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Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
Arden Priory has remained unchanged for almost four hundred years. When a nameless child is abandoned at the gatehouse door, the nuns take her in and raise her as one of their own.
As Henry VIII’s second queen dies on the scaffold, the embittered King strikes out, and unprecedented change sweeps across the country. The bells of the great abbeys fall silent, the church and the very foundation of the realm begins to crack.
Determined to preserve their way of life, novitiate nuns Margery and Grace join a pilgrimage thirty thousand strong to lead the king back to grace.
Sisters of Arden is a story of valour, virtue and veritas.
As Henry VIII’s second queen dies on the scaffold, the embittered King strikes out, and unprecedented change sweeps across the country. The bells of the great abbeys fall silent, the church and the very foundation of the realm begins to crack.
Determined to preserve their way of life, novitiate nuns Margery and Grace join a pilgrimage thirty thousand strong to lead the king back to grace.
Sisters of Arden is a story of valour, virtue and veritas.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2018
28 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Judith Arnopp
49 books226 followers.A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English/Creative writing and an MA in Medieval Studies.
She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction based in the Medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the perspective of historical women but she is currently writing a novel from a male perspective, that of Henry VIII himself.
Her novels include:
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Beaufort Bride: Book one of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Beaufort Woman: Book two of The Beaufort Chronicle
The King’s Mother: Book three of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Winchester Goose: at the Court of Henry VIII
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Song of Heledd
The Forest Dwellers
Peaceweaver
Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria, and makes historical garments both for the group and others. She is not professionally trained but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly HA, clothing.
Her non-fiction book, How to Dress Like a Tudor will be published by Pen and Sword in 2023,
You can find her group Tudor Handmaid on Facebook. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Webpage: www.judithmarnopp.com
Author page: author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Blog: http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot....
For more information please visit my website: www.judithmarnopp.com
author.to/juditharnoppbooks
She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction based in the Medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the perspective of historical women but she is currently writing a novel from a male perspective, that of Henry VIII himself.
Her novels include:
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Beaufort Bride: Book one of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Beaufort Woman: Book two of The Beaufort Chronicle
The King’s Mother: Book three of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Winchester Goose: at the Court of Henry VIII
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Song of Heledd
The Forest Dwellers
Peaceweaver
Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria, and makes historical garments both for the group and others. She is not professionally trained but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly HA, clothing.
Her non-fiction book, How to Dress Like a Tudor will be published by Pen and Sword in 2023,
You can find her group Tudor Handmaid on Facebook. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Webpage: www.judithmarnopp.com
Author page: author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Blog: http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot....
For more information please visit my website: www.judithmarnopp.com
author.to/juditharnoppbooks
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 29, 2018
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to the publisher BooksGoSocial for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This piece of historical fiction takes place in England during King Henry VIII's break from Rome and the Catholic church. Under the influence of his crafty advisor Thomas Cromwell, the various Catholic religious houses were being seized, its riches stripped and transferred to enrich the King's coffers. Such was the fate of the Arden priory, set in the Yorkshire moor.
Margery was left on the priory doorstep as a baby, so this is the only home she has ever known. She's used to the spartan life they lead. There's a cow named Marigold that provides nutty tasting milk, chickens that lay eggs, and a modest garden of various herbs and vegetables. Their bellies are never quite full, but they survive.
Then one day a young woman named Grace comes to stay who obviously hails from an upper class family. She's ordered to trade in her quality clothing to "wear the veil" and help with chores around the priory. There is a mystery to unravel as to why this very pretty and affable young lady was cast off from her family for the staid life of the priory.
It was unthinkable that the Crown would plunder the nuns' paltry existence at Arden priory and drive them out...but that's exactly what happened. Provisions are made for some elderly nuns to either retire or be reassigned elsewhere, but the rest are simply cast out to survive by their own mettle.
Our heroine Margery is a young girl who remembers the quiet wisdom imparted by the nuns. It is a harrowing existence walking for miles on foot each day in threadbare clothing with an empty belly and exposure to the elements. Margery keeps remembering the priory at Arden as a comforting refuge that she wishes she could go back to. It was a place with a routine...quiet and simple living. Along her journey many other cast out religious people are encountered and they join together as a resistance against the King. A leader is revealed in one Robert Aske, who leads the Pilgrimage of Grace protest against King Henry VIII.
I enjoy reading books about people like Margery who suffer great challenges, but find an inner strength to make it through each hour. She is tired, cold, hungry and distraught...yet she will share her little food with others in need, and stop to tend another person's ailments. She just does what has to be done and doesn't give up. She was the heroine that carried this book, and it was a pleasure to read.
