Prize for the Fire

by Rilla Askew

Lincolnshire, 1537. Amid England’s religious turmoil, fifteen-year-old Anne Askew is forced to take her dead sister’s place in an arranged marriage. The witty, well-educated gentleman’s daughter is determined to free herself from her abusive husband, harsh in-laws, and the cruel strictures of her married life. But this is the England of Henry VIII, where religion and politics are dangerously entangled. A young woman of Anne’s fierce independence, Reformist faith, uncanny command of plainspoken scripture, and—not least—connections to Queen Katheryn Parr’s court cannot long escape official notice, or censure.

In a deft blend of history and imagination, award-winning novelist Rilla Askew brings to life a young woman who defied the conventions of her time, ultimately braving torture and the fire of martyrdom for her convictions. A rich evocation of Reformation England, from the fenlands of Lincolnshire to the teeming religious underground of London to the court of Henry VIII, this gripping tale of defiance is as pertinent today as it was in the sixteenth century.

While skillfully portraying a significant historical figure—one of the first female writers known to have composed in the English language— Prize for the Fire renders the inner life of Anne Askew with a depth and immediacy that transcends time.
 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Tudor Period

384 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2022

About the author

Rilla Askew's newest novel, PRIZE FOR THE FIRE, is about the 16th century English martyr Anne Askew. Rilla Askew received a 2009 Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her first novel, THE MERCY SEAT, was nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dublin IMPAC Prize, was a Boston Globe Notable Book, and received the Oklahoma Book Award and the Western Heritage Award in 1998. Her acclaimed novel about the Tulsa Race Massacre, FIRE IN BEULAH, received the American Book Award and the Myers Book Award from the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights. She was a 2004 fellow at Civiella Ranieri in Umbertide, Italy, and in 2008 her novel HARPSONG received the Oklahoma Book Award, the Western Heritage Award, the WILLA Award from Women Writing the West, and the Violet Crown Award from the Writers League of Texas. Askew received the 2011 Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. Her novel KIND OF KIN deals with state immigration laws and was a finalist for the Western Spur Award, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, and was long-listed for the Dublin IMPAC Prize. Her most recent book is a collection of creative nonfiction MOST AMERICAN: Notes From A Wounded Place. Kirkus Reviews calls Most American "An eloquently thoughtful memoir in essays." In nine linked works of creative nonfiction, Askew spotlights the complex history of her home state. From the Trail of Tears to the Tulsa Race Riot to the Murrah Federal Building bombing, Oklahoma appears as a microcosm of our national saga. Yet no matter our location, Askew argues, we must own the whole truth of our history if the wounds of division that separate us are ever to heal.

"Five generations of Rilla Askew's family have occupied southeastern Oklahoma. Celebrating this birthright, she has concocted of it her own Faulknerian kingdom. Askew is writing a mythic cycle, novels and stories that unsettle our view of the West's settling. In a continuous fictional mural populated with hardscrabble souls - credible, noble and flawed - Askew is completing the uncompleted crossing of the plains. Trusting prose that is disciplined, luxuriant and muscular, she is forging a chronicle as humane as it is elemental."

Allan Gurganus
May 20, 2009
American Academy of Arts and Letters

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical novel about Anne Askew, a Protestant martyr burnt at the stake for her faith in 1546 at the age of 25. She is one of only two women known to have been tortured in the Tower of London. Askew was born in Lincolnshire and was married at fifteen. It was an unhappy marriage. Her husband was a Catholic and at one point he threw her out because of her faith. She reverted back to her own name whilst in London. She was prominent among the more radical Protestant reformers for her knowledge of the scriptures and as a preacher: most unusual for a woman. Inevitably all this got her into trouble as Henry was at that time rowing back on reform in order to try and work out a treaty with the Emperor. Askew is also one of the earliest known female poets who wrote in English. Her own account of her examinations by prominent clerics is renowned for the way in which she wound them in knots verbally. Those who compiled lists of prominent Protestant martyrs (Bale and Foxe) toned down her responses in their accounts as they felt it wouldn’t do to portray a woman as so forward.
The novel itself builds on the historical account and it is interesting to see some of those who appear in Mantel’s novels (Richard Rich, Gardiner and Wriothesley for example) popping up here a few years later. There is a local interest for me as it is set in parts in Lincolnshire: the fens and North and South Kelsey. There are sections in Lincoln itself on streets that I know.
Askew has played this novel about her namesake fairly safely. She has built on the bare bones, added a few characters (particularly Beatrice the maid), but it seems to be a faithful account. Given the subject matter it may well be taken up by faith groups, as indeed Askew has been over the centuries.
It’s an interesting account, certainly not up to Mantel’s standards, but it sheds light on a lesser character in the Tudor backdrop.

