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The Harrowing: Five strangers. Five secrets. No refuge. No turning back.
Five strangers. Five secrets. No refuge. No turning back.
In the aftermath of 1066, a Norman army marches through the North of England: burning, killing and laying waste to everything in its path. The Harrowing has begun. As towns and villages fall to the invaders, five travellers fleeing the slaughter are forced to band together for survival. Refugees in their own country, they journey through the wasteland, hoping to find sanctuary with the last stand of the Saxon rebellion. But are they fleeing the Normans or their own troubles?
Priest, Lady, Servant, Warrior, Minstrel: each has their own story; each their own sin. As enemies past and present close in, their prior deeds catch up with them and they discover there is no sanctuary from fate.
In the aftermath of 1066, a Norman army marches through the North of England: burning, killing and laying waste to everything in its path. The Harrowing has begun. As towns and villages fall to the invaders, five travellers fleeing the slaughter are forced to band together for survival. Refugees in their own country, they journey through the wasteland, hoping to find sanctuary with the last stand of the Saxon rebellion. But are they fleeing the Normans or their own troubles?
Priest, Lady, Servant, Warrior, Minstrel: each has their own story; each their own sin. As enemies past and present close in, their prior deeds catch up with them and they discover there is no sanctuary from fate.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2016
14 people are currently reading
566 people want to read
About the author
James Aitcheson
8 books144 followersJames Aitcheson was born in Wiltshire in 1985 and studied History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he developed an interest in the Middle Ages, and in Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest in particular.
His debut novel, Sworn Sword, featuring the knight Tancred and set in the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings, was published in 2011. The first volume in the Conquest Series, it has since been followed by two sequels: The Splintered Kingdom and Knights of the Hawk.
The Harrowing, James’s fourth novel, was published by Quercus in July 2016 and named by The Times as a Book of the Month.
www.jamesaitcheson.com
His debut novel, Sworn Sword, featuring the knight Tancred and set in the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings, was published in 2011. The first volume in the Conquest Series, it has since been followed by two sequels: The Splintered Kingdom and Knights of the Hawk.
The Harrowing, James’s fourth novel, was published by Quercus in July 2016 and named by The Times as a Book of the Month.
www.jamesaitcheson.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 29, 2018
It is a rare thing these days for me to read a book through the night and have to force myself to stop reading well after midnight in order to get some sleep. Many of the books I give 5 stars to, don’t even inspire me enough to do that. Due to (and I mean this with utmost sincerity) I love my sleep. Not too many books compete with a love like that. But The Harrowing did. It truly was a book that I couldn’t put down.
I read it quicker than I read most books and I probably could have read it even quicker if it weren’t for Hagustaldesham. Yes, it’s a long one, a tongue twister, a name to catch you up on; if you are a reader like me who needs to read every word correctly or you can’t proceed. Hagustaldesham. The town our five intrepid travellers are headed, across this post-apocalyptic landscape. For present company, for you, why don’t I call it what it is in later times. Hexham. Much easier to say that…and to type that.
So, our intrepid travellers are bound there, to Hexham. The priest, the lady, the servant, the warrior and the minstrel – in a time when Northern England is being wasted by the Normans and their ‘harrying of the north’. As the book proceeds, the story deviates from the main story, in order for each of these characters to tell their personal tale on how they came to be there, on their way to Hexham. One of these character’s stories I had no time for, mostly because I felt it went on too long, but the rest I enjoyed.
This is my favourite period of history, along with the Anglo-Saxon period that precedes it, and this may contribute to me loving the book more than someone who has no big interest in the period. But, in saying that, it is still a great story for any reader who enjoys historical fiction.
I got so caught up in the story that I was actually heartbroken in the end. I still am now, nearly a week later.
Not giving away any spoilers by talking about my heartbreak, because it is just that heartbreak you get when you have gotten attached to certain characters and, as this is a stand-alone book, all good stories must come to an end. It wasn’t the ending I wanted, but that is subjective. The next person’s opinion will be different, and the one after that will be different again.
I have read this author, James Aitcheson, in the past, where he dealt with this same period of Norman invasion, and those were also books that I enjoyed. For some reason, and don’t ask me why as I don’t know the answer myself, I wasn’t expecting this book to be as good as it was. The surprise at finding this book to be a jewel of the genre is followed by disappointment that it isn’t published in all countries, therefore, the US do not get to read it unless they buy it in paper version from a UK book store website. That is a shame, as I feel any country that does not have this book available in paper and digital, is missing out.
I read it quicker than I read most books and I probably could have read it even quicker if it weren’t for Hagustaldesham. Yes, it’s a long one, a tongue twister, a name to catch you up on; if you are a reader like me who needs to read every word correctly or you can’t proceed. Hagustaldesham. The town our five intrepid travellers are headed, across this post-apocalyptic landscape. For present company, for you, why don’t I call it what it is in later times. Hexham. Much easier to say that…and to type that.
So, our intrepid travellers are bound there, to Hexham. The priest, the lady, the servant, the warrior and the minstrel – in a time when Northern England is being wasted by the Normans and their ‘harrying of the north’. As the book proceeds, the story deviates from the main story, in order for each of these characters to tell their personal tale on how they came to be there, on their way to Hexham. One of these character’s stories I had no time for, mostly because I felt it went on too long, but the rest I enjoyed.
This is my favourite period of history, along with the Anglo-Saxon period that precedes it, and this may contribute to me loving the book more than someone who has no big interest in the period. But, in saying that, it is still a great story for any reader who enjoys historical fiction.
I got so caught up in the story that I was actually heartbroken in the end. I still am now, nearly a week later.
Not giving away any spoilers by talking about my heartbreak, because it is just that heartbreak you get when you have gotten attached to certain characters and, as this is a stand-alone book, all good stories must come to an end. It wasn’t the ending I wanted, but that is subjective. The next person’s opinion will be different, and the one after that will be different again.
I have read this author, James Aitcheson, in the past, where he dealt with this same period of Norman invasion, and those were also books that I enjoyed. For some reason, and don’t ask me why as I don’t know the answer myself, I wasn’t expecting this book to be as good as it was. The surprise at finding this book to be a jewel of the genre is followed by disappointment that it isn’t published in all countries, therefore, the US do not get to read it unless they buy it in paper version from a UK book store website. That is a shame, as I feel any country that does not have this book available in paper and digital, is missing out.
July 2, 2017
Although many people could name the Battle of Hastings as the beginning of the Norman Conquest, it certainly did not end there. This novel is set about the Harrying of the North, which took place in the winter of 1069-70, as the invaders attempted to consolidate, and extend, their power . Obviously, the Battle of Hastings was in 1066 and, three years later, William the Conqueror still saw York as the furthest place North that he ruled. This left him determined to bring the rebellious North to heel; leaving the land a wasteland as they swept across it, and those who survived often dying as famine followed in the Norman’s wake.
This novel begins with the Lady Merewyn, and her servant, Tova, fleeing their manor, Heldeby. We do not know, at this stage, why they are on the run. However when they are attacked, they are rescued by a stranger, Beorn. He tells them that the Normans are coming and that he is heading to the last stronghold of defiance against the raiders. Against his better judgement, he agrees to take the women with him and they later come across two further men – Guthred, a former priest, and a travelling poet, named Oslac. As the small group travel across a country which is eerily deserted, with destruction and death everywhere and the Normans worryingly close, they tell their secrets. Their stories, told each evening as the group halt, reveal the history, not only of the characters, but of the time.
