Baudet: Walls Still Standing

by John Bentley

Baudet's destiny is foreshadowed by a mysterious old woman in black, who predicts he will accomplish great things in his life. Leaving his village of Vordan in 1673, he plans to forge a new life in Marseilles. Finding lodging in a tavern, he makes fast friends with Father Philippe of the church in the poor quarter of Panier. Unwittingly, he is drawn to the Abbey Saint Victor across the harbor, where his future is to be with the Benedictine Order of monks. Temptations both criminal and sexual challenge Baudet along his path, and he soon finds himself clashing with the obnoxious and delinquent Prior Delbert. Can his unpromising beginning lead him to an extraordinary destiny? This is the large print edition of Baudet, with a larger font / typeface for easier reading.

400 pages, Paperback

Published December 31, 2021

Reviews

[John Broughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with John Bentley’s other novels, Baudet is strongly character-driven. The author enters into the psychology of a personality who is sure that one day he will become an important person, although he has no particular calling. Realising that this is unlikely to happen in the small community of rural village life, he moves to the cosmopolitan reality of the 17th century Mediterranean port of Marseilles. The author ably depicts the overwhelming impact of the city on an ingenuous country youth. His adaptation to a new life is a novel in itself. John Bentley covers the gamut of human types, bringing romance, unsavoury friendships and noble helpers into Baudet’s life. As his character develops, Baudet finds an artistic talent and when this is merged to the inexplicable lure of the nearby abbey, he gives up his romantic relationship to respond to the call of a monastic life. The tale of how he overcomes tribulations to rise from a simple scribe to the highest position within those walls is gripping and informative because the author has done his historical research. Baudet’s greatest achievement comes at the end of the book, but no spoilers here. If you like medieval French history, you will love this excellent novel. I can happily give it a 5-star rating.