Thank you to the publisher BooksGoSocial for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This piece of historical fiction takes place in England during King Henry VIII's break from Rome and the Catholic church. Under the influence of his crafty advisor Thomas Cromwell, the various Catholic religious houses were being seized, its riches stripped and transferred to enrich the King's coffers. Such was the fate of the Arden priory, set in the Yorkshire moor.
Margery was left on the priory doorstep as a baby, so this is the only home she has ever known. She's used to the spartan life they lead. There's a cow named Marigold that provides nutty tasting milk, chickens that lay eggs, and a modest garden of various herbs and vegetables. Their bellies are never quite full, but they survive.
Then one day a young woman named Grace comes to stay who obviously hails from an upper class family. She's ordered to trade in her quality clothing to "wear the veil" and help with chores around the priory. There is a mystery to unravel as to why this very pretty and affable young lady was cast off from her family for the staid life of the priory.
It was unthinkable that the Crown would plunder the nuns' paltry existence at Arden priory and drive them out...but that's exactly what happened. Provisions are made for some elderly nuns to either retire or be reassigned elsewhere, but the rest are simply cast out to survive by their own mettle.
Our heroine Margery is a young girl who remembers the quiet wisdom imparted by the nuns. It is a harrowing existence walking for miles on foot each day in threadbare clothing with an empty belly and exposure to the elements. Margery keeps remembering the priory at Arden as a comforting refuge that she wishes she could go back to. It was a place with a routine...quiet and simple living. Along her journey many other cast out religious people are encountered and they join together as a resistance against the King. A leader is revealed in one Robert Aske, who leads the Pilgrimage of Grace protest against King Henry VIII.
I enjoy reading books about people like Margery who suffer great challenges, but find an inner strength to make it through each hour. She is tired, cold, hungry and distraught...yet she will share her little food with others in need, and stop to tend another person's ailments. She just does what has to be done and doesn't give up. She was the heroine that carried this book, and it was a pleasure to read.
March 30, 2022
This is the story of the 16th century Pilgrimage of Grace as told through the eyes of a young woman living in a remote nunnery in Yorkshire. I liked how this was about the lives of the ordinary folk and not the gentry who took up the cause. Some lovely writing and interesting characters.
January 17, 2019
I liked reading this book! Haha what a great way to start a review 😂😂.
I enjoyed this book for numerous reasons. The first one obviously being the story itself: a historical fiction set during the reign of Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries. It follows Margery, a young, orphaned girl who was raised at Arden, one of the monasteries unfortunately seized by the King's men. It's a story of realistic hardship, of travelling, of relationships, politics but also happiness. The plot was incredibly realistic, WHICH I ENJOY, as opposed to everything feeling either too depressing or too happy, the plot was balanced and felt REAL. I felt also that the level of writing invoked a mixture of Bernard Cornwall, for it's realistic, historical grittiness, but also Phillipa Gregory for its female (yey) characters. I loved that the plot was actually about women during such a politically unstable time, especially low born women and not some Princess or Lady simply commenting on the times.
The characters in this are also such a mix. You have Margery, the young orphan girl; the Nuns of Arden, a largely older group of women; Grace, a once high born girl cast out to have her bastard child, Andrew, and take the Veil, but also Francis, a mentally disabled yet gentle character. It's honestly so refreshing to read outside the usual historical fiction female troupe. Girls, u know the one I mean. The secretly 'i never thought about it' naturally beautiful rich lady who is a natural at court politics and INTELLIGENT, more so than ANYONE ELSE EVER. No, this bunch was a well written, diverse group of imperfect, realistic people, and honestly it was refreshing. I feel the plot was about right as well. While I'd love it to have gone on longer (Judith Arnopp has such a blunt style that perfectly fits historical fiction) I do feel it was the appropriate length for the plot it has, after all there is only so much travelling you can read before u cbb any more (looking @ u Lord of the Rings). The plot is also a really good mix of politics and events without over encumbering the reader with useless facts which make you feel like you're reading an article or journal rather than a fictional novel.
The only thing I have to say NEGATIVELY is not much. I received my copy of this book, a kindle, via Netgalley and there were mistakes in the texts. At some points of the story sentences or portions of the text, I really can't tell as sometimes sentences end in the middle or start somewhere really random, just stop making sense and I feel a lot has been missed out. Unfortunately I can't tell if this is a fault with the Kindle copy or not as I feel it surely wouldn't have been missed out from a published book, therefore I will give this book the benefit of the doubt and say IT WOULD BE FINE IF YOU BOUGHT THE BOOK ITSELF.