On the plus side, this novel really gives an excellent sense of the time, and place, where it is set. The author creates an eerie and troubling setting; of deserted villages, halls and farms, where hardly a living creature is seen. Everywhere, bodies lie unburied, cut down – men, women and children – as they worked their fields, or tried to flee. However, the individual stories, however well realised, made this feel less of a coherent novel and more a collection of short stories for me. Well written, but ultimately unsatisfying in some ways; the stories are tied together but never quite form a whole. Certainly, though, I would read more by this author and enjoyed the writing very much.
This novel begins with the Lady Merewyn, and her servant, Tova, fleeing their manor, Heldeby. We do not know, at this stage, why they are on the run. However when they are attacked, they are rescued by a stranger, Beorn. He tells them that the Normans are coming and that he is heading to the last stronghold of defiance against the raiders. Against his better judgement, he agrees to take the women with him and they later come across two further men – Guthred, a former priest, and a travelling poet, named Oslac. As the small group travel across a country which is eerily deserted, with destruction and death everywhere and the Normans worryingly close, they tell their secrets. Their stories, told each evening as the group halt, reveal the history, not only of the characters, but of the time.
On the plus side, this novel really gives an excellent sense of the time, and place, where it is set. The author creates an eerie and troubling setting; of deserted villages, halls and farms, where hardly a living creature is seen. Everywhere, bodies lie unburied, cut down – men, women and children – as they worked their fields, or tried to flee. However, the individual stories, however well realised, made this feel less of a coherent novel and more a collection of short stories for me. Well written, but ultimately unsatisfying in some ways; the stories are tied together but never quite form a whole. Certainly, though, I would read more by this author and enjoyed the writing very much.
August 10, 2018
All three of Mr. Aitcheson’s previous novels have been set in the time following William I’s victory at Hastings in 1066. All three have told the story of William’s consolidation of his hold on England from the Norman point of view. In this novel, the author once again returns to Post Hastings England, but this time he tells the story from the Saxon viewpoint. Set in the winter of 1069/70 during William’s Harrowing of the North that occurred after he put down a rebellion of Saxon Lords who actually managed to take York. The author tells his story in a manner very reminiscent of the Canterbury Tales. There are five main characters – A noble lady, her maid, a warrior, a priest and last but by no means least a minstrel.
The novel opens with the Lady and her maid, who is the main narrator of the novel, fleeing across the moors of northern England. Mr. Aitcheson does not tell us why they are fleeing, where they are from, or even where they are going. They just are. A band of pillaging Normans find them and just as the worst is about to happen, a Saxon Warrior happens by and saves them by killing all of the assailants. He lets them know he is heading for Hexum, where the remnants of the rebellious Saxons are rumored to be gathering. The two them decide to join him. As they move north, the party meets up with a priest and the minstrel in turn. Over the next 8 days they tell each other their stories. All five have secrets to tell that are the reason that they are on the moor. Some of them are deep and others just sordid.
With no supplies and little in the way of fighting prowess – the warrior excepted, much of the story revolves around the 5 looking for places to stay, something to eat and more importantly strangers on the horizon. That is how the Priest and the Minstrel join the band.
As they move north, the Norman’s pillaging and burning of the country side is always in the background, but except for when the ladies are rescued by the warrior that story is not really explicitly told. Most of battle scenes are with a band of brigands who have connections with the Priest. As with Mr. Aitcheson's other novels the battle sequences are well drawn. The effects of the Norman pillaging and burning is mainly told in its aftermath as the 5 travelers look for someplace to stay. There resting places seem to be mainly burned out homesteads.
I found this an engrossing and a fairly quick read. Of the five stories, I probably like the Priests and the Warriors the best, but all five have something to recommend them. Also there are a couple of plot twists that I really didn’t see coming. One note, Mr. Aitcheson uses Old English place names. This can be a bit disconcerting. He does have a index linking the modern name with the Old English one. I ended up going back and forth to that index quite a bit. That broke up the read a bit, but it seems to be in style right now, so I had better get used to it While novel doesn’t flow quite as well as Mr. Aitcheson’s previous novels, that is probably due to the nature of the story telling, I can highly recommend this to anyone interested in Medieval or English History. If GR allowed 4.25 stars so, I rounded down.
The novel opens with the Lady and her maid, who is the main narrator of the novel, fleeing across the moors of northern England. Mr. Aitcheson does not tell us why they are fleeing, where they are from, or even where they are going. They just are. A band of pillaging Normans find them and just as the worst is about to happen, a Saxon Warrior happens by and saves them by killing all of the assailants. He lets them know he is heading for Hexum, where the remnants of the rebellious Saxons are rumored to be gathering. The two them decide to join him. As they move north, the party meets up with a priest and the minstrel in turn. Over the next 8 days they tell each other their stories. All five have secrets to tell that are the reason that they are on the moor. Some of them are deep and others just sordid.
With no supplies and little in the way of fighting prowess – the warrior excepted, much of the story revolves around the 5 looking for places to stay, something to eat and more importantly strangers on the horizon. That is how the Priest and the Minstrel join the band.
As they move north, the Norman’s pillaging and burning of the country side is always in the background, but except for when the ladies are rescued by the warrior that story is not really explicitly told. Most of battle scenes are with a band of brigands who have connections with the Priest. As with Mr. Aitcheson's other novels the battle sequences are well drawn. The effects of the Norman pillaging and burning is mainly told in its aftermath as the 5 travelers look for someplace to stay. There resting places seem to be mainly burned out homesteads.
I found this an engrossing and a fairly quick read. Of the five stories, I probably like the Priests and the Warriors the best, but all five have something to recommend them. Also there are a couple of plot twists that I really didn’t see coming. One note, Mr. Aitcheson uses Old English place names. This can be a bit disconcerting. He does have a index linking the modern name with the Old English one. I ended up going back and forth to that index quite a bit. That broke up the read a bit, but it seems to be in style right now, so I had better get used to it While novel doesn’t flow quite as well as Mr. Aitcheson’s previous novels, that is probably due to the nature of the story telling, I can highly recommend this to anyone interested in Medieval or English History. If GR allowed 4.25 stars so, I rounded down.
January 21, 2018
Great storytelling. This made me realize that most of the books I've read about the Norman conquest were told from the Norman perspective and usually lords at that. The beauty of this book is that it is told from the perspective of a few different common folk and you get a great feel for what life may have been like for them. Beautifully told.
July 20, 2016
I absolutely adore books like this, I really do. Books clearly written from the heart, that are trying to do something a little different, a little bit more with the genre. And pull it off, obviously. Spectacularly so, in the case of The Harrowing.