[Dianne Alvine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne is born in 1521 during a time of great turbulence. Her father was a wealthy landowner. The author, (who is not related to Anne Askew) tells a story based on research and imagination. Anne Askew was an intelligent woman, who could read and write.

During the entire course of her life, even up to the day she was burned at the stake, Anne was able to leave behind her thoughts and beliefs in her invaluable writings. The author acknowledges that Anne Askew's records were 'an important source for this book.'

The setting is 16th century in Lincolnshire, England. It's a time of great political and religious chaos. Henry VIII is the supreme ruler, and he believes that his will and the Lord's will are one in the same. Anne is fifteen as the story begins. Her beloved sister, Maddie, who was supposed to marry Thomas Kyme, has died. Sir William then tells young Anne, that she will marry Kyme.

Anne is subject to abuse and harshness as Kyme is mean and disgusting. One decent thing her father did was to gift her Beatrice, a girl who would remain faithful and kind for all of Anne's earthly days. Beatrice did indeed stay by and care for her mistress until the end, and it touched my own heart to know this.

Eventually, Kyme throws her out of the house, even though they have two small children.
And the drama of her life continues as she gets away to London. She is a devout Protestant, who spreads the word of the gospel on the streets of London. Her beliefs are considered heretical. This is where her end begins.

This book joins several other books as one of my favorites for this year. Rilla Askew is such an outstanding writer, as she brilliantly plumbs the depths of Anne's inner life and turmoil. I could feel myself right there in the story, and I could feel the terror of knowing what was to come, and all the pain and torture in Anne's life was heartwrenching.

Anne Askew was an historical figure, a woman of courage in her beliefs. She was an English writer, poet, devout Protestant, preacher, and a martyr, who would not recant her beliefs.

At the age of 25, Anne was tortured in the Tower of London. She was racked until her joints came apart, then burned at the stake. They were all vile bastards, starting with Henry VIII.

Anne's last words at her death were:

'So be it. O Lorde so be it.
By me- Anne Askew'

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best novel I've read in years. Beautiful, compelling, faith-strengthening. I could barely read the last few pages for my weeping. Instant all-time favorite. This reading experience will stay with me forever.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t stop thinking about this book! It takes place during the reign of Henry VIII but addresses problems facing women and families today. The main character, Anne, is based on a real person. Her writings and the author’s imagination and superb storytelling make this one of the best historical fiction novels I have read. I give it my highest recommendation.

[Laura]

Wow. I was just stunned at this book. I'm not really a historical fiction reader, especially for this era; however, Rilla Askew makes the history accessible but maintains a rich story tableau. Anne Askew's story is compelling because it still resonates, unfortunately. What Rilla Askew does well is show, not tell the audience about Anne. We are left to make our own sense of her story and what it means for today's women. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much in the vein of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Excellent. Multiple POVs, from Anne herself, her brother, her maid, and her interactions with some of the well-known names of the day. A good reminder of the importance of freedom of religion.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: They live meanly here, Maddie, and demand of me that I do the same. It is not poverty of purse but meanness of spirit which causes them to crimp their mouths if one but ask for a bit of beef for one's supper.

Premise/plot: Prize for the Fire is historical fiction based on the life of Anne Askew (aka Anne Kyme). She lived during the reign of Henry VIII and suffered greatly, or, perhaps reaped much spiritually from her many, many, many sufferings. She was Protestant and an advocate for reading the Bible in English at a time when England was having an identity crisis of sorts spiritually. The country could not decide how much access people should have to the Word of God in English, particularly in terms of class and gender. Her reading the Bible in private AND forming her own opinions of what the text means led to many difficulties. But first and foremost this one is about how HARD her life was because she could not separate from her A**H*** of a husband. She lived at a time when men could literally do anything and everything to punish their wives for any perceived faults. Perhaps not all took advantage of this power, but some did. Anne sought help from her family--her parents, her brothers, etc. But no one was willing or able to help 'save' her from this abuse. Some even, in my opinion, betrayed her and sided with her husband his his family. Her own family saw her as TROUBLE in her insistence that she had the right to read the Word of God on her own privately. She also shared what she learned with others. Wikipedia says she was a preacher. I'm not sure I took that away from reading the novel. I saw her speaking with other women, other ladies, about the Word of God. I don't see her preaching [from a pulpit] to audiences. I suppose it depends on how you define preaching. OR the accuracy of Wikipedia.