Overall, I think this book is a nice quick read set in an interesting time period from an interesting point of view and with a whole host of interesting characters. I would recommend a read if you're looking for a different bit of historical fiction.
I enjoyed this book for numerous reasons. The first one obviously being the story itself: a historical fiction set during the reign of Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries. It follows Margery, a young, orphaned girl who was raised at Arden, one of the monasteries unfortunately seized by the King's men. It's a story of realistic hardship, of travelling, of relationships, politics but also happiness. The plot was incredibly realistic, WHICH I ENJOY, as opposed to everything feeling either too depressing or too happy, the plot was balanced and felt REAL. I felt also that the level of writing invoked a mixture of Bernard Cornwall, for it's realistic, historical grittiness, but also Phillipa Gregory for its female (yey) characters. I loved that the plot was actually about women during such a politically unstable time, especially low born women and not some Princess or Lady simply commenting on the times.
The characters in this are also such a mix. You have Margery, the young orphan girl; the Nuns of Arden, a largely older group of women; Grace, a once high born girl cast out to have her bastard child, Andrew, and take the Veil, but also Francis, a mentally disabled yet gentle character. It's honestly so refreshing to read outside the usual historical fiction female troupe. Girls, u know the one I mean. The secretly 'i never thought about it' naturally beautiful rich lady who is a natural at court politics and INTELLIGENT, more so than ANYONE ELSE EVER. No, this bunch was a well written, diverse group of imperfect, realistic people, and honestly it was refreshing. I feel the plot was about right as well. While I'd love it to have gone on longer (Judith Arnopp has such a blunt style that perfectly fits historical fiction) I do feel it was the appropriate length for the plot it has, after all there is only so much travelling you can read before u cbb any more (looking @ u Lord of the Rings). The plot is also a really good mix of politics and events without over encumbering the reader with useless facts which make you feel like you're reading an article or journal rather than a fictional novel.
The only thing I have to say NEGATIVELY is not much. I received my copy of this book, a kindle, via Netgalley and there were mistakes in the texts. At some points of the story sentences or portions of the text, I really can't tell as sometimes sentences end in the middle or start somewhere really random, just stop making sense and I feel a lot has been missed out. Unfortunately I can't tell if this is a fault with the Kindle copy or not as I feel it surely wouldn't have been missed out from a published book, therefore I will give this book the benefit of the doubt and say IT WOULD BE FINE IF YOU BOUGHT THE BOOK ITSELF.
Overall, I think this book is a nice quick read set in an interesting time period from an interesting point of view and with a whole host of interesting characters. I would recommend a read if you're looking for a different bit of historical fiction.
December 26, 2018
4 stars
The reign of terror was fearful to behold in the time of King Henry VIII. Even the poorest religious houses are harassed by the king’s men as is illustrated in this very good novel about the life and times of the nuns at Arden Abbey.
Margery is perhaps twelve and has lived at the abbey all her life. She is what is known as a lay sister. She is the central character in the story and it is told from her point of view. The sisters’ work is hard and unrelenting, but they seem relatively content – until the king’s men show up to persecute them.
With King Henry VIII’s split from the Roman Catholic Church (and setting himself up as the head of the Church of England), and his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn came the brutal repression of monasteries and abbeys in England. It did not matter how wealthy or poor the various institutions were the King’s Chancellor Thomas Cromwell was ruthless in suppressing them. They were stripped of their “valuables,” their crops destroyed and their livestock slaughtered or scattered. There were several political motivations for this, but this is not the proper arena for that discussion. This book is about Margery and her fellow sisters. And it tells a very good, down-to-earth tale of her strife and suffering.
There are some clauses that go nowhere and are out of place. I hope this is corrected before this book go for publishing. If one overlooks this glaring set of errors, the novel is well written and interspersed with both touching and terrifying action scenes. This is my first Judith Arnopp book and I will be looking into her other works as well.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this good, but short, book for me to read, enjoy and review.
The reign of terror was fearful to behold in the time of King Henry VIII. Even the poorest religious houses are harassed by the king’s men as is illustrated in this very good novel about the life and times of the nuns at Arden Abbey.
Margery is perhaps twelve and has lived at the abbey all her life. She is what is known as a lay sister. She is the central character in the story and it is told from her point of view. The sisters’ work is hard and unrelenting, but they seem relatively content – until the king’s men show up to persecute them.
With King Henry VIII’s split from the Roman Catholic Church (and setting himself up as the head of the Church of England), and his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn came the brutal repression of monasteries and abbeys in England. It did not matter how wealthy or poor the various institutions were the King’s Chancellor Thomas Cromwell was ruthless in suppressing them. They were stripped of their “valuables,” their crops destroyed and their livestock slaughtered or scattered. There were several political motivations for this, but this is not the proper arena for that discussion. This book is about Margery and her fellow sisters. And it tells a very good, down-to-earth tale of her strife and suffering.