If you've read any of James Aitcheson's previous books set in the period just after the cataclysm in English history that was 1066 and the Norman conquest, or any of the many good books there are about just now that are set in the period, then you'll be familiar with the period. However, that is just where The Harrowing begins to set itself apart from the others. In his previous series, James wrote about the years after 1066, but seen through the eyes of Tancred, a Norman knight. Now, Tancred did become more and more Anglicised as the books progressed and did come to understand and sympathise with the ideals and something of the plight of the English he was responsible for. The Normans here, are an evil, dark presence, most often only glimpsed in the distance, though the results of their passing and presence can be seen and felt all around. Actual contact, is kept to just a couple of incidents - this is because The Harrowing is written focusing on the plight of the English, two devastating years after 1066. And a thoroughly desperate plight it is. In order to put down the last of the English resistance in the northern parts of the just conquered kingdom, and thoroughly extinguish not just the rebellion, but any thoughts of the possibility of rebellion in the future of his reign, William decided to go all in. That meant a truly awesome and awful, search and destroy, slash and burn, scorched earth destruction of the lives, livestock and livelihoods of the English in the north. A policy that came to be known as The Harrying of the North, or simply The Harrowing.
I use the above, modern warfare terms advisedly, because while it is a Historical Fiction of course, set 950 years ago, it's a very modern novel and not just in language and style. The landscape it describes the five characters journeying through, compares in intensity and devastation, and at times bleak economy of writing, with any modern, post apocalypse novel - or film. Such is the devastation wrought by the Normans in revenge for the English daring to rebel in their own land against William's new austerity, that in the hardest hit areas of England, the counties of Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland, some reports claim around 100,000 people died. Out of a total population of between one and a half and two million. And they of course, were the lucky ones. For the homeless, destitute survivors, it got worse. Whole towns and villages were devastated, ruined, destroyed. People's homes, history, culture, lost forever. The scenes that resulted, that are sparingly and superbly described here, would surely be recognisable to anyone familiar with modern post-apocalypse novels and films such as I Am Legend, World War Z or Mad Max. But the devastation clearly wasn't just confined to the landscape and property, people losing everything left them devastated as well. As with the films, survival was the name of the game. And that is what James is concerned with here. The landscape's devastation an external manifestation of the characters' inner mental shock and awe.
So, it is against this dreadful backdrop that The Harrowing begins and is set. The characters find each other, each looking for survival and maybe hope. They have no future, their past has been swept away. However, they do have one thing. Guilt. They each have secrets they want kept hidden and yet, as they journey onwards towards their hopes, these secrets come out and they are forced to confront them and each other, with what they've done.
(The population in the northern counties was very Danish. As someone who lives now in Denmark, I can recognises 'Tova' as the Danish name Tove, it's pronounced the same. Her friend Ase, would be Åse. 'Beorn,' is Bjørn. And they played Tæfl (helps having those characters on your keyboard)).
The Harrowing is nothing less than a magnificent book, melancholy and moving, a truly mesmerising experience. Heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, this is without doubt a book written from the heart, to the heart. A story of people confronting their past, surviving their present and trying, somehow, to believe they might, just might, have a future. More so than his previous 1066 series, The Harrowing is also a wistful, poignant look back at the England, and not least the English people, that was lost, crushed by the Normans in 1066. That an England survived for you and I, is thanks to people like Beorn, Tove, Skalpi, Merewyn, Guthred and the handful of others.
What James has written, is their memorial. Simple folk, surviving in terrible times with few expectations. Folk crushed by the Normans and as history is written by the victors, all but forgotten. What they deserve, is - as James writes for Beorn:
"Someone to know his story, to know who he was. Who he really was. Someone to know what he'd done, and to go on and live happy and well so that all his striving didn't turn out to have been for nothing."
In a book that takes place over just eight days, this hugely impressive book will stay with me for much, much longer. The Harrowing is incredibly imaginative, stylish, intriguing, complex and simply wonderful. Be prepared to be entranced and enraptured, if not, check your pulse, you've died.
As I finish, there's a tear in my eye, and a smile on my face.
All my reviews. In one place. By me: Speesh Reads
If you've read any of James Aitcheson's previous books set in the period just after the cataclysm in English history that was 1066 and the Norman conquest, or any of the many good books there are about just now that are set in the period, then you'll be familiar with the period. However, that is just where The Harrowing begins to set itself apart from the others. In his previous series, James wrote about the years after 1066, but seen through the eyes of Tancred, a Norman knight. Now, Tancred did become more and more Anglicised as the books progressed and did come to understand and sympathise with the ideals and something of the plight of the English he was responsible for. The Normans here, are an evil, dark presence, most often only glimpsed in the distance, though the results of their passing and presence can be seen and felt all around. Actual contact, is kept to just a couple of incidents - this is because The Harrowing is written focusing on the plight of the English, two devastating years after 1066. And a thoroughly desperate plight it is. In order to put down the last of the English resistance in the northern parts of the just conquered kingdom, and thoroughly extinguish not just the rebellion, but any thoughts of the possibility of rebellion in the future of his reign, William decided to go all in. That meant a truly awesome and awful, search and destroy, slash and burn, scorched earth destruction of the lives, livestock and livelihoods of the English in the north. A policy that came to be known as The Harrying of the North, or simply The Harrowing.
I use the above, modern warfare terms advisedly, because while it is a Historical Fiction of course, set 950 years ago, it's a very modern novel and not just in language and style. The landscape it describes the five characters journeying through, compares in intensity and devastation, and at times bleak economy of writing, with any modern, post apocalypse novel - or film. Such is the devastation wrought by the Normans in revenge for the English daring to rebel in their own land against William's new austerity, that in the hardest hit areas of England, the counties of Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland, some reports claim around 100,000 people died. Out of a total population of between one and a half and two million. And they of course, were the lucky ones. For the homeless, destitute survivors, it got worse. Whole towns and villages were devastated, ruined, destroyed. People's homes, history, culture, lost forever. The scenes that resulted, that are sparingly and superbly described here, would surely be recognisable to anyone familiar with modern post-apocalypse novels and films such as I Am Legend, World War Z or Mad Max. But the devastation clearly wasn't just confined to the landscape and property, people losing everything left them devastated as well. As with the films, survival was the name of the game. And that is what James is concerned with here. The landscape's devastation an external manifestation of the characters' inner mental shock and awe.
So, it is against this dreadful backdrop that The Harrowing begins and is set. The characters find each other, each looking for survival and maybe hope. They have no future, their past has been swept away. However, they do have one thing. Guilt. They each have secrets they want kept hidden and yet, as they journey onwards towards their hopes, these secrets come out and they are forced to confront them and each other, with what they've done.
(The population in the northern counties was very Danish. As someone who lives now in Denmark, I can recognises 'Tova' as the Danish name Tove, it's pronounced the same. Her friend Ase, would be Åse. 'Beorn,' is Bjørn. And they played Tæfl (helps having those characters on your keyboard)).
The Harrowing is nothing less than a magnificent book, melancholy and moving, a truly mesmerising experience. Heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, this is without doubt a book written from the heart, to the heart. A story of people confronting their past, surviving their present and trying, somehow, to believe they might, just might, have a future. More so than his previous 1066 series, The Harrowing is also a wistful, poignant look back at the England, and not least the English people, that was lost, crushed by the Normans in 1066. That an England survived for you and I, is thanks to people like Beorn, Tove, Skalpi, Merewyn, Guthred and the handful of others.
What James has written, is their memorial. Simple folk, surviving in terrible times with few expectations. Folk crushed by the Normans and as history is written by the victors, all but forgotten. What they deserve, is - as James writes for Beorn:
"Someone to know his story, to know who he was. Who he really was. Someone to know what he'd done, and to go on and live happy and well so that all his striving didn't turn out to have been for nothing."