My thoughts: Honestly this one started off so incredibly sluggish. I persisted because I knew if the story ever really began to pick up, it would be worth it. The last third of the novel was quite INTENSE and fast-paced. Much of this one--if not all--is heartbreaking. The thought that it could be deemed WRONG or even ILLEGAL to read the Bible in one's own home in one's own language is shocking. I think I knew this in the back of my mind. I knew that the transition from Roman Catholic to Protestant was ROUGH and deadly. That there were many who were imprisoned and/or martyred for matters of faith. Owning the Bible in English was novel during her lifetime. Being able to read AND study the Word of God was still "new" during this century.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

First line: In their final months, their lives brushed, as one’s sleeve may glance another’s in a crowded hall and transfer contagion, silk on silk, the barest whisper – a faint exhalation of the grave’s breath.

Summary: After the death of her sister, Anne is forced into marriage with her sister’s betrothed. Immediately Anne is unhappy with the arrangement and wants to find a way to escape her unhappy marriage. As she secretly reads her sister’s English Bible, her faith deepens and her belief in the Reformed religion is strengthened. After years of hardship with an abusive husband she flees to her family and London where she meets influential reformers including Queen Katheryn Parr. However, since this is a time of great religious turmoil her actions and preaching have not gone unnoticed by the authorities.

My Thoughts: Anne Askew was one of only two women who were tortured in the Tower of London. She was a martyr to her faith in an England that was constantly changing. I had heard and read about Anne through other historical fiction books of the time period but very little was mentioned other than the bare facts of her life and death. I was very intrigued to read an account all about this determined and strong woman. I found her fascinating but also heartbreaking.

In college I wrote my senior paper on Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation, so much of the time period and its changes were familiar to me but this fictional account really brings the world of Tudor England to life. I could feel the fear and tensions of the time through those around Anne. She was not afraid to speak her mind but others around her knew that they could be condemned along with her. Life was chaotic and uncertain. Heretics at this time were burned at the stake. I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been to live under this threat.

Anne’s tale is told through her and the observations of her maid. Many did not understand her reluctance to conform. She was not what a sixteenth century woman should be. She defied her husband, her family and the government. And her story is not for the faint of heart. There are brutal images of violence, pain and filthy living conditions. But if you want a story of strength and determination then this is the one for you!

[Constance Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a meticulously researched and gorgeously written book that cares deeply about investigating the question of fanaticism. It is the irresistible force meeting the immovable object, Anne Askew’s own religious fanaticism confronting the fanaticism of the official church/state of her time. The people and the setting feel as real as walking outside my door, and the portrayal of a smart, articulate woman who, as the saying goes, very much chose the feeling of being right over being happy--not that happiness was a real option--is bound to resonate with so many Americans wounded by the polarization of our friends and families in the current political climate. The book’s feminist message is key, but for me what was perhaps even more impactful was the vivid reminder of the societal ills that sent people fleeing across the ocean to found this country in the first place. It offers a dramatic illustration of the perils of living in a country with no separation of church and state and no religious freedom. For everyone who knows it’s important to look back to go forward, Prize for the Fire provides a powerful lens.

[Carol Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would buy it, because I buy a lot of good books, but I didn’t think I would read it because I thought the 1500s were kind of out of my Bailiwick. But I learned more about religion and British culture and humanity in this book than I did all through graduate school. I don’t know how she so easily climbed into the vernacular of that period, but I think she nailed it. On second thought, it probably wasn’t that easy, but Rilla Askew is that skilled. While admiring Anne Kymes’ spirit, I feared for her life, and that fear made me just want to climb into the book and stuff a sock in Anne’s mouth.

I at first thought it was surely more scholarly than literary, based on the time period and knowing Askew as a deeply rooted Oklahoma writer, but I was quickly persuaded that while this may be based on history well -researched, it delivers history made palatable without being “dumbed down.” Beautifully and wonderfully done.

[Kris Lackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rilla Askew’s Prize for the Fire adroitly chronicles the tragic familial and religious life of Anne Askew, the last Protestant martyr in the reign of Henry VIII. Anne Askew defiantly read Scripture in English translation–and fluently translated Latin Scripture for Henry’s last queen as well. She was burned as a heretic after she refused to admit that the consecrated host and wine were the literal body and blood of Christ because she found no such teaching in Scripture. Her brilliant and staunch defense of this position before the king’s privy council and the church is the novel’s rousing, cinematic climax to her long travails at the hands of a brutish husband and a stupid clergy. Fans of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy will recognize many of Cromwell’s oily foes (Cromwell has been executed before the novel’s action begins) and read Prize for the Fire as a worthy sequel.