There are some clauses that go nowhere and are out of place. I hope this is corrected before this book go for publishing. If one overlooks this glaring set of errors, the novel is well written and interspersed with both touching and terrifying action scenes. This is my first Judith Arnopp book and I will be looking into her other works as well.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this good, but short, book for me to read, enjoy and review.
January 9, 2019
What a sad tale, but an eye-opening one. This is a great example of historical fiction, one that expertly mixes both fiction and non-fiction.
We follow Margery and her fellow sisters (nuns) in 1500’s England, a time when the introduction of the Protestant faith was shaking the solid ground of the Catholic Church. Lives were upended, King Henry was becoming the poster boy for divorce and remarriage, and small parishes and abbeys were being shut down to fill the King’s coffers and deeply offend the Catholic Church. Nuns, monks, and servants were turned out of their respective homes as a result of these closures, leaving most without a place to go and little to no hope of survival as they wandered England.
This story gives the reader an intimate look at the scenarios that played out for the lives of the uprooted. This part of the story goes deeper than the historical facts we are given at surface level, and encourages us to look closely at what this moment in history meant for so many, religious or otherwise.
Excellent story, wonderfully written, and so worth the read. Highly, highly recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We follow Margery and her fellow sisters (nuns) in 1500’s England, a time when the introduction of the Protestant faith was shaking the solid ground of the Catholic Church. Lives were upended, King Henry was becoming the poster boy for divorce and remarriage, and small parishes and abbeys were being shut down to fill the King’s coffers and deeply offend the Catholic Church. Nuns, monks, and servants were turned out of their respective homes as a result of these closures, leaving most without a place to go and little to no hope of survival as they wandered England.
This story gives the reader an intimate look at the scenarios that played out for the lives of the uprooted. This part of the story goes deeper than the historical facts we are given at surface level, and encourages us to look closely at what this moment in history meant for so many, religious or otherwise.
Excellent story, wonderfully written, and so worth the read. Highly, highly recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2019
4.5 stars
Margery is a young girl who has known nothing of life but the tiny, isolated Arden Priory in North Yorkshire, when Henry VIII gives the order for Catholic religious houses across the land to be dissolved. Cast out to fend for herself, along with two other young women and a small baby, the novel is about her dangerous journeys to York and Pontefract, the news she hears about the uprisings against the atrocities committed in the King's name, and her journey back to what she hopes will be safety.
Judith Arnopp describes the world of Margery so well; I liked seeing the 16th century from the POV of the ordinary people, so far away from that of the aristocracy and nobility that they might as well have inhabited another planet. Ms Arnopp has a lovely, easy-to-read writing style, and it is clear that the book is well-researched without the research ever seeming intrusive.
It's a short novel, and at times I would have liked more detail about various events, but there was no part that I didn't enjoy. The 'Author's Note' at the end is most interesting, and I was intrigued to find out that Arden Priory actually existed; on the whole, Sisters of Arden made me want to read more about the time, which is a sign of good historical fiction. The ending gives hope for the future, with a different purpose for Margery.
I liked this book very much and would most definitely recommend to anyone who likes well-written, authentic fiction based on fact about this period.
Margery is a young girl who has known nothing of life but the tiny, isolated Arden Priory in North Yorkshire, when Henry VIII gives the order for Catholic religious houses across the land to be dissolved. Cast out to fend for herself, along with two other young women and a small baby, the novel is about her dangerous journeys to York and Pontefract, the news she hears about the uprisings against the atrocities committed in the King's name, and her journey back to what she hopes will be safety.
Judith Arnopp describes the world of Margery so well; I liked seeing the 16th century from the POV of the ordinary people, so far away from that of the aristocracy and nobility that they might as well have inhabited another planet. Ms Arnopp has a lovely, easy-to-read writing style, and it is clear that the book is well-researched without the research ever seeming intrusive.
It's a short novel, and at times I would have liked more detail about various events, but there was no part that I didn't enjoy. The 'Author's Note' at the end is most interesting, and I was intrigued to find out that Arden Priory actually existed; on the whole, Sisters of Arden made me want to read more about the time, which is a sign of good historical fiction. The ending gives hope for the future, with a different purpose for Margery.
I liked this book very much and would most definitely recommend to anyone who likes well-written, authentic fiction based on fact about this period.
