The Good Men: A Novel of Heresy

by Charmaine Craig

Charmaine Craig was studying medieval history at Harvard when she first encountered the startling testimony of Grazida Lizier, a young woman tried by the Inquisition in 1320. Even after she was accepted into the MFA program at the University of California at Irvine, Craig found she couldn't stop thinking about the seven-hundred-year-old document and knew she had to write a novel based on it. The Good Men is the gripping, epic story of what happened when religious persecution turned Christian against Christian and neighbor against neighbor in Montaillou, a small village in south-west France. Three generations of characters are torn between desires for spiritual grace and fleshly pleasure. Historically accurate and pitch-perfect, The Good Men movingly dramatizes how relatively small, and at times barely comprehensible, differences in faith served as the impetus behind a tragedy of enormous proportions. Charmaine Craig reanimates questions of religious belief and fai

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, France, Religion, Adult Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Charmaine Craig is the author of the novels My Nemesis; Miss Burma, longlisted for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction; and The Good Men, a national bestseller. Her writing has been published in a dozen languages and appeared in venues including The New York Times Magazine, Narrative Magazine, AFAR Magazine, and Dissent. Formerly an actor in film and television, she studied literature at Harvard College, received her MFA from the University of California at Irvine, and serves as a faculty member in the Department of Creative Writing at UC Riverside. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially thought this would be a book about the Cathars and their persecution by the inquisition. I was quite wrong in my assumption that it would be steeped in the belief and traditions affiliated with the Cathars. While the inquisition is present and there is heretical thought present, it is really the story of a rector, three women in his life, and the village in which they reside. Marquise is the mother of Fabrisse, who is the mother of Grazida and the rector Pierre is a factor in all of their lives. While this is not so much a novel of heresy as the cover would claim, it is about the lives of these villagers in the shadow of the inquisition. While there are Good Men who spread the word of an alternate doctrine, they remain on the margins and are not central figures. I felt a little mislead about the subject of the book when I really got into it.

The characters were not all sympathetic and I became frustrated with some of them. Pierre is corrupt and lustful and betrays his congregation when the Catholic Church breathes down his neck. Fabrisse starts her narrative as a strong woman who eventually becomes a cynical, pessimistic drunk. Grazida’s portrayal is inconsistent and her personality throughout her life shifts so dramatically. The inquisitor Bernard is a bit too overzealous in his obsession with persecuting Pierre. The only character I felt remotely sympathetic with was Arnaud, who struggled with his desires and wanted nothing more than to live a fulfilling normal life. When he marries Grazida, my respect for him grew in his role as a husband and a father, especially considering his circumstances.

Another thing that bothered me about the way this was written was the constant shifts in perspectives. While other authors can make point of view transitions seamlessly, I felt that Craig demanded too much from her reader. She would tell one narrative that would span years, then switch perspectives in the next chapter and be back where that period began. Instead of making constant progress, the reader is dragged back and forth, rereading the same scenes from a different view. All together, this novel was missing what it promised. While Craig obviously did her homework on the settings and customs, and I could imagine this medieval setting, I felt that it was lacking history. It was too narrow in its account of the characters that it forgot broader scope of the surrounding world. A good effort, but it could have been a lot more focused and at least a hundred pages slimmer.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover synopsis and the praise quotes from various reviewers influenced me enough to buy this book; however, the deeper I got into the novel, the more I thought that I was reading something very different than what the reviewers read. While I continued to read the book, it was very hard to look past the book's obvious flaws.