In a book that takes place over just eight days, this hugely impressive book will stay with me for much, much longer. The Harrowing is incredibly imaginative, stylish, intriguing, complex and simply wonderful. Be prepared to be entranced and enraptured, if not, check your pulse, you've died.
As I finish, there's a tear in my eye, and a smile on my face.
All my reviews. In one place. By me: Speesh Reads
July 3, 2016
Where to begin - how about from the very beginning - I must warn all future readers that this book is one of those where it is what it says on the cover - Harrowing - this is a book that deals with the grim, the dark, the deadly, the deceitful, the shameful, even sinful, parts of humanity. All set within the bleakest period of medieval English history - the Harrowing of the North - where the Normans led by Duke William (and King of England alas) came and 'laid waste' to the northern shires. So if you are at all squeamish this probably isn't the best choice - not that James has filled every chapter with hangings, murder, rape, hall burning, starvation etc. In fact the actual carnage of the setting is presented in a more sinister manner, with a great subtlety that will chill you. As horrific as the previous list of incidents involved in The Harrowing is, James shows you that for a survivor the empty landscape, lack of food & water and absence of family, friends, homes and most importantly TRUST, is perhaps a bigger danger than the blades of the Normans themselves.
So welcome to the world of 1068 and you will learn, see, feel, hear and experience why so many of the time thought it was the End of the World and that God was indeed punishing them all for their wicked ways through the medium of Norman tyranny.
The Reader will get to know 5 characters in this dark & foreboding world - Tova a servant, Merewyn a Lady, Beorn a Warrior, Guthred a Priest and Oslac a Minstrel. Each flees not just the Normans but also a secret past, a secret sin, each struggles against suspicion to forge an unlikely alliance of travellers as they try to reach a place in the far north where an army of rebels is gathering to strike back at the Normans. Over 7 days and 7 nights, each character battles not just the severe winter elements, the sights of their people butchered and the constant threat of the approaching Norman army; each also battles with their own fear of the future, each tries in vain to keep any hope of freedom, peace, even normality, returning to their once simple lives.
This is a very different book compared to James's original trilogy involving Tancred a Norman Knight. Not just in point of view - the majority of the tale is told from Tova's eyes, you only ever hear her thoughts and opinions and feelings towards the group of survivors - this makes a noticeable different in that James is writing from a female voice, not a male voice. He also uses multiple voices as this story is about five people, not just Tova. This technique is perhaps the most challenging to write as you must make each voice distinctive as each character is and he does this masterfully well. The toning and phrasing is just right for each character - as the Reader travels with these characters I am sure each reader will have their own favourite and each will not only judge but also change their minds about others as their secrets are revealed one by one, and these secrets will have an impact on the groups survival. It is another wonderful masterstroke by James to weave five characters and five stories together as one but to also enable the past of each character to have such a direct and guaranteed surprising & shocking impact on the 'Present' of the story. Shows great story craftsmanship as well as planning & plotting to pull it off so completely without any flaws or tangles.
Yet again James has managed to illuminate in full colour, sound & sensation a much over-looked sometimes forgotten period of English history and remind us all through these five unique characters how very human the Anglo-Saxons were and the very real life-changing danger they all lived through.
So welcome to the world of 1068 and you will learn, see, feel, hear and experience why so many of the time thought it was the End of the World and that God was indeed punishing them all for their wicked ways through the medium of Norman tyranny.
The Reader will get to know 5 characters in this dark & foreboding world - Tova a servant, Merewyn a Lady, Beorn a Warrior, Guthred a Priest and Oslac a Minstrel. Each flees not just the Normans but also a secret past, a secret sin, each struggles against suspicion to forge an unlikely alliance of travellers as they try to reach a place in the far north where an army of rebels is gathering to strike back at the Normans. Over 7 days and 7 nights, each character battles not just the severe winter elements, the sights of their people butchered and the constant threat of the approaching Norman army; each also battles with their own fear of the future, each tries in vain to keep any hope of freedom, peace, even normality, returning to their once simple lives.
This is a very different book compared to James's original trilogy involving Tancred a Norman Knight. Not just in point of view - the majority of the tale is told from Tova's eyes, you only ever hear her thoughts and opinions and feelings towards the group of survivors - this makes a noticeable different in that James is writing from a female voice, not a male voice. He also uses multiple voices as this story is about five people, not just Tova. This technique is perhaps the most challenging to write as you must make each voice distinctive as each character is and he does this masterfully well. The toning and phrasing is just right for each character - as the Reader travels with these characters I am sure each reader will have their own favourite and each will not only judge but also change their minds about others as their secrets are revealed one by one, and these secrets will have an impact on the groups survival. It is another wonderful masterstroke by James to weave five characters and five stories together as one but to also enable the past of each character to have such a direct and guaranteed surprising & shocking impact on the 'Present' of the story. Shows great story craftsmanship as well as planning & plotting to pull it off so completely without any flaws or tangles.
Yet again James has managed to illuminate in full colour, sound & sensation a much over-looked sometimes forgotten period of English history and remind us all through these five unique characters how very human the Anglo-Saxons were and the very real life-changing danger they all lived through.
December 13, 2018
One of the best medieval tales I’ve ever encountered. Hard to find (had to use Interlibrary Loaning) but so worth the effort. Five strangers coming together for a journey through enemy strongholds in order to amass with other rebels fighting the Normans after Hastings. Over several days the group take turns telling their stories as to how they arrived at their present place and what drove them to such desperate states. Fantastic!
December 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this novel! The author did a superb job of depicting the devastation as King Wilhem raged through northern England to bring it firmly under Norman control. You can almost feel the cold seeping into your bones as you read. You can almost hear your stomach groan with hunger while listening to each traveler’s tale.
March 22, 2018
interesting historical novel based around the harrowing of the north around 1070
September 5, 2016
It's been a couple of years since the Normans invaded and took control of Britain but there are still pockets of rebellion, especially by the troublesome northerners. In response, the new king William sends his soldiers north laying waste to the countryside and killing the Saxons. Five travellers, each with their own secrets, band together to try and make it to the Scottish border where they believe they'll be safe. As they make camp each night, they take it in turns to tell their stories. This was a fantastic piece of historical fiction, exciting in parts, interesting in others. Will definitely read more by this author.
November 16, 2018
This book was enjoyed by some people whose opinions I respect so it just goes to show how tastes can differ. I disliked this book intensely so if you’re a fan, look away now…
Every now and then when reading a book I find myself thinking: how on earth was this ever published? James Aitcheson must have already had a decent following from his earlier works because it’s just inconceivable that The Harrowing would have been accepted for publishing as a first effort.
The Harrowing is a story of five characters running for sanctuary during William’s reprisals after the collapse of the York Rebellion in 1069 (the Harrying of the North). This ought to be a backdrop rich with possibility for storytelling but, in my opinion, it was completely wasted on James.
It’s essentially a “ship of the damned” style of story where each character has their own troubled past which is gradually revealed over several days of meandering through the mists and snow while hiding from Normans. The stories are supposed to give you some empathy or understanding for characters making bad or conflicted choices, but the trouble was – they were all so uniformly unpleasant, confused and small-minded in their dramas I just didn’t like any of them.