January 17, 2022
A good merger of fact and fiction
A story that needed to be told. If you're a Tudor fan, then you no doubt are aware of Henry VIII closing down the abbeys and churches. This is a story about one such Abbey and the people who resided there. Great characters and story telling, you will feel like you are on this journey with them. Another terrible notch in King Henry's belt.
A story that needed to be told. If you're a Tudor fan, then you no doubt are aware of Henry VIII closing down the abbeys and churches. This is a story about one such Abbey and the people who resided there. Great characters and story telling, you will feel like you are on this journey with them. Another terrible notch in King Henry's belt.
March 4, 2019
Based on true events, Sisters of Arden is a interesting read about the reign of Henry the VIII and the fall of the Catholic Church in England during the 1530s. Abbeys and monasteries were forced to close and all of there assets were confiscated by the king. This left many religious men and women destitute. The book tells of a young woman, Margery, left at the abbey as a baby, who leads the small band of Arden inhabitants as they join in with those planning the uprising. The writing was fairly bland and the characters lacked depth, but story kept my interest.
April 6, 2019
The year is 1534. King Henry VIII has just married his third wife Jane Seymour. His Majesty is not in a good mood. Will this new bride be able to provide the long awaited son and heir? He is also running low on money. What to do? He decides to rob the monasteries and the abbys, leaving the people who live in them with only the clothes on their backs and what few provisions they can carry.
This book is based on the true story of one such abby. Arden Abby.
Judith Arnopp takes the reader back in time to feel how these poor folks felt and what hardships they endured. She is a master story teller and the reader feels like they are part of the book. I've read most of her books and I highly recommend them to every Historical Fiction fan.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.
This book is based on the true story of one such abby. Arden Abby.
Judith Arnopp takes the reader back in time to feel how these poor folks felt and what hardships they endured. She is a master story teller and the reader feels like they are part of the book. I've read most of her books and I highly recommend them to every Historical Fiction fan.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.
January 19, 2021
A beautiful, poignant, and realistic depiction of life led by nuns expelled from their abbey at the time of the dissolution of monastries, abbeys under Henry VIII. An accurate account of the pilgrimage of Grace shows the horrors of this tragic journey but also an astonishing will to survive. The plot also involves the story of a girl with Down syndrome, giving a vivid and again realistic insight of people with disabilities at those times. Excellent book!
January 22, 2022
A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO HER OTHER BOOKS
This tale of a group of nuns whose monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII going on a pilgrimage to protest at the loss of their convent and interference in their brand of religion is a refreshing read. I love books by this author, her style of writing, the characters that leap off the page in this fast moving, page-turning book. Recommended.
This tale of a group of nuns whose monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII going on a pilgrimage to protest at the loss of their convent and interference in their brand of religion is a refreshing read. I love books by this author, her style of writing, the characters that leap off the page in this fast moving, page-turning book. Recommended.
December 28, 2022
different look at the purge of the monasteries
A very human perspective on Cromwell’s reformation and the impact on those who served as nuns and monks. Historical fiction with a big dose of history and relatability.
A very human perspective on Cromwell’s reformation and the impact on those who served as nuns and monks. Historical fiction with a big dose of history and relatability.
January 18, 2019
The truth is best told in the guise of fiction. The reigns of tyrant kings, the impact it has on thousands or millions of commoners, the ruination of churches and entire religions, can be yawn-inducingly familiar to history students--but show us the impact on a single commoner, show readers the dire plunge from barely living to fighting to survive one more day, and the dry history books take on new life.
Margery, Grace, Frances, John, the half-dozen Sisters of Arden, are fictional creations but they seem real to the reader. Sadly, hey have real-life counterparts who suffered, starved, or got imprisoned or lynched.
Names like Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour, get a mention, but they remain at a believable narrative distance from our young narrator. One-Eyed Aske, William Gascoigne, Robert Constable, and Lord Darcy are names I think I should know, but I haven't hunted online for more. Arden is a real place, and the author describes her research in the afterword.
The first-person, present-tense narration is a popular device in contemporary YA novels, but for historical fiction like this, I find it a bit off-putting, especially when the prose is a little more wordy than I like. I would cite examples, but I read this from a new 10th generation Kindle Paperwhite, a miserable experience after having the first-generation Kindle Fire, and until I adapt to the updates in e-readers, I won't be reviewing books in as much detail as I used to. Maybe that's a good thing. I wonder how many people even read my reviews. Are you reading this? Do I sound grouchy? I want to emphasize the merits of this novel but the Paperwhite (Kindle) has soured my mood.
