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The Fire and the Rose
From Robyn Cadwallader, the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of The Anchoress and Book of Colours, comes a vibrant, richly imagined and deeply moving novel set in the turbulent world of thirteenth-century England. Longlisted for the 2023 ARA Historical Novel Prize.
England, 1276: Forced to leave her home village, Eleanor moves to Lincoln to work as a housemaid. She's prickly, independent and stubborn, her prospects blighted by a port-wine birthmark across her face. Unusually for a woman, she has fine skills with ink and quill, and harbours a secret ambition to work as a scribe, a profession closed to women. Eleanor discovers that Lincoln is a dangerous place, divided by religious prejudice, the Jews frequently the focus of violence and forced to wear a yellow badge. Eleanor falls in love with Asher, a Jewish spicer, who shares her love of books and words, but their relationship is forbidden by law. When Eleanor is pulled into the dark depths of the church's machinations against Jews and the king issues an edict expelling all Jews from England, Eleanor and Asher are faced with an impossible choice.
Vivid, rich, deep and sensual, The Fire and the Rose is a tender and moving novel about how language, words and books have the power to change and shape lives. Most powerfully, it is also a novel about what it is to be made 'other', to be exiled from home and family. But it is also a call to recognise how much we need the other, the one we do not understand, making it a strikingly resonant and powerfully hopeful novel for our times.
England, 1276: Forced to leave her home village, Eleanor moves to Lincoln to work as a housemaid. She's prickly, independent and stubborn, her prospects blighted by a port-wine birthmark across her face. Unusually for a woman, she has fine skills with ink and quill, and harbours a secret ambition to work as a scribe, a profession closed to women. Eleanor discovers that Lincoln is a dangerous place, divided by religious prejudice, the Jews frequently the focus of violence and forced to wear a yellow badge. Eleanor falls in love with Asher, a Jewish spicer, who shares her love of books and words, but their relationship is forbidden by law. When Eleanor is pulled into the dark depths of the church's machinations against Jews and the king issues an edict expelling all Jews from England, Eleanor and Asher are faced with an impossible choice.
Vivid, rich, deep and sensual, The Fire and the Rose is a tender and moving novel about how language, words and books have the power to change and shape lives. Most powerfully, it is also a novel about what it is to be made 'other', to be exiled from home and family. But it is also a call to recognise how much we need the other, the one we do not understand, making it a strikingly resonant and powerfully hopeful novel for our times.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2023
18 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Cadwallader
7 books127 followersRobyn Cadwallader has spent much time and energy teaching creative writing and all kinds of English literature at university, with a special interest in medieval literature. She writes poems and short stories, and her novel The Anchoress won the Varuna LitLink NSW Byron Bay Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2010. Her PhD thesis about female virginity and agency, Three Methods for Reading the Thirteenth-Century Seinte Marherete, is a study of the story of St Margaret of Antioch, patron saint of childbirth, who was swallowed by a dragon and burst out its back, proclaiming herself a hero.
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May 1, 2023
'kill the one you cannot understand, other, woman, Jew...such suffering in common might give way to mercy, But fear, we see, is buried deep within the city's heart.'
Eleanor has recently moved to the city of Lincoln after being forced to leave her home. Despite finding work as a housemaid, she truly longs to become a scribe; a skill she has unwittingly been taught as a child, although it is man's work. Having been born with a port wine stain partially covering her face, Eleanor has learned defiance in the face of cruelty and skepticism. As an orphan, she has learned independence, courage, and self-sufficiency. What she lacks is an understanding as to why the Jews who have resided in Lincoln for generations, who have become an integral part of the town's business community have become reviled and spat upon. When she falls in love with Asher, the Jewish spicer, Eleanor must try and determine how to uphold her sense of integrity and rightness against the rules which bind her actions.
I so enjoyed this book. The weight of the words gives a considered cadence that allows you to ponder the journey, the loneliness, injustice, hate, and ignorance. Interspersed is a poem 'The Walls Speak' which reflects not only the mood of the upcoming chapters but also reflects the timeless, senselessness of the hate and fear of 'other', 'Those that only know themselves by the ones that they make exiles'. Indeed, people who rely upon defining themselves through comparison or derision instead of by their own sense of morality and integrity.
Robyn Cadwallader has written not only a strong piece of historical fiction, bringing to light the forced expulsion of Jews, from England, in 1290 and the violence and hate leading up to such an edict: 'blood libel, she has written a lovely piece of literary fiction which causes the reader to pause for thought. When I closed the book, I wondered, 'How can such misery bring such yearning'? I can only reply, that it makes us look more deeply at ourselves, our innate prejudices, and our close-mindedness and begs us to strive for more; for better. What I lacked in this book was more. If not an epilogue, then the author's notes to help me make sense of all that I read.
I would highly recommend this book to both historical and literary fiction lovers. It is weighty, and it is often unkind and unjust, but it is thought-provoking and it will sit with you long after the book has closed.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Eleanor has recently moved to the city of Lincoln after being forced to leave her home. Despite finding work as a housemaid, she truly longs to become a scribe; a skill she has unwittingly been taught as a child, although it is man's work. Having been born with a port wine stain partially covering her face, Eleanor has learned defiance in the face of cruelty and skepticism. As an orphan, she has learned independence, courage, and self-sufficiency. What she lacks is an understanding as to why the Jews who have resided in Lincoln for generations, who have become an integral part of the town's business community have become reviled and spat upon. When she falls in love with Asher, the Jewish spicer, Eleanor must try and determine how to uphold her sense of integrity and rightness against the rules which bind her actions.
I so enjoyed this book. The weight of the words gives a considered cadence that allows you to ponder the journey, the loneliness, injustice, hate, and ignorance. Interspersed is a poem 'The Walls Speak' which reflects not only the mood of the upcoming chapters but also reflects the timeless, senselessness of the hate and fear of 'other', 'Those that only know themselves by the ones that they make exiles'. Indeed, people who rely upon defining themselves through comparison or derision instead of by their own sense of morality and integrity.