Predictable also. At one point, a minor character’s name is mentioned (Orm) with a half-sentence description, and the reader immediately knows what will happen. You have to struggle through another 50-odd pages of monologue but, sure enough.
In particular the futile bickering the author used to break up each monologue was irritating and distracting. It made them sound like modern teenagers with “attitude” rather than desperate folk of various degree in the C11.
In fact, I just couldn’t care about (or believe) the characters. They were so poorly drawn, I had to keep reading back to see who was speaking – ironic indeed when they were so different in kind (warrior, priest, lady, servant and minstrel). Well crafted characters have their own voices and don’t need to be constantly tagged in conversations. There were even a few occasions when the wrong character was tagged, which suggests that not even the author (or editor) knew who was speaking.
Their various perspectives were also outrageously presentist – dog whistling to feminists and pacifists in a way that just wouldn’t have happened in the C11. A Saxon warrior in tears over the invading Normans he’d been obliged to kill? Do me favour.
The writing was ponderous and clunky also. I think he was going for a kind of stream of consciousness / cinema veritas blend but it really suffered from cliché and over explanation. The author could barely let a sentence go without further elaboration, just in case there was some obscure nuance the reader may have missed. This frequently jolted me out of the story.
As for that, there was no proper story (despite the separate stories of the five travellers). There was no sense of plot momentum. The story was as lost in the mist as the travellers – just meandering. If the author had actually used some of the real history and characters it might have felt better located and sign-posted, but because there was little or no proper history in it – no historical characters with speaking parts – this novel could almost have been set in any place or time, just insert bad guys of choice.
"The Norman presence is the stuff of nightmares" is the quote on the cover from The Times. Not for me. I thought they were more characterised by their absence. The book would have been vastly improved by some actual Normans – in much the same way that Waiting for Godot might have been improved by the appearance of Godot.
(And before anyone leaps in to tell me that the non-appearance of Godot was the whole point…I was clearly joking.)
Every now and then when reading a book I find myself thinking: how on earth was this ever published? James Aitcheson must have already had a decent following from his earlier works because it’s just inconceivable that The Harrowing would have been accepted for publishing as a first effort.
The Harrowing is a story of five characters running for sanctuary during William’s reprisals after the collapse of the York Rebellion in 1069 (the Harrying of the North). This ought to be a backdrop rich with possibility for storytelling but, in my opinion, it was completely wasted on James.
It’s essentially a “ship of the damned” style of story where each character has their own troubled past which is gradually revealed over several days of meandering through the mists and snow while hiding from Normans. The stories are supposed to give you some empathy or understanding for characters making bad or conflicted choices, but the trouble was – they were all so uniformly unpleasant, confused and small-minded in their dramas I just didn’t like any of them.
Predictable also. At one point, a minor character’s name is mentioned (Orm) with a half-sentence description, and the reader immediately knows what will happen. You have to struggle through another 50-odd pages of monologue but, sure enough.
In particular the futile bickering the author used to break up each monologue was irritating and distracting. It made them sound like modern teenagers with “attitude” rather than desperate folk of various degree in the C11.
In fact, I just couldn’t care about (or believe) the characters. They were so poorly drawn, I had to keep reading back to see who was speaking – ironic indeed when they were so different in kind (warrior, priest, lady, servant and minstrel). Well crafted characters have their own voices and don’t need to be constantly tagged in conversations. There were even a few occasions when the wrong character was tagged, which suggests that not even the author (or editor) knew who was speaking.
Their various perspectives were also outrageously presentist – dog whistling to feminists and pacifists in a way that just wouldn’t have happened in the C11. A Saxon warrior in tears over the invading Normans he’d been obliged to kill? Do me favour.
The writing was ponderous and clunky also. I think he was going for a kind of stream of consciousness / cinema veritas blend but it really suffered from cliché and over explanation. The author could barely let a sentence go without further elaboration, just in case there was some obscure nuance the reader may have missed. This frequently jolted me out of the story.
As for that, there was no proper story (despite the separate stories of the five travellers). There was no sense of plot momentum. The story was as lost in the mist as the travellers – just meandering. If the author had actually used some of the real history and characters it might have felt better located and sign-posted, but because there was little or no proper history in it – no historical characters with speaking parts – this novel could almost have been set in any place or time, just insert bad guys of choice.
"The Norman presence is the stuff of nightmares" is the quote on the cover from The Times. Not for me. I thought they were more characterised by their absence. The book would have been vastly improved by some actual Normans – in much the same way that Waiting for Godot might have been improved by the appearance of Godot.
(And before anyone leaps in to tell me that the non-appearance of Godot was the whole point…I was clearly joking.)
August 5, 2016
Set in a period of history that has long fascinated me, The Harrowing is a ‘ship of fools’ tale; a kind of tragic Canterbury Tales in which five travellers slowly divulge their tales as they flee from a Norman army bent on completely destroying the English in the North, trying to reach the last pocket of English resistance mustered at Hexham.
It’s a good idea, a period of history of which too little is known or written about and - having enjoyed James Aitchison’s previous novels - I was really looking forward to The Harrowing, but it was a real disappointment. Though the elements are all there - disparate survivors with secrets and backstories; double jeopardy in the form of the Normans and a band of murderous outlaws in hot pursuit; The Harrowing itself, a barely-recorded period of history with bags of potential for creative invention - and the author does a fair job of throwing a lot of stuff into his pot, it just doesn’t come together to make an engaging whole. None of these elements seem to gel. The story is terribly slow. The telling of the individual stories in particular seems to stretch on and on forever with too much detail, too little character development (I never really came to care about any of them) and too little actual storytelling. Though it had good moments, for the most part, I’m sorry to say, I was terribly bored. There was never a point when I carried on reading past my bedtime; I could happily have laid it down at any time and not cared too much if I hadn’t picked it up again.
It’s a good idea, a period of history of which too little is known or written about and - having enjoyed James Aitchison’s previous novels - I was really looking forward to The Harrowing, but it was a real disappointment. Though the elements are all there - disparate survivors with secrets and backstories; double jeopardy in the form of the Normans and a band of murderous outlaws in hot pursuit; The Harrowing itself, a barely-recorded period of history with bags of potential for creative invention - and the author does a fair job of throwing a lot of stuff into his pot, it just doesn’t come together to make an engaging whole. None of these elements seem to gel. The story is terribly slow. The telling of the individual stories in particular seems to stretch on and on forever with too much detail, too little character development (I never really came to care about any of them) and too little actual storytelling. Though it had good moments, for the most part, I’m sorry to say, I was terribly bored. There was never a point when I carried on reading past my bedtime; I could happily have laid it down at any time and not cared too much if I hadn’t picked it up again.
August 31, 2016
James Aitcheson made his name with his Sworn Sword trilogy of novels set in the years after the Conquest, which followed the fortunes of one of William’s knights. In this standalone novel, he puts his previous hero, Tancred, aside to look at the aftermath of defeat from the point of view of the English and, in doing so, makes a huge step up as a writer. As a scholar of the period, there’s never been any doubting the historical accuracy of Aitcheson’s work, but in the taught prose of The Harrowing, he proves himself completely as a writer.