So, this is an interesting book for the history, but the prose could use some tightening and polishing. (Didn't prologues fall out of fashion a long time ago?) I don't want to sound harsh. I've been spoiled by Elizabeth Letts, Laura Frantz, and other authors who tackle the daunting task of working actual historical events and people into their fictional narratives. This is an endearing tale that will reward readers who care about "little" people who don't get their names in history books but their lives deserve to be remembered, even if it's in the guise of fiction.
Margery, Grace, Frances, John, the half-dozen Sisters of Arden, are fictional creations but they seem real to the reader. Sadly, hey have real-life counterparts who suffered, starved, or got imprisoned or lynched.
Names like Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour, get a mention, but they remain at a believable narrative distance from our young narrator. One-Eyed Aske, William Gascoigne, Robert Constable, and Lord Darcy are names I think I should know, but I haven't hunted online for more. Arden is a real place, and the author describes her research in the afterword.
The first-person, present-tense narration is a popular device in contemporary YA novels, but for historical fiction like this, I find it a bit off-putting, especially when the prose is a little more wordy than I like. I would cite examples, but I read this from a new 10th generation Kindle Paperwhite, a miserable experience after having the first-generation Kindle Fire, and until I adapt to the updates in e-readers, I won't be reviewing books in as much detail as I used to. Maybe that's a good thing. I wonder how many people even read my reviews. Are you reading this? Do I sound grouchy? I want to emphasize the merits of this novel but the Paperwhite (Kindle) has soured my mood.
So, this is an interesting book for the history, but the prose could use some tightening and polishing. (Didn't prologues fall out of fashion a long time ago?) I don't want to sound harsh. I've been spoiled by Elizabeth Letts, Laura Frantz, and other authors who tackle the daunting task of working actual historical events and people into their fictional narratives. This is an endearing tale that will reward readers who care about "little" people who don't get their names in history books but their lives deserve to be remembered, even if it's in the guise of fiction.
April 16, 2019
Set in the reign of Henry VIII the land is in turmoil. The smaller monasteries are waiting daily for the arrival of the King’s men to take their land and scatter their clergy. At Arden a small collection of nuns eke out a living. Margery was found on the doorstep and raised in the monastery, she knows nothing else. Sister Frances struggles with daily life and has little speech. Life outside the protection of the nuns is unthinkable. Then there is newly arrived Grace who has been deprived of her inheritance following the death of her fiance. What does the future hold for these people?
There is no doubt that the research in this book is excellent. It is set solidly in the facts surrounding the dissolution of the monasteries and the uprisings following leader Robert Aske. The background on which the characters live out their lives seems very real – the mud, the smells, the cold infiltrate the core of this book.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. Margery is a woman who knows nothing outside the nunnery. She does as she is told and is basically one of the lowest in the pecking order. As events unfold she is called upon to be strong and she discovers herself as a person. Sister Frances is a lovely character who is very sympathetically written. She probably wouldn’t have survived in mainstream society but the nuns are good to her and Margery is very fond of her. Grace is more complicated & we see different sides of her as the book progresses.
I did enjoy this book. It is a period of history which interests me and I felt that the author had done it justice. There are places, however, were I felt the story stalled a bit. There is a lot of time spent on the road walking from place to place. There were parts of this which seemed quite repetitive and the story didn’t seem to be moving forward. However these were just a few small patches and once I had read through those the story did pick up.
I am a lover of the historical works by Karen Maitland. Although this work wasn’t quite up to her standard I can recommend it to other Karen Maitland readers.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
There is no doubt that the research in this book is excellent. It is set solidly in the facts surrounding the dissolution of the monasteries and the uprisings following leader Robert Aske. The background on which the characters live out their lives seems very real – the mud, the smells, the cold infiltrate the core of this book.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. Margery is a woman who knows nothing outside the nunnery. She does as she is told and is basically one of the lowest in the pecking order. As events unfold she is called upon to be strong and she discovers herself as a person. Sister Frances is a lovely character who is very sympathetically written. She probably wouldn’t have survived in mainstream society but the nuns are good to her and Margery is very fond of her. Grace is more complicated & we see different sides of her as the book progresses.
I did enjoy this book. It is a period of history which interests me and I felt that the author had done it justice. There are places, however, were I felt the story stalled a bit. There is a lot of time spent on the road walking from place to place. There were parts of this which seemed quite repetitive and the story didn’t seem to be moving forward. However these were just a few small patches and once I had read through those the story did pick up.
I am a lover of the historical works by Karen Maitland. Although this work wasn’t quite up to her standard I can recommend it to other Karen Maitland readers.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
January 15, 2019
My thanks to NetGalley for providing a Kindle copy of this book for me to read and impartially review.
Arden Priory has remained unchanged for almost four hundred years. When a nameless child is abandoned at the gatehouse door, the nuns take her in and raise her as one of their own.