Robyn Cadwallader has written not only a strong piece of historical fiction, bringing to light the forced expulsion of Jews, from England, in 1290 and the violence and hate leading up to such an edict: 'blood libel, she has written a lovely piece of literary fiction which causes the reader to pause for thought. When I closed the book, I wondered, 'How can such misery bring such yearning'? I can only reply, that it makes us look more deeply at ourselves, our innate prejudices, and our close-mindedness and begs us to strive for more; for better. What I lacked in this book was more. If not an epilogue, then the author's notes to help me make sense of all that I read.
I would highly recommend this book to both historical and literary fiction lovers. It is weighty, and it is often unkind and unjust, but it is thought-provoking and it will sit with you long after the book has closed.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 25, 2023
This is a historical literary feast – exquisite poetic writing that will challenge your imagination and move you to deep thought. It will also, at times, tighten your throat and make you clench your fists as you walk through the battles of the innocent from 1276-1290. It is a magnificent work of art in its approach and delivery. I truly do not know where to begin to praise The Fire and the Rose as it is in a league of its own.
Robyn’s profound wisdom, stellar command of words and vivid and crisp descriptions are a writer’s dream. You can picture every movement, every event between nature and human, smell every scent and feel every tender and exasperating moment. But for all its beauty and wonder, I must warn you, this is a not an easy novel to read because of the naked painful truth from history it uncovers. It lays open injustice like a deep gash in your skin and lets it bleed onto the page and into your heart. It forces you to ponder the magnitude of the sins of humanity—the vile acts that happen between humans. The poison and power of hate and its ruthless destruction. This novel showcases prejudice and the horror of events that follow. Prejudice that causes innocent people to be burned at the stake just because they share a different belief. This inequality sees many locked up, slowly tortured and drained of hope. They become objects of blame and ridicule. All the ugly traits of humans are fleshed out. But there’s more. Under the coverlet of some religious figures is greed. Money, pride, desire for recognition. And once the damage has been done? ‘Silence drops into the noise like a stone in a pond.’
Each character stands out for a different reason. Each one raising a different emotion in me. But I will focus on three. Those that represent the victims. Eleanor with a port wine blemish on her face, is forced from her home village and moves to Lincoln. Although she faces great challenges, she is a strong determined woman. Tired of men telling her what to do and controlling her life, she seeks her own path of independence. She wants to make it on her own, even after she finds herself in a difficult situation. She has been taught to read and write and wants to be a scribe. Although such a position is not open to women, and she is told often by men she cannot have such a job, she persists until the opportunity arises.
With all the roadblocks and struggles she faces, there is initially one shining spark in Eleanor’s life. Her visits to the spicer. She is mesmerised by this man and, yes, falls in love with him. They share great passion and a love of books and words. But their relationship is forbidden. Asher is not only a merchant spicer but a Jew. Once meeting Eleanor, he falls deeply for her, too. Their time together is precious but it must be behind closed doors as a Catholic woman must not be in a relationship with a Jew. They are both devoted to their faith and their faith dictates their limitations with each other but the outside ruling world is even worse. Asher is very oppressed dealing with the ongoing battles as he is always at the mercy of the harsh hands of the law.
Marchota is a Jewess. She is a gifted woman in business but also a lover of the natural world, faery stories and forests. The lines on her face tell a story. And her passion for wearing green comes from the nature she loves. But, of course, she is criticised for wearing this colour and labelled a faerie or witch. This woman becomes a pillar of strength for Eleanor, her closest friend and even a mother figure from the Jewish community, while a statue of Mary (mother of Jesus) is Eleanor’s comfort on the Catholic side.
Marchota’s back garden that Eleanor has worked in to restore is a haven. But it often exhibits the changing times. During the great trials, the plants wither reflecting the hopes of its inhabitants. But at one point in the story Eleanor and Asher go there for reprieve. There is comfort in plants – healing in garden work ‘…better than talking: gathering warmth from the afternoon sun.’ A feeling of rightness where ‘no pope or bishop or king or sheriff (is) telling them they are wrong.’ Eleanor ponders the ‘ridiculous tale… the Statutes, the laws and threats, the differing beliefs about the Messiah, the stupidity of dividing people.’ People like Asher have physical scars: because they are made to carry the hatred of their oppressors.
The question rises: ‘does the king think he can beat these people into submission?’ The war inside Lincoln takes its toll for it is left with a ‘remnant of the community, tattered and torn in soul and body.’ When Eleanor is drawn into the workings of the Catholic church and discovers a truth more piercing than a sword, her heart is pulled in so many directions as to what to do next. Then when the king issues an edict expelling all Jews from England, the pain and decisions become a cross almost too heavy to bear.
But in this wasteland of despair, love also blooms like a rose. The stubborn strength of love shared between Eleanor and Asher (a Catholic and a Jew) brings moments of joy and momentary freedom behind closed doors. The sadness is in the fact, that due to society and the cultures of each faith, they cannot become husband and wife. Or are even free to be seen in the public together. Their solitary glimpses of joy come with a price—the anguish they must later endure.
There is a mystery at the heart of this story: a boy has died. Was it a murder or an accident? Those in power want to use this event for their evil ends. It is quite a story and certainly exposes some pretty rotten activity. A sad truth arises: ‘No one is looking for justice – rather payment.’
At the beginning of many chapters, there is a poem that sums up the emotion and events that follow. These are utterings of The Wall that Speaks. As writers we often think about ancient stones in buildings and walls that have housed history. We say if these walls could speak what would they say of what they have seen and heard. Much I would expect. These stones are a powerful symbol throughout the novel. They represent a way to hang on to the stories of history and to carry them into the future. To remind us, to remember so that we can learn from the past and try not to repeat it. They also offer judgement.