Five refugees from the reiving Normans, who are laying waste the north to snuff out any possibility of future rebellions, come together, fleeing through a brutal winter towards hope of sanctuary. The story follows them through their flight, as well as telling the tale of what formed and made them all: fleeing noblewoman; servant; warrior; priest; and bard. In line with his historical training, there’s always been an anti-heroic theme to Aitcheson’s novels, but this goes further: in its bleak depiction of small-scale battles and large-scale despoiling it presents a far truer picture of the nature of medieval warfare than the action fantasies – the male equivalent of chick lit – that generally get published under the label of historical fiction. In fact, The Harrowing was so good that not even it being written in the present tense – one of this reviewer’s pet literary hates – served to diminish it. Highly recommended.
Five refugees from the reiving Normans, who are laying waste the north to snuff out any possibility of future rebellions, come together, fleeing through a brutal winter towards hope of sanctuary. The story follows them through their flight, as well as telling the tale of what formed and made them all: fleeing noblewoman; servant; warrior; priest; and bard. In line with his historical training, there’s always been an anti-heroic theme to Aitcheson’s novels, but this goes further: in its bleak depiction of small-scale battles and large-scale despoiling it presents a far truer picture of the nature of medieval warfare than the action fantasies – the male equivalent of chick lit – that generally get published under the label of historical fiction. In fact, The Harrowing was so good that not even it being written in the present tense – one of this reviewer’s pet literary hates – served to diminish it. Highly recommended.
February 8, 2017
An enjoyable novel of The Harrying of the North, William the Conqueror's brutal campaign to subjugate northern England in 1069-70. The characters were fairly well drawn and the story was interesting. I learned a fair bit about the era. Still, I didn't feel utterly transported back in time the way Hilary Mantel took me back to Tudor England, and the ending was rather dissatisfying. Aitcheson is a young writer, though; he may well achieve Mantelian virtuosity in due course.
January 6, 2017
The Harrowing, by James Aitcheson, is a story of the wanton destruction and futility of war as it effects ordinary people. Set a few years after the Battle of Hastings, when King William rode north through England to quash the remaining rebel uprisings by burning and killing everything and everyone he found, it is told from the point of view of five disparate individuals. Merewyn is the lady of a small but prosperous manor. Tova is a slave recently granted her freedom. Beorn is a warrior who saves their lives and reluctantly offers his protection if they travel with him to a gathering of rebels. Guthred is a priest trying to make his way to the abbey at Lindisfarne to return stolen church treasure. Oslac is a travelling minstrel originally from the south. Each carries with them shameful secrets.
The stories of how these five came to meet offer a fresh perspective on a well documented period in history. These are not the titled and wealthy victors, rewarded for brave deeds that they wish to be remembered and celebrated in story and song. Rather they are the tales of the regular folk caught up in tumultuous times. They have watched as loved ones were butchered and homes razed. They are being hunted and killed by bands of men seeking vengeance for deeds in which they played no part. There is little food or shelter to be found as so much has been systematically destroyed.
The tale unfolds over a period of eight difficult days during which each of the five confess to the others their misdeeds. The device used to weave their stories together evokes the real and present danger they are in but relies on an acceptance that strangers in extremis will open up in this way. There is talk of owing each other truth and of selfishness when one or other suggests they may leave the group, yet these people have only just met. Nevertheless, the stories they tell offer a fascinating account of life at this juncture in time.
It is not just the Norman army that threatens but also reavers. Hunger and the encroaching winter weather must be faced. The church is powerful but pagan beliefs remain. Many struggle to make sense of the savagery around them and question God’s existence.
The five stories are well told. The author conjures day to day life as it would have been before the harrowing, and also the social levelling that war can bring. When one’s very survival is tenuous food and dry clothes matter more than coin or gems. Both the best and worst of people are brought to the fore when their lives are at risk, when they have little else to lose.
This was an enjoyable read that offered insights into experiences I had not considered, despite having read much around this period. By looking at the war from a variety of sides the rationale behind actions is brought into focus. If only we could learn the lessons of our history.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Heron Books.
The stories of how these five came to meet offer a fresh perspective on a well documented period in history. These are not the titled and wealthy victors, rewarded for brave deeds that they wish to be remembered and celebrated in story and song. Rather they are the tales of the regular folk caught up in tumultuous times. They have watched as loved ones were butchered and homes razed. They are being hunted and killed by bands of men seeking vengeance for deeds in which they played no part. There is little food or shelter to be found as so much has been systematically destroyed.
The tale unfolds over a period of eight difficult days during which each of the five confess to the others their misdeeds. The device used to weave their stories together evokes the real and present danger they are in but relies on an acceptance that strangers in extremis will open up in this way. There is talk of owing each other truth and of selfishness when one or other suggests they may leave the group, yet these people have only just met. Nevertheless, the stories they tell offer a fascinating account of life at this juncture in time.
It is not just the Norman army that threatens but also reavers. Hunger and the encroaching winter weather must be faced. The church is powerful but pagan beliefs remain. Many struggle to make sense of the savagery around them and question God’s existence.
The five stories are well told. The author conjures day to day life as it would have been before the harrowing, and also the social levelling that war can bring. When one’s very survival is tenuous food and dry clothes matter more than coin or gems. Both the best and worst of people are brought to the fore when their lives are at risk, when they have little else to lose.
This was an enjoyable read that offered insights into experiences I had not considered, despite having read much around this period. By looking at the war from a variety of sides the rationale behind actions is brought into focus. If only we could learn the lessons of our history.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Heron Books.
July 7, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book but was pleasantly surprised. The story begins with Tova the handmaid and her lady Merewyn fleeing their hall in mysterious circumstances. As their journey continues they learn of the impending harrying of the north by William the Conquerer and over the course of the next seven days they encounter 3 other strangers, all outcasts in their own land.
Aitcheson weaves an intriguing plot, enhancing the immediacy of the impending raiders through the use of the present tense, and switches to the past when each character tells their story. He pulls off this technique well. The plot moves forward at a good pace and i particularly yearned for each character's story and what secrets they were hiding. I found that I became fond of some characters, especially Tova (our main protagonist).
I really enjoyed that our main protagonist was female and yet not too overwhelmingly feminine. This story could have easily been fit around a stereotypical warrior figure and Aitcheson has stepped (thankfully) around this.
If you like historical fiction set around the middle ages, you will enjoy this book. It is set during war but not completely about war. It is a novel which explores the concept of trust and what it is to be human.
Aitcheson weaves an intriguing plot, enhancing the immediacy of the impending raiders through the use of the present tense, and switches to the past when each character tells their story. He pulls off this technique well. The plot moves forward at a good pace and i particularly yearned for each character's story and what secrets they were hiding. I found that I became fond of some characters, especially Tova (our main protagonist).
I really enjoyed that our main protagonist was female and yet not too overwhelmingly feminine. This story could have easily been fit around a stereotypical warrior figure and Aitcheson has stepped (thankfully) around this.
If you like historical fiction set around the middle ages, you will enjoy this book. It is set during war but not completely about war. It is a novel which explores the concept of trust and what it is to be human.
April 2, 2018
" Five strangers. Five secrets. No refuge. No turning back."