Many of the characters were not developed well, and the whole concept of naming the book _The Good Men_ is very strange. The Cathars play a very tertiary role in this book, only appearing right before someone dies. It seemed that the book's real story was about three generations of women and their relationship with a perverted pedophile priest... and the cover of the book said nothing about that.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, I wish the author would write another book. Her words weave a medieval tapestry of the time, the people, and the inquisition Reading her novel is like stepping back into how the past might've been Highly recommended.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an absolutely brilliant book--about a village in the South of France during the period of the Cathar (Albegensian) Heresy... We're used to the heretics being 'the good guys' but the Cathar's believed that the Devil made the world, and anything you could do to NOT enjoy life and hasten its end for yourself was a good thing. Conventional church teaching looked positively gay by comparison. Then the Inquisition comes to town and the ignorant, hapless villagers are caught between these two merciless forces. The story centers around a rather lusty village priest involved with a mother and daughter, the perfect vehicle for exploring this stunning hideous historical moment.

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel set in southern France in the 14th century. It's told in third person but from the perspective of several different characters, especially the village priest, the women he loves, & the Inquisitor who's obsessed with routing the Cathar heresy from the region & catching the village priest in his debauchery. All of the wonderfully drawn characters, in one way or another, struggle with their attachments to or detachment from worldly pleasures, and all face troubling ironies in that struggle. It's a wise, sad, but engaging story.

[Faith Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

What attracted me to "The Good Men" A Novel of Heresy by Charmaine Craig was the fact that it is historical fiction dealing with the Albigensians and the Dominicans. I was hoping that I would learn more about this heresy and understand what made it attractive.
I was not disappointed, plus I was entertained by professional character development. The two main characters, Grazida and Pierre were particularly well-drawn. In fact, the author's idea for this novel came from reading the transcript of Grazida's testimony at her Inquisition trial.
Grazida was a sympathetic character. Pierre was not. He was a bum priest that deserved what he got.
What drove the plot was sex. Although the sex in this novel was not gratuitous. The priest was weak, a coward, unfaithful, and a womanizer. He lusted after his brother's lover. He consummated that lust with Grazida, his grandniece, who looked like her grandmother. Grazida did not know that Pierre was her uncle.
Poor Grazida, Pierre was the love of her life. Her mother was a drunk and her father died young. Her traumatic childhood caused her to be mute, "selective mutism." When Grazida became pregnant by Pierre, she didn't know what to do. The problem was solved by a penitant, Pierre met in Confession. His name was Arnaud, a sodomite, who we later learn would die from syphilis.
Arnaud was a doctor's son and ashamed of his lifestyle so he ran away from his father's home. Pierre arranged for Arnaud to marry Grazida--problem solved. No one would suspect that Arnaud was a homosexual nor would they suspect that Pierre was the father of Grazida's baby.
Unfortunately, Arnaud's sickness got worse and Grazida wrote to his doctor/father. That saved the day. The doctor loved Arnaud and soon loved Grazida, and the baby. Just at that time when everyone was secure in their little family, Grazida was summoned to the Inquisition. (Good thing the doctor was there to take of everyone.)
When Grazida gave birth to her daughter, Merce, her life changed. She thought she loved Pierre, but that was nothing compared to her love for her baby. Plus, Grazida got her voice back. Now she could answer whatever the Inquisitors asked.
They were after Pierre (about time!) In fact, the entire village had been inquisitioned, but no one would implicate him. Because Grazida would have been sentenced to life imprisonment, she cooperated with the Inquisition. She told them all they needed to convict Pierre. He was a Cathar. He protected them and helped them. Grazida was allowed to go home to her baby.
There was another major character in the novel. He was the Inquisitor, the Dominican Bernard of Toulouse. He was an orphan brought up by the Dominicans and joined them. When he learned of Pierre's wanton ways and association with the heretics, he became obsessed with capturing him.
What so terrible about the Cathars? The main concept which I don't see thBe attraction is that everything in our world is bad. Everything we enjoy is bad, including sex. (Now where is the attraction?) Pierre thought becoming a Cathar would help his lust.
Because the Cathars were very ascetic and stayed chaste they were called the "Good Men." Too bad these Good Men didn't open their eyes to see that everything God created is good.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was impressed with this book that came to me from nowhere. Its central theme- that sensuality and spirituality are inseparable and that they draw from one another to create their individual strength- is something that intrigues me greatly. That theme is well illustrated here in a story of Medieval France, a story in which priests, young women, heretics, and the common man are all entertwined, in love, at war, and completely lost.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for something a little more like the Thorn Birds, I guess, but it was closer to Lolita. Only not as well written. It wasn't really bad, but it wasn't great, and the priest was disgusting.