The weight of grief in this novel is overwhelming at times. We are soaked in Eleanor’s sadness and feel the suffering of the people she loves, her Jewish friends. But out this horrid chaos, a strange paradox looms. She realises after she is endowed with a fair bit of scribe work, that it would not have been possible without the coin clipping arrests and deaths. It makes her shudder to know that out of someone’s misfortune, another may gain—including herself.
I could fill a book of all I saw in this novel but space does not allow and I will just encourage those who have the courage to delve into this story, to do so, with an open mind and an appreciative heart. You will become emersed in the setting and characters. It is such a detailed comprehensive portrayal of injustice where there are no fair trials, just accusations. But out of the despair springs hope. Amidst the horror is a lasting love: a rose in the desert that refuses to die.
A strong message in this novel is seen in the thoughts of Eleanor. “How unsafe the world can be…not only famine and freeze but belief and choices.’ Eleanor’s own thoughts from the beginning when she is ‘wary of Jews and their strange ways’ are quite different by the end. The fiery trials have changed her.
At the start, Robyn quotes a brilliant Bible passage from Habakkuk (Old Testament) of which I am familiar. She uses it to tell her story. As mentioned, the stones are important symbols in this novel. For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it. The materials used for ill gain (stones and timber) will cry out from the wall of the oppressed against the oppressors. (Such as in the evil ones who take advantage of the boy’s death to gain recognition and wealth.) But fear not. Those who judge will be judged. The accusations from these innate objects will be deafening. The stories of the wounded will be heard from generation to generation through such timeless novels as The Fire and The Rose. 5 Perfect Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to HarperCollins Au (4th Estate) for my review copy.
Robyn’s profound wisdom, stellar command of words and vivid and crisp descriptions are a writer’s dream. You can picture every movement, every event between nature and human, smell every scent and feel every tender and exasperating moment. But for all its beauty and wonder, I must warn you, this is a not an easy novel to read because of the naked painful truth from history it uncovers. It lays open injustice like a deep gash in your skin and lets it bleed onto the page and into your heart. It forces you to ponder the magnitude of the sins of humanity—the vile acts that happen between humans. The poison and power of hate and its ruthless destruction. This novel showcases prejudice and the horror of events that follow. Prejudice that causes innocent people to be burned at the stake just because they share a different belief. This inequality sees many locked up, slowly tortured and drained of hope. They become objects of blame and ridicule. All the ugly traits of humans are fleshed out. But there’s more. Under the coverlet of some religious figures is greed. Money, pride, desire for recognition. And once the damage has been done? ‘Silence drops into the noise like a stone in a pond.’
Each character stands out for a different reason. Each one raising a different emotion in me. But I will focus on three. Those that represent the victims. Eleanor with a port wine blemish on her face, is forced from her home village and moves to Lincoln. Although she faces great challenges, she is a strong determined woman. Tired of men telling her what to do and controlling her life, she seeks her own path of independence. She wants to make it on her own, even after she finds herself in a difficult situation. She has been taught to read and write and wants to be a scribe. Although such a position is not open to women, and she is told often by men she cannot have such a job, she persists until the opportunity arises.
With all the roadblocks and struggles she faces, there is initially one shining spark in Eleanor’s life. Her visits to the spicer. She is mesmerised by this man and, yes, falls in love with him. They share great passion and a love of books and words. But their relationship is forbidden. Asher is not only a merchant spicer but a Jew. Once meeting Eleanor, he falls deeply for her, too. Their time together is precious but it must be behind closed doors as a Catholic woman must not be in a relationship with a Jew. They are both devoted to their faith and their faith dictates their limitations with each other but the outside ruling world is even worse. Asher is very oppressed dealing with the ongoing battles as he is always at the mercy of the harsh hands of the law.
Marchota is a Jewess. She is a gifted woman in business but also a lover of the natural world, faery stories and forests. The lines on her face tell a story. And her passion for wearing green comes from the nature she loves. But, of course, she is criticised for wearing this colour and labelled a faerie or witch. This woman becomes a pillar of strength for Eleanor, her closest friend and even a mother figure from the Jewish community, while a statue of Mary (mother of Jesus) is Eleanor’s comfort on the Catholic side.
Marchota’s back garden that Eleanor has worked in to restore is a haven. But it often exhibits the changing times. During the great trials, the plants wither reflecting the hopes of its inhabitants. But at one point in the story Eleanor and Asher go there for reprieve. There is comfort in plants – healing in garden work ‘…better than talking: gathering warmth from the afternoon sun.’ A feeling of rightness where ‘no pope or bishop or king or sheriff (is) telling them they are wrong.’ Eleanor ponders the ‘ridiculous tale… the Statutes, the laws and threats, the differing beliefs about the Messiah, the stupidity of dividing people.’ People like Asher have physical scars: because they are made to carry the hatred of their oppressors.
The question rises: ‘does the king think he can beat these people into submission?’ The war inside Lincoln takes its toll for it is left with a ‘remnant of the community, tattered and torn in soul and body.’ When Eleanor is drawn into the workings of the Catholic church and discovers a truth more piercing than a sword, her heart is pulled in so many directions as to what to do next. Then when the king issues an edict expelling all Jews from England, the pain and decisions become a cross almost too heavy to bear.
But in this wasteland of despair, love also blooms like a rose. The stubborn strength of love shared between Eleanor and Asher (a Catholic and a Jew) brings moments of joy and momentary freedom behind closed doors. The sadness is in the fact, that due to society and the cultures of each faith, they cannot become husband and wife. Or are even free to be seen in the public together. Their solitary glimpses of joy come with a price—the anguish they must later endure.