What Aitcheson has done is shown a very personal side to the political events following the Norman Conquest. In this instance, events styled as "the Harrying of the North" whereby in order to subjugate to the north of England (1069-1070) and defeat the rebels, William the Conqueror laid waste to the north with the result being widespread famine, looting, slaughter, and a terrible loss of life.
In the style of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", five very different people, escaping the both their own pasts and the onslaught of the Normans, find solace in their own company and in the telling of their own stories. All the while, they are fighting for survival - and their success (if we can call it that) will depend upon them all.
Aitcheson vividly recreates the events of this dark chapter in England's history where Orderic Vitalis wrote that people were slaughtered, homes and villages destroyed, innocent punished with the guilty, famine raged, stories of cannabilism emerged. Can our narrators (priest, lady, servant, warrior, minstrel) outrun their own fates.
What Aitcheson has done is shown a very personal side to the political events following the Norman Conquest. In this instance, events styled as "the Harrying of the North" whereby in order to subjugate to the north of England (1069-1070) and defeat the rebels, William the Conqueror laid waste to the north with the result being widespread famine, looting, slaughter, and a terrible loss of life.
In the style of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", five very different people, escaping the both their own pasts and the onslaught of the Normans, find solace in their own company and in the telling of their own stories. All the while, they are fighting for survival - and their success (if we can call it that) will depend upon them all.
Aitcheson vividly recreates the events of this dark chapter in England's history where Orderic Vitalis wrote that people were slaughtered, homes and villages destroyed, innocent punished with the guilty, famine raged, stories of cannabilism emerged. Can our narrators (priest, lady, servant, warrior, minstrel) outrun their own fates.
October 29, 2017
This is the story of five Saxons trying to escape the Normans as they harry the North in revenge for an uprising. It's bleak setting, the odds are stacked against the characters as they struggle through the wintry landscape, in fear of their lives. The five of them each has a dark secret, and one by one they tell their stories. Unfortunately they all seemed to speak with the same voice. The stories can mostly be summed up as: I did a bad thing but I'm not as bad as the other bad person in my story.
It was a worthy attempt to tell a largely forgotten part of England's history but by the end I didn't really care if they made it or not.
It was a worthy attempt to tell a largely forgotten part of England's history but by the end I didn't really care if they made it or not.
January 2, 2019
This book is set in a very interesting period - the Harrying of the North - and the scene is set well throughout. Unfortunately, the book is based around the backstories of the 5 main characters which made it feel slightly disjointed and difficult to read. I also felt like some of the actions of the protagonists didn’t suit their character at all and sometimes even seemed to contradict things they had said or done earlier in the novel.
However, the story improved in the last 80 pages and ended well, but I would still say that this isn’t a book many would stay up all night to read.
However, the story improved in the last 80 pages and ended well, but I would still say that this isn’t a book many would stay up all night to read.
July 10, 2020
4.75 stars
I don't know why more people have not read this. I found it well written with fascinating characters and a unique structure.
I loved listening to all of the characters' stories which twisted and turned and not one of them bored me. it reminded me a lot of Karen Maitland's Company of Liars.
The atmosphere hit me right away - grey, murky, grim and the sense of fear waiting for the Normans to strike at any time was so strong and so well described.
It made me cry multiple times which in my opinion shows it was a great book.
I don't know why more people have not read this. I found it well written with fascinating characters and a unique structure.
I loved listening to all of the characters' stories which twisted and turned and not one of them bored me. it reminded me a lot of Karen Maitland's Company of Liars.
The atmosphere hit me right away - grey, murky, grim and the sense of fear waiting for the Normans to strike at any time was so strong and so well described.
It made me cry multiple times which in my opinion shows it was a great book.
May 1, 2021
What a really wonderful read.
Living in the part of England depicted over the tale and also trying to establish all the other Anglo Saxon place names used was interesting. The only place I didn't find a modern version of was Heldeby where the original travellers came from.
I loved that it was written in the format of the Canterbury Tales or the Decameron where we find out the back story of the travellers over a fire at the end of each days journey.
A not well known part of English history.
I loved the ending where Tova starts her new journey of keeping alive all the old traditions and stories as a none violent means of victory over the foreign invaders. Keeping alive the England she knew in the minds of those around her.
Living in the part of England depicted over the tale and also trying to establish all the other Anglo Saxon place names used was interesting. The only place I didn't find a modern version of was Heldeby where the original travellers came from.
I loved that it was written in the format of the Canterbury Tales or the Decameron where we find out the back story of the travellers over a fire at the end of each days journey.
A not well known part of English history.
I loved the ending where Tova starts her new journey of keeping alive all the old traditions and stories as a none violent means of victory over the foreign invaders. Keeping alive the England she knew in the minds of those around her.
March 17, 2023
Normans raiding England from the perspective of the conquered. Hard and with a serious bite…
February 9, 2017
The Harrowing is Aitcheson's fourth novel. It is a departure from his Tancred a Dinant series but, like these, is set in England a few years after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
A lady and her maidservant on the road encounter a party of Norman soldiers, but are rescued by a Saxon who reluctantly consents to their joining him for protection.
As the three trudge across the desolate landscape of Northern England, it soon becomes apparent that the bitter winter weather is the least of their problems - The new King, William the Bastard, has decreed that Northern England must be laid waste or "harried", as punishment for a recent Saxon uprising and (perhaps his main reason) to deny sustenance and support to the Scots and Vikings who also beset him in those regions. As a result, any Normans the travellers meet, or sight with trepidation in the distance, are emphatically not on their best behaviour, towards man, woman, child, beast, or even dwellings.
The travellers, joined by a priest and a minstrel, know there must be pressing reasons for anyone to journey in such a season, especially with meagre supplies and funds and before learning of the harrying. So on successive evenings they prevail upon each in turn to reluctantly confess their story. ...
Aitcheson's writing style is vivid and engrossing, and the plot(s) carefully considered and plausible and, as one would expect of a historian, impeccably accurate. I highly recommend his three Tancred a Dinant novels, referred to above, and equally so his latest novel The Harrowing, not least because the latter is five novels, well novelettes if there is such a word, for the price of one.
My parting advice is don't make my mistake and start reading The Harrowing in the morning ("Just the first ten pages for now" I promised myself ..), if you have anything else on your TODO list for that day!
A lady and her maidservant on the road encounter a party of Norman soldiers, but are rescued by a Saxon who reluctantly consents to their joining him for protection.
As the three trudge across the desolate landscape of Northern England, it soon becomes apparent that the bitter winter weather is the least of their problems - The new King, William the Bastard, has decreed that Northern England must be laid waste or "harried", as punishment for a recent Saxon uprising and (perhaps his main reason) to deny sustenance and support to the Scots and Vikings who also beset him in those regions. As a result, any Normans the travellers meet, or sight with trepidation in the distance, are emphatically not on their best behaviour, towards man, woman, child, beast, or even dwellings.
The travellers, joined by a priest and a minstrel, know there must be pressing reasons for anyone to journey in such a season, especially with meagre supplies and funds and before learning of the harrying. So on successive evenings they prevail upon each in turn to reluctantly confess their story. ...
Aitcheson's writing style is vivid and engrossing, and the plot(s) carefully considered and plausible and, as one would expect of a historian, impeccably accurate. I highly recommend his three Tancred a Dinant novels, referred to above, and equally so his latest novel The Harrowing, not least because the latter is five novels, well novelettes if there is such a word, for the price of one.
