, but Babylonne isn't cut from the same cloth. She chafes under the restrictions placed on her by her aunt and grandmother, and when they threaten to marry her to an old man, she runs away. Fortunately, she is found by a Roman Catholic priest, Isidore, who knew her father and considers her safety his responsibility. Babylonne is afraid of him, but she learns to trust him as they travel together, but their time is short. Babylonne is discovered to be a runaway, and is reclaimed by her mother's family, only to be taken to a castle under siege. Will Babylonne live long enough to see Isidore again?
January 14, 2009
Set in what is now France, in the 13th century, sixteen-year-old Babylonne is a member of a small ascetic religious sect that few hopes for survival even if they weren't being persecuted, since they didn't believe in marriage. Babylonne is a bastard, and is living with an aunt and her grandmother, and a group of other women and girls in a nunnery. Because they decide that she is "intractable," they plan to marry her off to a man so old that they believe she will be able to uphold their faith's belief in chastity. When Babylonne runs away from this fate, she is forced to challenge all the beliefs she'd be raised with.
August 10, 2009
I really enjoyed Babylonne, the story of Pagan Kidrouk's daughter. Pagan stars in his own series by Catherine Jinks, and is a resourceful and funny Moorish Christian fighting in the Crusades. Babylonne is just as resourceful and colorful in her language, making for a fun read. The interesting thing for me, though, was the Crusade she was involved in. It was waged in France, the Roman Catholics against a group of believers who argued that the Pope and the Church corrupted the Holy Word. At first I was little confused about that, but I found it fascinating. (And I loved Babylonne and kept hoping that she would find a safe home.)
January 23, 2011
(Also titled Pagan's Daughter)
I don't like historical fiction. Although fantasy and historical fiction have their similarities (scrolls, torches, palaces, technology in general), I'd rather read about the Wizard War than the Civil War.
Medieval times has even more in common with fantasy, with knights and swords. But the Crusades still don't hold much interest for me.
Then I read Babylonne. It's the companion to Catherine Jinks' books about a knight, Pagan, though I've never read those. Babylonne was my first Jinks books.
I'm still not a historical fiction fan, but Babylonne is a favorite, always.
I don't like historical fiction. Although fantasy and historical fiction have their similarities (scrolls, torches, palaces, technology in general), I'd rather read about the Wizard War than the Civil War.
Medieval times has even more in common with fantasy, with knights and swords. But the Crusades still don't hold much interest for me.
Then I read Babylonne. It's the companion to Catherine Jinks' books about a knight, Pagan, though I've never read those. Babylonne was my first Jinks books.
I'm still not a historical fiction fan, but Babylonne is a favorite, always.
July 14, 2015
I would probably have given this 5 stars if it weren't coming after the first 4 books in the Pagan Chronicles series. I love Jinks' writing and this series as a whole, but my one significant issue with this concluding story is that Babylonne is honestly just a stand-in for Pagan. She's almost exactly like her father when he was her age. It makes it difficult to think of her as a unique character in and of herself. It was nice to read about a young girl living in this tumultuous time period after the male-centric Pagan books, but perhaps it should've been a story about a completely different character, and not a relative of Pagan's.
April 28, 2012
I think that Babylonne is one of my favourite female characters(heroines) simply because she's so resilient and not nearly as self-obsessed as some of them are. She certainly has spunk, or as my friend would say, she has swag.
Isidore (unusual name) seems very kind. I did not read any of the Pagan series so I don't have much background on any of this but he seems very devout, clever, and quick on to think on his feet.
Babylonne's "family" at the beginning are just horrible. I mean, locking her in a chest? Ghastly. Poor Babylonne.
The ending was a bit confusing, but I'm glad things seemed to turn out well.
Isidore (unusual name) seems very kind. I did not read any of the Pagan series so I don't have much background on any of this but he seems very devout, clever, and quick on to think on his feet.
Babylonne's "family" at the beginning are just horrible. I mean, locking her in a chest? Ghastly. Poor Babylonne.
The ending was a bit confusing, but I'm glad things seemed to turn out well.
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