There is a mystery at the heart of this story: a boy has died. Was it a murder or an accident? Those in power want to use this event for their evil ends. It is quite a story and certainly exposes some pretty rotten activity. A sad truth arises: ‘No one is looking for justice – rather payment.’
At the beginning of many chapters, there is a poem that sums up the emotion and events that follow. These are utterings of The Wall that Speaks. As writers we often think about ancient stones in buildings and walls that have housed history. We say if these walls could speak what would they say of what they have seen and heard. Much I would expect. These stones are a powerful symbol throughout the novel. They represent a way to hang on to the stories of history and to carry them into the future. To remind us, to remember so that we can learn from the past and try not to repeat it. They also offer judgement.
The weight of grief in this novel is overwhelming at times. We are soaked in Eleanor’s sadness and feel the suffering of the people she loves, her Jewish friends. But out this horrid chaos, a strange paradox looms. She realises after she is endowed with a fair bit of scribe work, that it would not have been possible without the coin clipping arrests and deaths. It makes her shudder to know that out of someone’s misfortune, another may gain—including herself.
I could fill a book of all I saw in this novel but space does not allow and I will just encourage those who have the courage to delve into this story, to do so, with an open mind and an appreciative heart. You will become emersed in the setting and characters. It is such a detailed comprehensive portrayal of injustice where there are no fair trials, just accusations. But out of the despair springs hope. Amidst the horror is a lasting love: a rose in the desert that refuses to die.
A strong message in this novel is seen in the thoughts of Eleanor. “How unsafe the world can be…not only famine and freeze but belief and choices.’ Eleanor’s own thoughts from the beginning when she is ‘wary of Jews and their strange ways’ are quite different by the end. The fiery trials have changed her.
At the start, Robyn quotes a brilliant Bible passage from Habakkuk (Old Testament) of which I am familiar. She uses it to tell her story. As mentioned, the stones are important symbols in this novel. For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it. The materials used for ill gain (stones and timber) will cry out from the wall of the oppressed against the oppressors. (Such as in the evil ones who take advantage of the boy’s death to gain recognition and wealth.) But fear not. Those who judge will be judged. The accusations from these innate objects will be deafening. The stories of the wounded will be heard from generation to generation through such timeless novels as The Fire and The Rose. 5 Perfect Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to HarperCollins Au (4th Estate) for my review copy.
September 16, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
The Fire and the Rose by Robyn Cadwallader is a well researched story and immersive read about anti-Semitism and forbidden love through the eyes of a young woman in medieval England. The story is written in rich detail.
Set in England 1276, Eleanor is forced to leave her village and move to Lincoln to work as a housemaid. She doesn’t want marriage, has a port-wine birthmark across her face and dreams of working as a scribe. Unlike most women Eleanor can read and write.
Eleanor meets a Jew named Asher who is a spicer, they share a love of books and words. In Lincoln city the town persecutes the Jews and after the pair fall in love they must hide their relationship as it’s forbidden by both the law and church.
The story is also inspired by how a young boys death in the past (1255) is falsely accused to the Jewish community to benefit the Church and Crown during the time of Henry III, the boy is known as Little Saint Hugh.
This is a horrific story where Jews are imprisoned, required to wear yellow badges and eventually culminating in the expulsion of all Jews from England.
An engaging, powerful and thought provoking read.
Publication Date 03 May 2023
Publisher Harper Collins Australia
A huge thanks to Harper Collins Australia for a copy of the book to read.
The Fire and the Rose by Robyn Cadwallader is a well researched story and immersive read about anti-Semitism and forbidden love through the eyes of a young woman in medieval England. The story is written in rich detail.
Set in England 1276, Eleanor is forced to leave her village and move to Lincoln to work as a housemaid. She doesn’t want marriage, has a port-wine birthmark across her face and dreams of working as a scribe. Unlike most women Eleanor can read and write.
Eleanor meets a Jew named Asher who is a spicer, they share a love of books and words. In Lincoln city the town persecutes the Jews and after the pair fall in love they must hide their relationship as it’s forbidden by both the law and church.
The story is also inspired by how a young boys death in the past (1255) is falsely accused to the Jewish community to benefit the Church and Crown during the time of Henry III, the boy is known as Little Saint Hugh.
This is a horrific story where Jews are imprisoned, required to wear yellow badges and eventually culminating in the expulsion of all Jews from England.
An engaging, powerful and thought provoking read.
Publication Date 03 May 2023
Publisher Harper Collins Australia
A huge thanks to Harper Collins Australia for a copy of the book to read.
March 1, 2023
I really wanted to enjoy this book and give it a good review. And it is not that I didn't like it as the subject and idea of the story is fantastic and the overall feel of the book is good. I enjoyed the main characters as they are well balanced and lend personality to a book that deals with a time and situation.
Set in 13th century England this is the story of Eleanor and Asher, both from different worlds, different backgrounds and different religions. But they fall in love and have a child. Unfortunately the world around them does not allow this and as Asher is Jewish they have to jeep their relationship a secret.
This story follows their lives, their sorrows and hardships and brings to light they way people lived all those many years ago. It is heartbreaking.
My problem with this book and the reason I only give it 3 1/2 stars is that it seemed to drag on, seemed to be overly descriptive and dragged on. I felt I was getting nowhere and started to loose interest, therefore skimming through paragraphs in order to get to the final outcome. Which for me feel flat.
This could have been a great book for me had it been shortened as sometimes less is more.
The Fire and the Rose
Robyn Cadwallader
HarperCollins
Set in 13th century England this is the story of Eleanor and Asher, both from different worlds, different backgrounds and different religions. But they fall in love and have a child. Unfortunately the world around them does not allow this and as Asher is Jewish they have to jeep their relationship a secret.
This story follows their lives, their sorrows and hardships and brings to light they way people lived all those many years ago. It is heartbreaking.