My parting advice is don't make my mistake and start reading The Harrowing in the morning ("Just the first ten pages for now" I promised myself ..), if you have anything else on your TODO list for that day!
June 6, 2017
Five travellers come together, all have very different reasons for shielding themselves, but all have one intent and that is to keep hidden and well out of the way of marauding Norman soldiers, who in the aftermath of 1066 are to be found plundering and stealing their way across the North of England. No-one is safe, not a lady and her servant, or a minstrel and a warrior, and not even a man of God can escape the flickering shadows of the past.
As this disparate group of travellers make their way north, they start to reveal snippets of their lives, and by the glow of a gently crackling wood fire they share the reasons why they are all fleeing shameful secrets.
I think that the author has done a really good job of creating such a harrowing past. The immediate years following the invasion by the Norman war lords were a dangerous time in England's history. Villages were stripped and laid to waste, and death cries, blood and destruction echoed throughout the land. Gone was the old ordered way of life and its place was a lawless and dangerous society, that knew no peace and gave succour to no-one.
There is no doubt that The Harrowing paints a grim picture of what life was like during this time of great unrest. The author proves that he has more than enough in-depth historical knowledge to maintain authenticity as time and place are captured really well. The characters are well written and their individual stories sit comfortably against the wider backdrop of all that happens to the travellers as they make their way to the border lands between northern England and Scotland.
The Harrowing is a stand-alone novel by the author of the Bloody Aftermath of 1066 trilogy.
As this disparate group of travellers make their way north, they start to reveal snippets of their lives, and by the glow of a gently crackling wood fire they share the reasons why they are all fleeing shameful secrets.
I think that the author has done a really good job of creating such a harrowing past. The immediate years following the invasion by the Norman war lords were a dangerous time in England's history. Villages were stripped and laid to waste, and death cries, blood and destruction echoed throughout the land. Gone was the old ordered way of life and its place was a lawless and dangerous society, that knew no peace and gave succour to no-one.
There is no doubt that The Harrowing paints a grim picture of what life was like during this time of great unrest. The author proves that he has more than enough in-depth historical knowledge to maintain authenticity as time and place are captured really well. The characters are well written and their individual stories sit comfortably against the wider backdrop of all that happens to the travellers as they make their way to the border lands between northern England and Scotland.
The Harrowing is a stand-alone novel by the author of the Bloody Aftermath of 1066 trilogy.
July 17, 2016
The Battle of Hastings is over and William the Conqueror is ensuring that any rebellion is crushed. When Edgar, the Aethling, retakes York the Norman revenge is swift. This is the Harrowing of the North, where bands of Normans burn and destroy anything in their way and the people are killed or displaced. In the midst of this mayhem a band of travellers join forces - Merewyn the lady and her maid Tova, the priest Guthred, the bard Oslac and the warrior Beorn. All have secrets and over the course of a week their secrets are revealed.
This is a wonderfully creative take on a historical story. Taking some inspiration from the Decameron, a disparate group of individuals tell their stories, Aitchison has woven a tale of suffering and betrayal at all levels. Each individual has committed a crime in order to survive but with winter closing in and the Normans close behind them, not all will survive. The sense of time and place is really strong and I particularly like the fact that there isn't a conventionally happy ending, just the opening of another chapter for the surviving characters.
This is a wonderfully creative take on a historical story. Taking some inspiration from the Decameron, a disparate group of individuals tell their stories, Aitchison has woven a tale of suffering and betrayal at all levels. Each individual has committed a crime in order to survive but with winter closing in and the Normans close behind them, not all will survive. The sense of time and place is really strong and I particularly like the fact that there isn't a conventionally happy ending, just the opening of another chapter for the surviving characters.
July 27, 2016
Delighted to receive this from NetGalley and Heron Books in exchange for an honest review.
Historical fiction at its best. Just my cup of tea and James Aitcheson really delivers. His style is quite weighty and if you dislike long, descriptive passages it might not be to your taste, but if you love feeling that as you read you are in fact, freezing to the bone in mud-slicked clothes as the hordes hunt you in the dark then this a novel you will adore. As the five main characters travel independently across a blackened and fearful England littered with bodies, fire, and disease they eventually converge on a ruined barn and settle by the fire to confess their sins. Eleventh-century England is much more dystopian than the brightly coloured Tudor brigade and as the main characters tell their stories, and their enemies close in, there is no happy ending. But I urge you to hunker down and read this incredibly detailed and engaging novel of greed, fear, and loathing in Norman Britain. First Class!
Historical fiction at its best. Just my cup of tea and James Aitcheson really delivers. His style is quite weighty and if you dislike long, descriptive passages it might not be to your taste, but if you love feeling that as you read you are in fact, freezing to the bone in mud-slicked clothes as the hordes hunt you in the dark then this a novel you will adore. As the five main characters travel independently across a blackened and fearful England littered with bodies, fire, and disease they eventually converge on a ruined barn and settle by the fire to confess their sins. Eleventh-century England is much more dystopian than the brightly coloured Tudor brigade and as the main characters tell their stories, and their enemies close in, there is no happy ending. But I urge you to hunker down and read this incredibly detailed and engaging novel of greed, fear, and loathing in Norman Britain. First Class!
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June 13, 2017Harrowing indeed it is. William the Conqueror is after harrowing the north of England for their rebellion. We have a winter setting, grim weather, grim fighting, grim battles and harrowing tales from the five Anglo Saxon travellers who find themselves fleeing the murderous troops. It's sound historically, but not my favourite area of history.
The research seems excellent, the writing is tight and terse, and it's a good read for those who aren't as squeamish as I am. There are several other novels by Mr Aitcheson set in this era. I would recommend that fans of this book read them too. He is a good story teller and writer and it is a little covered area of British history.
The research seems excellent, the writing is tight and terse, and it's a good read for those who aren't as squeamish as I am. There are several other novels by Mr Aitcheson set in this era. I would recommend that fans of this book read them too. He is a good story teller and writer and it is a little covered area of British history.
August 17, 2020
This book is one of those where it is what it says on the cover: Harrowing. This book deals with the grim, the dark, the deadly, the deceitful, the shameful, even sinful, parts of humanity. All set within the bleakest period of medieval English history - the Harrowing of the North - where the Normans led by Duke William came and 'laid waste' to the northern shires. Paul, The Book Grocer
Purchase this classic here for just $12.00
Purchase this classic here for just $12.00
September 16, 2016
An enjoyable atmospheric historical novel set in the years after the Normans arrived in England. The backdrop is the devastation wreaked by the Normans in the North following an uprising, but the story is really about a group of Anglo-Saxons who get thrown together, travelling through the land, trying to avoid the Normans lest they are butchered, and perhaps each avoiding something in their past. The back story is revealed steadily throughout, making for a (pretty highbrow) page turner.
August 21, 2016
It's Winter in 1066, after the Norman defeat of Harold at Hastings. Five travellers meet up on the road, each with their own reason for being out at such a harsh time of the year. The tale spans a week of their travels, during which each tells their story. Life is harsh, even for the well off. And the aftermath of the war makes life even more difficult.
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