As Henry VIII’s second queen dies on the scaffold, the embittered King strikes out, and unprecedented change sweeps across the country. The bells of the great abbeys fall silent, the church and the very foundation of the realm begins to crack.
Determined to preserve their way of life, novitiate nuns Margery and Grace join a pilgrimage thirty thousand strong to lead the king back to grace.
Sisters of Arden is a story of valour, virtue and veritas. So states the 'Blurb' for this book on Amazon.
However Margery is treated more as a dogsbody and servant by the nuns, its she though only a child who plays a major part in keeping Arden running. Arden is in the North Yorkshire moors and while its surroundings are beautiful they are also bleak, its a small poor Abbey with just a handful of inhabitants. Set during the Dissolution of 1536 this is an easy to read, well researched enjoyable book of 165 pages. At this time according to the authors notes Monasteries were a lifeline; common people relied on them from birth to death for charity, employment and for healthcare, the closures united the populace, both rich and poor, culminating in widespread protests, and this story
is a merger of fact and fiction Arden was real. Thrown out of their home three nuns and a baby find themselves wandering the highways of Yorkshire, meeting friend and foe on their travels, this is a tale of courage deprivation friendship hardship and injustice.
I have read a lot about this period of history, fact and fiction and i am ashamed to say i have never heard of the "Pilgrimage of Grace" and for some its dire consequences.
This is a book i thoroughly enjoyed and heartily recommend.
Arden Priory has remained unchanged for almost four hundred years. When a nameless child is abandoned at the gatehouse door, the nuns take her in and raise her as one of their own.
As Henry VIII’s second queen dies on the scaffold, the embittered King strikes out, and unprecedented change sweeps across the country. The bells of the great abbeys fall silent, the church and the very foundation of the realm begins to crack.
Determined to preserve their way of life, novitiate nuns Margery and Grace join a pilgrimage thirty thousand strong to lead the king back to grace.
Sisters of Arden is a story of valour, virtue and veritas. So states the 'Blurb' for this book on Amazon.
However Margery is treated more as a dogsbody and servant by the nuns, its she though only a child who plays a major part in keeping Arden running. Arden is in the North Yorkshire moors and while its surroundings are beautiful they are also bleak, its a small poor Abbey with just a handful of inhabitants. Set during the Dissolution of 1536 this is an easy to read, well researched enjoyable book of 165 pages. At this time according to the authors notes Monasteries were a lifeline; common people relied on them from birth to death for charity, employment and for healthcare, the closures united the populace, both rich and poor, culminating in widespread protests, and this story
is a merger of fact and fiction Arden was real. Thrown out of their home three nuns and a baby find themselves wandering the highways of Yorkshire, meeting friend and foe on their travels, this is a tale of courage deprivation friendship hardship and injustice.
I have read a lot about this period of history, fact and fiction and i am ashamed to say i have never heard of the "Pilgrimage of Grace" and for some its dire consequences.
This is a book i thoroughly enjoyed and heartily recommend.
January 15, 2019
Medieval times was a harsh time. Not just for women but for men as well. I can see how the life in a monastery or a nunnery would appeal to many. For those men who had nothing to inherit, for women who were not married for whatever reason, these would have provided safe sanctuary and for the most part it did.
This book however deals with the not safe part where Cromwell egged on by King Henry VIII and this time around Cromwell was looking to close every abbey and monastery there was in the Kingdom and ruthlessly take over whatever possessions they had. In this case, it was pitiful. Their possessions were meagre, the nuns themselves were permanently starving, they were always cold as they lived in a very wind swept part of Britain and they were all homeless. When the abbey closed, some of them got placed in other abbeys but three of them - the three most vulnerable were literally put out on to the streets to fend for themselves.
Joining a band of people in similar circumstances, the three of them hoped merely for survival. To be able to live to see another day. Sadly one died and the remaining two the indomitable Margery and Grace who was sent because she disgraced her aristocratic family by falling in love and getting pregnant, are forced together by the infant son who is ignored by his mother and lovingly brought up by Margery to join forces to just survive.
The story is an emotional one of injustice, hardship, sheer misery, intolerance and hatred. The story of Margery and Grace is a good one though.
Tough reading but this is actual history.
This book however deals with the not safe part where Cromwell egged on by King Henry VIII and this time around Cromwell was looking to close every abbey and monastery there was in the Kingdom and ruthlessly take over whatever possessions they had. In this case, it was pitiful. Their possessions were meagre, the nuns themselves were permanently starving, they were always cold as they lived in a very wind swept part of Britain and they were all homeless. When the abbey closed, some of them got placed in other abbeys but three of them - the three most vulnerable were literally put out on to the streets to fend for themselves.