My problem with this book and the reason I only give it 3 1/2 stars is that it seemed to drag on, seemed to be overly descriptive and dragged on. I felt I was getting nowhere and started to loose interest, therefore skimming through paragraphs in order to get to the final outcome. Which for me feel flat.
This could have been a great book for me had it been shortened as sometimes less is more.
The Fire and the Rose
Robyn Cadwallader
HarperCollins
May 7, 2023
Robyn has returned with another brilliant novel of medieval historical fiction. Richly reimagined, this tale set in the latter decades of the 13th century is one of prejudice, hardship, enduring love, and emancipation within a deeply misogynistic and religiously divided society.
I love medieval historical fiction but so much of it is set within the fantasy genre, of which I’m not so much of a fan, so Robyn’s work is highly sought after by me. Her characters were flawed and realistic, and while I never really warmed to Eleanor, I still appreciated her story and character journey.
The writing within this story is divine, particularly the scenes of passion between Eleanor and Asher at the beginning of their love affair. Robyn has a way too of seamlessly weaving memories of the past with the present affairs for her characters, a literary skill that is not to be underestimated.
Highly recommended for historical fiction fans.
I love medieval historical fiction but so much of it is set within the fantasy genre, of which I’m not so much of a fan, so Robyn’s work is highly sought after by me. Her characters were flawed and realistic, and while I never really warmed to Eleanor, I still appreciated her story and character journey.
The writing within this story is divine, particularly the scenes of passion between Eleanor and Asher at the beginning of their love affair. Robyn has a way too of seamlessly weaving memories of the past with the present affairs for her characters, a literary skill that is not to be underestimated.
Highly recommended for historical fiction fans.
June 26, 2023
Having read The Anchoress some years ago, I was very interested to read this latest novel by Robyn Cadwallader. It did not disappoint and provided some links to that previous work of fiction but stood independently in its own right.
The writing itself was beautifully evocative - nuanced; lyrical and captivating in terms of eliciting responses and emotive reactions regarding the plight of Jews and Christians in the England of 1267 to 1290.
I purchased this book on a recent book tour and am so delighted I made that purchase. Beautiful writing stays with the reader long after the last page has concluded and this novel will be no exception.
What a gift when words on the page bring so much rich contemplation. A super read.
The writing itself was beautifully evocative - nuanced; lyrical and captivating in terms of eliciting responses and emotive reactions regarding the plight of Jews and Christians in the England of 1267 to 1290.
I purchased this book on a recent book tour and am so delighted I made that purchase. Beautiful writing stays with the reader long after the last page has concluded and this novel will be no exception.
What a gift when words on the page bring so much rich contemplation. A super read.
July 2, 2025
I really wanted to love this novel. The story followed a love story between a Jewish man and a Christian woman in the late 1200s and dealt with issues like the plight of women and the historic persecution of Jews. I felt like I learnt a lot but I just couldn’t get into the story.
June 3, 2024
As to be expected from the author's previous work this is an impeccably researched historical fiction. Set in medieval Lincoln the story revolves around the appalling treatment of the Jews who lived there. The main character Eleanor falls in love with Asher, a Jewish spice seller. Their doomed relationship is the crux of the book but it is also about Eleanor's need to find work as a scribe to support herself and her daughter and the limitations faced by women at this time. The subject matter is quite awful and I found the book rather depressing. It is also too long and a bit repetitive. I much preferred The Book of Colours.
November 8, 2023
Through a poignant story of forbidden love, England’s 13th Century persecution of its Jewish people is given vibrant, heartbreaking clarity. I learned so much in this novel, never in a didactic way, but through a remarkable human story that shows the struggle of an intelligent but powerless young woman, of a young man committed to his beliefs and his community, a corrupt king enabled by the wickedness of the church, and the far reaching impact of its orchestrated lie on everyday lives. At the heart of the novel is love, deeply imagined by a wonderful storyteller. Highly recommended.
June 1, 2023
Robyn has created a rich ,sensual novel. Her poetic prose takes you back, exposing you and your senses, to life in 13th century Lincoln. She gives you a rare insight into the machinations of the church and crown and how this affected all of the people.
Read
May 12, 2023Absolutely loved it
August 2, 2025
3⭐️⭐️⭐️ .. another fine piece of writing by the author, about a moving, doomed love story between two young people in Lincoln in 1276, one, a young girl with the unexpected ability to read and write, the other a Jewish widower, a spice merchant with kind eyes and gentle hands.
I have an abiding respect for this author’s work, but this one just didn’t seem to stick the landing. The historical background is fascinating but I felt the novel kept going round in circles, attraction, danger, oppression of the Jews, release, attraction, danger etc
I kept swinging between being terrified for them to coasting, as nothing really happened?
Also, the Hugh the Martyr detail became like a switch I kept being flogged with, weighing the story down and disconnecting us from the narrative - when you start to dislike too many characters in the book it makes for slow going.
Love this author’s work and will continue to seek out her books
I have an abiding respect for this author’s work, but this one just didn’t seem to stick the landing. The historical background is fascinating but I felt the novel kept going round in circles, attraction, danger, oppression of the Jews, release, attraction, danger etc
I kept swinging between being terrified for them to coasting, as nothing really happened?
Also, the Hugh the Martyr detail became like a switch I kept being flogged with, weighing the story down and disconnecting us from the narrative - when you start to dislike too many characters in the book it makes for slow going.