[Georgia Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was one period missing and that killed me. Five stars anyway because it was seriously that good. The character development is fantastic, which is often a failing of books that take place over a long period of time. Yet you could still see how this is the same person with the same traits and flaws. Her naivety fades into an acceptance that is none less stubborn. She is endlessly clever, and unwavering in her beliefs. This is a flawed but likable main character who truly compels the reader to the end of the book. I’m always impressed by novels written in antiquated English too; writing a book is hard enough, how can you write one in English that isn’t even your own? A very impressive work.

[Gillian Poucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding work of historical fiction, meticulously researched and with an unforgettable protagonist in Anne Askew, a stubborn reformist who refused to conform to expectations of women in the closing years of Henry VIII's reign. The story is told through the eyes of Anne's maid Beatrice as well as by Anne herself. Beatrice is a very believable character, loyal to Anne, even whilst frightened of the consequences of her mistress's single-mindedness. I was completely transported to this brutal and tumultuous time. Like so many other neglected women in history, Anne Askew's is a voice to be heard.

[Alenka of Bohemia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A portrait of a complicated woman who fights for her own identity and strength and eventually finds it, along with inner peace, in her faith. Anne Askew was, by a definition, a religious fanatic in a time when religion was being redressed and differences of opinion on it punishable by death, and Rilla Askew (a curious accident of a name) does not make her exactly likable - which is good, because instead of a legendary martyr washed of off all sins, we get a believable and complex human character, a woman trapped by her era and her circumstance. The whole book is what I would absolutely call a quality historical fiction and the nearer the end, the more powerful it becomes.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Rilla Askew's and this book did not disappoint. The religious and political climate during the reign of Henry VIII made for dangerous times - especially for our protagonist, a female religious zealot who was smarter than the men she was supposed to be subservient to. Anne Askew is a historic figure and her story is a down and dirty telling of a brutal piece of history, the Protestant Reformation. It's no wonder Brits fled to North America to start a new order: division of church and state.

[Patti Canchola · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw Rilla had a new book coming I knew it would be different than the traditional historical fiction! This novel is stunning! If you are a fan of Tudor history you will more than love this book. You can feel the passion coursing through Anne’s veins as though she’s right with you. Treat yourself to a gripping emotional piece of history!!

[Mary Robideaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book showcases Rilla Askew's writing talent so well. I knew I would try it just because she wrote it, but I wasn't sure that I would stick with it given the subject is a Tudor England religious woman. The author grabbed me within 30 pages and I had to stay up late to finish it! This is probably my favorite read so far this year, and I hope more readers discover it.

[Stephanie Theban · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book which introduced me to a character of the Tudor period, Ann Askew. The book does a wonderful job of placing the reader right in the middle of the shifting politics of faith in Henry VIII’s world. Ann is a fascinating character because she is unwilling to do as she is told by the men who surround her. Her independence is inspiring, as is her devotion to her beliefs. She is unwilling to accept beatings from her husband but is willing to undergo the most severe and painful punishment rather than recant her beliefs. Masterfully researched and written, this book will be loved by fans of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prize for the Fire is riveting. Riveting. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but this book makes me want to take a deep dive into historical fiction, particularly if this author wrote it.

[DaniPhantom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn’t my usual read, but I enjoyed the story and the historical aspect

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t always agree with the main character’s decisions, but that’s why she is a hero. What a fire with no end of burning.

[jj Grilliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary to think this actually happened

[Allani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a slow read for me but worth it. It made me appreciate, even more, how over 90% of the planet now has access to the Scriptures in their own language.

[Annika Chasteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

a surprisingly profound story!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

[Darla]

DNF page 175. the story is so bleak and brutal. Nothing against the book just not the kind of story I need right now.

[Darwin Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful book that captivated me from the start. cool historical events to life, weaving a powerful story about resilience, conviction, and sacrifice. characters felt real and layered, with emotions and conflicts that resonated for awhile. settings immersive without feeling overwhelming.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as a gift… Oklahoma author and story set in Lincolnshire… very absorbing so far. Almost prefer the narrative to Mantel’s trilogy but we shall see how the book develops. Very absorbing and quick read as you can’t put it down! Based on true events and real people.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review at Reading World