Joining a band of people in similar circumstances, the three of them hoped merely for survival. To be able to live to see another day. Sadly one died and the remaining two the indomitable Margery and Grace who was sent because she disgraced her aristocratic family by falling in love and getting pregnant, are forced together by the infant son who is ignored by his mother and lovingly brought up by Margery to join forces to just survive.
The story is an emotional one of injustice, hardship, sheer misery, intolerance and hatred. The story of Margery and Grace is a good one though.
Tough reading but this is actual history.
December 20, 2019
Good historical fiction teaches history. I've been reading a lot on the Pilgrimage of Grace and the dissolution of the monasteries for a project that I'm working, and this was a pleasant change from some of my other reading, not just because it was fiction, but because it looked more deeply at the people involved in the Pilgrimage - nuns and monks from small houses, everyday people who saw the negative effect the closures would have on their lives, the occasional high born person willing to stick their neck out in a time when necks had little value.
Knowing that the closures of the monasteries made people homeless was one thing, but experiencing it along with the author's characters - the abrupt eviction, not having a place to go, the endless walking, cold and hunger - made it much more real.
Knowing that the closures of the monasteries made people homeless was one thing, but experiencing it along with the author's characters - the abrupt eviction, not having a place to go, the endless walking, cold and hunger - made it much more real.
January 1, 2019
#SistersOfArden #NetGalley#BooksGoSocial Thank you for this ARC that I finished before midnight 2018. A favorite author and a good historical novel, Sisters of Arden was based on a real religious house during Henry VIII's religious purge. Judith Arnopp did a fine job of this authors' notes about this place and this period of time.
It was often depressing in it's horror of the actual historical happenings of the disbanding of religious houses., but well researched and written. It ended on a positive note and perhaps there will be a sequel? Margery was a strong character and more could be learned about her life.
It was often depressing in it's horror of the actual historical happenings of the disbanding of religious houses., but well researched and written. It ended on a positive note and perhaps there will be a sequel? Margery was a strong character and more could be learned about her life.
November 8, 2019
The story of the little people left to wander the towns and countryside without food or a place to lay their heads after a king greedy for power and money goes on a rampage. Great story and characters!
April 20, 2019
A brilliant read from beginning to end highly recommended it
August 12, 2020
I Learned about the
Pilgrimage of Grace- things I hadn't thought of before. All of the severe hardships the pilgrims had to endure. I loved the main character - Marger.y
Pilgrimage of Grace- things I hadn't thought of before. All of the severe hardships the pilgrims had to endure. I loved the main character - Marger.y
February 9, 2021
Good
It is a good read. I learned more of the time period that I love to read about. Anything 15th century works for me.
It is a good read. I learned more of the time period that I love to read about. Anything 15th century works for me.
October 29, 2019
This book called to me both as a lover of historical fiction and as someone who went through an obsession learning more about England during the time of Henry VIII.
While it took me a short while to get into the story, the title did not disappoint. The reader joins fictional characters living out the reality of life for those at monasteries and convents being disbanded by the king's men. Most of them were not as wealthy as people would be led to believe. Yet, the king's men seized what they could and cast the men and women out to the streets.
The suffering of the main characters was great. Yet, in the end, they found not only a strength they had inside but a familial bond with each other.
I hope to read more from this author as you can see the dedication to detail surrounding the history as well as wonderful character development. If you enjoy historical fiction, put this one on your list. Just know that it is not a 'fast' or light read as there is a fair bit of detail.
I was provided with an advance reader copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
While it took me a short while to get into the story, the title did not disappoint. The reader joins fictional characters living out the reality of life for those at monasteries and convents being disbanded by the king's men. Most of them were not as wealthy as people would be led to believe. Yet, the king's men seized what they could and cast the men and women out to the streets.
The suffering of the main characters was great. Yet, in the end, they found not only a strength they had inside but a familial bond with each other.
I hope to read more from this author as you can see the dedication to detail surrounding the history as well as wonderful character development. If you enjoy historical fiction, put this one on your list. Just know that it is not a 'fast' or light read as there is a fair bit of detail.
I was provided with an advance reader copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
March 7, 2025
Set in the reign of Henry VIII the land is in turmoil. The smaller monasteries are waiting daily for the arrival of the King’s men to take their land and scatter their clergy. Arden Priory has remained unchanged for almost four hundred years. When a nameless child is abandoned at the gatehouse door, the nuns take her in and raise her as one of their own.
This was an interesting read and one that I enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Judith Arnopp for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting read and one that I enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Judith Arnopp for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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