Love this author’s work and will continue to seek out her books
May 3, 2023
HistFic that explores injustice in the past can shine a light on pernicious effects that persist to this day. Robyn Cadwallader's latest novel The Fire and the Rose isn't just a novel of star-crossed lovers frustrated by religious differences, and it isn't just an independent woman confronting barriers to her ambitions. Even if you know something of the long history of anti-Semitism, it's a confronting exposé of its prevalence in England in the medieval period, from the role of the church in perpetuating an untrue historical record to the king's expulsion of all Jews in 1290. Most powerfully, as it says on the back cover blurb:
Readers of The Anchoress (2015) will remember Eleanor, the child who is taught to read and write by Sarah, the anchoress. Twenty years later in The Fire and the Rose, the orphaned Eleanor is working as a housemaid for a wool merchant in 13th century Lincoln. She has hopes of getting more satisfying work as a scribe, refusing a patronising offer from marriage from Jevon, a man who tells her he's prepared to overlook the birthmark on her face.
Unsurprisingly, Eleanor decided she was better without a man at all.
But then there's Asher, a Jewish spice merchant...
Initially, Eleanor shares some of the prejudices she hears all around her, but her regular visits to buy spice piques her interest in the Hebrew script. He's intrigued that she can read and write, and despite the prohibitions — social and legal — a covert relationship eventually results in the awkwardness of a pregnancy. When her pregnancy is known, her employer sends her packing, leaving Eleanor without an income or a home.
The friendship of other women supports Eleanor through this difficult time. Because I take an interest in the way that older women are represented in fiction, I particularly liked the dynamic characterisation of Marchota, an older Jewish businesswoman reviled for her alleged part in the kidnapping and torture of a boy called Luke. Her dignity and resilience in the face of persecution is impressive, and she becomes Eleanor's mainstay despite her own troubles. During the real-time chronology of this novel, there were mass imprisonments of Jews, arbitrary executions, punishing taxation and the humiliating requirement forcing Jews to wear a yellow badge, and these statutes affect the Jewish characters at different times.
Asher, Marchota, Chera and Milla are all impacted by restrictions on how they can make a living, measures intended to pressure them into conversion. The looming forced expulsion of all Jews from England forces Eleanor to consider whether she should convert so that they can marry and leave England together. But Cadwallader doesn't romanticise things...
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/05/03/t...
... it is also a novel about what it is to be made 'other', to be exiled from home and family. But it is also a call to recognise how much we need the other, the one we do not understand, making it a strikingly resonant and powerfully hopeful novel for our times.
Readers of The Anchoress (2015) will remember Eleanor, the child who is taught to read and write by Sarah, the anchoress. Twenty years later in The Fire and the Rose, the orphaned Eleanor is working as a housemaid for a wool merchant in 13th century Lincoln. She has hopes of getting more satisfying work as a scribe, refusing a patronising offer from marriage from Jevon, a man who tells her he's prepared to overlook the birthmark on her face.
Eleanor steps back. 'I live well enough here. I like it.'
'You like cleaning someone else's house for him, digging in someone else's soil, tending a feeble garden?'
She glares. 'I can write, Jevon. I have skills I want to use for more than estate accounts.'
He steps closer. 'Ellie, don't be foolish. You're a woman. You won't get work as a scribe. You either scrub Stephen's pots and dig his garden, or you marry me.' He pauses and gestures to her face. 'And there's not many men as will see past that.' (p.29)
Unsurprisingly, Eleanor decided she was better without a man at all.
But then there's Asher, a Jewish spice merchant...
Initially, Eleanor shares some of the prejudices she hears all around her, but her regular visits to buy spice piques her interest in the Hebrew script. He's intrigued that she can read and write, and despite the prohibitions — social and legal — a covert relationship eventually results in the awkwardness of a pregnancy. When her pregnancy is known, her employer sends her packing, leaving Eleanor without an income or a home.
The friendship of other women supports Eleanor through this difficult time. Because I take an interest in the way that older women are represented in fiction, I particularly liked the dynamic characterisation of Marchota, an older Jewish businesswoman reviled for her alleged part in the kidnapping and torture of a boy called Luke. Her dignity and resilience in the face of persecution is impressive, and she becomes Eleanor's mainstay despite her own troubles. During the real-time chronology of this novel, there were mass imprisonments of Jews, arbitrary executions, punishing taxation and the humiliating requirement forcing Jews to wear a yellow badge, and these statutes affect the Jewish characters at different times.
Asher, Marchota, Chera and Milla are all impacted by restrictions on how they can make a living, measures intended to pressure them into conversion. The looming forced expulsion of all Jews from England forces Eleanor to consider whether she should convert so that they can marry and leave England together. But Cadwallader doesn't romanticise things...
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/05/03/t...
June 6, 2023
Another well told, thoughtful historical novel from Robyn Cadwallader. This one tackles the story of Eleanor, a minor character in the Anchoress and the grandmother of Will, from Book of Colours. Like those two, this explores the impact of learning and literacy on women: Eleanor's yearning for more than marriage to a steady farmer is the driving force of the book. But here, the question of Jewish persecution takes centre stage, as Eleanor's desperate love for a young Jewish man is the force that fuels the plot.
Perhaps because I was more familiar with the history that is explored here, I found this probably the least compelling of Cadwallader's works. The plot has a lot of years to cover, and feels jumpy at times. The central, looming sense of dread as to the growing violence against the Jewish community also dominates the novel, leaving less space for multiple themes or subtlety. Having said that, this is still engaging, thought-provoking historical fiction with strong sense of internal lives.
Perhaps because I was more familiar with the history that is explored here, I found this probably the least compelling of Cadwallader's works. The plot has a lot of years to cover, and feels jumpy at times. The central, looming sense of dread as to the growing violence against the Jewish community also dominates the novel, leaving less space for multiple themes or subtlety. Having said that, this is still engaging, thought-provoking historical fiction with strong sense of internal lives.
May 10, 2023
‘Eleanor has no parchment, but she does have three quills and a pot of ink.’
If you have read Ms Cadwallader’s novel, The Anchoress (2015), you have already met Eleanor, then a child who was taught to read and write by Sarah, the Anchoress. Twenty years later, in 1276, Eleanor has moved to Lincoln where she works as a housemaid for a wool merchant. Eleanor is independent and stubborn, and well aware that her prospects are blighted by the port-wine birthmark on her face. Eleanor dreams of working as a scribe, a profession that is not open to women.
Thirteenth century Lincoln is a dangerous place, divided by religious prejudice. The Jews, forced to wear a yellow badge, are frequently subjected to violence. They are accused of the kidnapping and torture of a boy called Hugh. Now known as Little Hugh the Martyr, his tomb in the cathedral is visited by crowds of pilgrims, resulting in huge profits for the church.
While Eleanor initially shares antisemitic prejudices, her need to buy spices for the house where she works results in frequent visits to Asher, a widowed Jewish spicer. Asher and Eleanor share a love of books and words, and Eleanor becomes interested in learning the Hebrew script. A covert relationship follows, a relationship forbidden both by religion and law, resulting in pregnancy. Eleanor is dismissed by her employer, leaving her both homeless and penniless. The friendship of other women, especially of Marchota a Jewish businesswoman, enables Eleanor to survive.
‘Some stories must be told.’
This novel is both a love story and a witness to the antisemitism that led to the expulsion of the Jews from England by King Edward I in 1290. Part of the witnessing comes in the form of verse in which the stones of the wall around Lincoln lament the horrors of the persecution unfolding within.
Both Asher and Eleanor are caught within the restrictions of their own religions: Eleanor is publicly shamed by the Church as an unmarried mother, while Asher is under pressure to marry within his community. Both are made ‘other’ by religious difference, by societal expectations that prevent either following their hearts (and in Eleanor’s case at least, her dreams).
I opened this novel and stepped into thirteenth century Lincoln, to the sights, sounds and smells of medieval England, to prejudices which still exist, unfortunately.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
If you have read Ms Cadwallader’s novel, The Anchoress (2015), you have already met Eleanor, then a child who was taught to read and write by Sarah, the Anchoress. Twenty years later, in 1276, Eleanor has moved to Lincoln where she works as a housemaid for a wool merchant. Eleanor is independent and stubborn, and well aware that her prospects are blighted by the port-wine birthmark on her face. Eleanor dreams of working as a scribe, a profession that is not open to women.
Thirteenth century Lincoln is a dangerous place, divided by religious prejudice. The Jews, forced to wear a yellow badge, are frequently subjected to violence. They are accused of the kidnapping and torture of a boy called Hugh. Now known as Little Hugh the Martyr, his tomb in the cathedral is visited by crowds of pilgrims, resulting in huge profits for the church.
While Eleanor initially shares antisemitic prejudices, her need to buy spices for the house where she works results in frequent visits to Asher, a widowed Jewish spicer. Asher and Eleanor share a love of books and words, and Eleanor becomes interested in learning the Hebrew script. A covert relationship follows, a relationship forbidden both by religion and law, resulting in pregnancy. Eleanor is dismissed by her employer, leaving her both homeless and penniless. The friendship of other women, especially of Marchota a Jewish businesswoman, enables Eleanor to survive.
‘Some stories must be told.’
This novel is both a love story and a witness to the antisemitism that led to the expulsion of the Jews from England by King Edward I in 1290. Part of the witnessing comes in the form of verse in which the stones of the wall around Lincoln lament the horrors of the persecution unfolding within.
Both Asher and Eleanor are caught within the restrictions of their own religions: Eleanor is publicly shamed by the Church as an unmarried mother, while Asher is under pressure to marry within his community. Both are made ‘other’ by religious difference, by societal expectations that prevent either following their hearts (and in Eleanor’s case at least, her dreams).
I opened this novel and stepped into thirteenth century Lincoln, to the sights, sounds and smells of medieval England, to prejudices which still exist, unfortunately.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 7, 2023
This is a moving and brooding story set in 1276 England when persecution of the Jews was rife and a woman’s place was at home.
Eleanor moves to Lincoln to work as a housemaid and meets Asher a Jewish spice merchant. They fall in love in a town where religious divide is rife but they are joined by their shared passion for words and books. Eleanor learnt to read and write which was rare for a woman. When she falls pregnant with Asher’s child she is forced to leave her employment as a housemaid and attempt to use her skills as a scribe.
This is a slow story burying the reader into the small mindedness and unjustness of the time. She is forbidden to marry Asher and their relationship is as passionate as it is fraught. I was surprised she was allowed to live independently with her child with little consequence but in this story she did with the financial help of Asher and another Jewish woman.
Cadwallader paints a picture of tension, violence and love in a time when prejudice and fairness was dictated by the King and fed into the way people lived.
The characters are well drawn, the writing beautiful and the story compelling despite being a slow burn.
A good one to read for those who like medieval historical fiction.
Eleanor moves to Lincoln to work as a housemaid and meets Asher a Jewish spice merchant. They fall in love in a town where religious divide is rife but they are joined by their shared passion for words and books. Eleanor learnt to read and write which was rare for a woman. When she falls pregnant with Asher’s child she is forced to leave her employment as a housemaid and attempt to use her skills as a scribe.
This is a slow story burying the reader into the small mindedness and unjustness of the time. She is forbidden to marry Asher and their relationship is as passionate as it is fraught. I was surprised she was allowed to live independently with her child with little consequence but in this story she did with the financial help of Asher and another Jewish woman.
Cadwallader paints a picture of tension, violence and love in a time when prejudice and fairness was dictated by the King and fed into the way people lived.
The characters are well drawn, the writing beautiful and the story compelling despite being a slow burn.
A good one to read for those who like medieval historical fiction.
September 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this historical novel. It takes place from 1275 to 1290 in England and in the walled city of Lincoln. Lincoln was the second largest city in England after London at this time. In the author's notes at the end of the book, she noted that the proprietor of the inn where she stayed whilst doing her research stated the events at the time of this novel was the first holocaust. Based upon my reading the novel, I would agree. The Catholic residents of Lincoln at this time simply hated the Jews. They had to wear a yellow badge. In 1290, King Henry I expelled all Jews from England. I did not know of these events until reading this novel. Underlying the historical facts was a love story of a Jewish man and a Catholic woman. There were the issues today when a Jewish person wants to be with a gentile person. I really liked this novel.
August 6, 2024
Wordy. Well written, well researched, sometimes considered & insightful novel about the persecution & exile of the Jewish population of the medieval city of Lincoln by a mix of church & state partnered with the bigoted & conspiracy driven populace. The story of the beatified dead child Hugh is reminiscent of current far right riots in the UK - the destructive idiocy of the mob, the immediate hatred & blame of the supposed foreigner. At the centre of all this a romance between a Jewish spice seller and a Christian female scribe. However it really did go on & much to no real end. I've a limited appetite for romance, so the backing & forthing bored me. Cadwallader is too much of a realist to pretend that love will conquer all and depicts the impact that politics & religion can have on personal relationships. I think the book would have benefitted from being a little bit leaner.
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November 29, 2023Robyn Cadwallader brings her inimitable exquisiteness to this heart-wrenching story of life in thirteenth century Lincoln. Eleanor’s story is inspired by actual events of the time, a time of intolerance and suspicion that saw a brutal regime of discrimination and isolation against England’s Jewry. For Eleanor it means missed opportunities and unrealised dreams. It means she is good for working as a domestic servant or a washer woman, but she must not aspire to the work set aside for learned men. But Eleanor is enamoured with ink and quill, parchment and letters. She wants to scribe. And she is in love, but her love is forbidden in King Edward I’s England. Somehow she navigates the cruel injustices perpetrated by church and state. Somehow she finds a way to survive.
August 30, 2023
What a wonderful read! Lincoln in the 1200s was not a great place for an independent woman, who also was a scribe. Then to fall in love with a Jew made things worse. I knew little about the treatment and eventual expulsion of the Jews in England, and Robyn Cadwaller has brought all this to life. The power of the church and control over the people was explored, as well as the ramification’s for Asher of being a Jew and his responsibility to his community. I was enthralled by my journey back in time, and like so often, after finishing such a novel, am eternally grateful that I live in this times, despite its flaws.
January 22, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this well researched historical fiction set in 13thC England. I heard Robyn Cadwallader on ABC radio and gained some insight into the book from there. A story of religious persecution, the rule of kings and connection with the church, the manipulation of power from men, love across religious boundaries, and the double standards in the treatment of women. This is the first time I have read Cadwallader, and will be seeking out more. Her writing style is smooth flowing, good story progression with believable characters. Highly recommended.
August 6, 2023
Ellie moves to Norwich to work as a housemaid to a Stephen the woolbuyer. 1276 is a difficult time for the city as the King needs more money for his wars and decides to persecute the Jews to get access to their wealth.
When Ellie begins a relationship with Asher the Jewish spice seller, so begins years of trauma as she becomes pregnant to a Jew, becomes a single mother bringing up a child of mixed heritage, and tries to earn a living as a scribe in a world which only recognises males who can read and write.
This is an immersive novel of women and their ambition and survival in the toughest historical times. The Jewish perspective is particularly interesting in times of conflict over belonging and story telling.
When Ellie begins a relationship with Asher the Jewish spice seller, so begins years of trauma as she becomes pregnant to a Jew, becomes a single mother bringing up a child of mixed heritage, and tries to earn a living as a scribe in a world which only recognises males who can read and write.
This is an immersive novel of women and their ambition and survival in the toughest historical times. The Jewish perspective is particularly interesting in times of conflict over belonging and story telling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2023
The story of a woman in medieval Lincoln and events that occur in Lincoln thanks to a choice made by King Edward I. Although I think some aspects of the story may not work within the history of the day, it was a wonderful insight to life of people of the time. One thing I loved was the taking of the walls.
May 31, 2024
Robyn Cadwallader writes well of the 13th century and in this novel shows the way Jews were mistreated and forced to leave Lincoln at that time. This is a good book to help us understand the way that the Jewish community was accused of many unspeakable but untrue things because people were jealous of their success with usury.
August 14, 2023
The horrific story of the persecution of Jewish people in Lincoln in the Middle Ages was interesting and kept me reading but I didn’t enjoy the writing style and felt that this book needed a good edit.
June 9, 2024
This by far has been my favourite book this year. Elleanor's narrative is so convincing and makes you want to read on and I'm so disappointed now it's come to an end. This a truly masterpiece of a novel.
January 8, 2025
I picked my copy from the shelf from which the library was promoting books. I was pleased to figure out that I had read a previous book by the author. I appreciated the historical detail presented of the 13th century of the divided medieval city of Linccoln.
June 8, 2025
3.5 stars
The ending felt rushed and the story overall could have been condensed somewhat. I liked most other aspects except the ability to keep certain relationships secret or at least not noticed didn't work for me - i just couldn't see how they could have gotten away with it for so long.
The ending felt rushed and the story overall could have been condensed somewhat. I liked most other aspects except the ability to keep certain relationships secret or at least not noticed didn't work for me - i just couldn't see how they could have gotten away with it for so long.
May 28, 2023
A powerful novel that brought me to tears and had me shaking with the feel of love and danger. The protagonist is a strong and courageous minded individual. Beautifully written.
June 25, 2023
DNF
Just could not get into the story or care about the characters. Skimmed a few chapters to get some ideas of the plot- the mistreatment and eventual expulsion of the Jews from the UK in 1290.
Just could not get into the story or care about the characters. Skimmed a few chapters to get some ideas of the plot- the mistreatment and eventual expulsion of the Jews from the UK in 1290.
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