[Liza Perrat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I found the topic interesting, and was enchanted by the author's lyrical, sensual prose, I found it difficult to believe, let alone understand, the priest's relationship with women over three generations.

[Meredith · Rating 1 out of 5]

It could have been amazing

[joy *the clean-reader extraordinaire* · Rating 1 out of 5]

masturbation and animals.
good grief, this one didn't last 10 minutes! run, run for your life!

[Simona Moschini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vedo su uno scaffale il libro, copertina e titolo mi attirano e decido di comprarlo.
Lo leggo: è una storia molto triste e sofferta che atttraversa tre generazioni di una famiglia di donne, i loro errori, gli inganni degli uomini, le persecuzioni religiose contro i càtari etc.
Solo a lettura finita scopro, documentandomi in biblioteca, che il romanzo è praticamente la parafrasi di buona parte degli eventi occorsi a personaggi realmente esistiti, le cui testimonianze andarono a formare la base di partenza del saggio storico-sociale "Montaillou" di LeRoy Ladurie (cfr. mia recensione). Non deforma particolarmente le cose né usa l'immaginazione per inventare qualcosa di particolarmente creativo. Per cui mi chiedo: che bisogno c'era?

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This account of France in the 1300's was meticulously researched. The main characters overlapped as the story progressed. The author used specific events to link their stories and move the plot forward. I found myself becoming impatient at times with the image of religion as a force that engendered hate and self-doubt in all and sundry. It's hard to believe the amount of sorrow created by disagreements about ideas that no one can possibly prove are true. Echo is a wonderful character, and I was on her side from beginning to end.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked, but did not love, this novel exploring how the Cathars (aka The Good Men) impacted the lives of those in southern France (Beziers, Carcassonne, etc.) and created a significant divide in the Catholic Church. Here, we follow three generations of women whose lives are impacted (generally negatively) by both Catholic priests and Cathars attempting to root out "heresy." Interesting, but not attention-grabbing.

[Ron McGuire · Rating 2 out of 5]

At best it was just okay. I normally enjoy historical fiction but this didn't do much for me. The author's style of writing a scene and then later going back and using the scene again from a slightly different point had me thinking I have already read this page and it took me a bit to realize what she was doing. Sorry I didn't enjoy the book.

[Isaac Ortega · Rating 3 out of 5]

No da lo que promete por el título, deja muy de fondo el tema de los cátaros y la Inquisición. Se centra, principalmente, en la historia de tres personajes con problemas de fé y de fijaciones sexuales concretas o problemas psíquico/sociales. Entretenida, sin más.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't bring myself to read this book again. It's beautiful but the hardships each character goes through makes it too difficult for me to pick the book back up. This book will make you emotional.

[Catherine Stamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking view of the dark ages and the power of the church.

[Chris]

I actually have an "Uncorrected Proof for Limited Distribution" apparently not intended for the general reading public. It has the ISBN of the hardback but is a trade paperback format.

[Nicole D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is so refreshing to read an historical fiction book which is not about the Tudors or some other widely known history. This book was about heresy in a small village in France in the 14th century. Remember the Spanish Inquisition? This was before that.

The author read the testimony of Grazida Lizier and constructed a story around it. Some based on facts, but most of it fictional. It was quite good. This is the authors only novel, and it's got a lot of rookie mistakes. With a good editor, this book could have been better. I'd actually recommend this book more than I liked it. For people who like long detailed books like The Historian. It's well-written, but for me, too much detail, and there were several parts of the story told more than once from different characters points of view. It just wasn't necessary.

It's a dark book, and there was a LOT of sex. And not necessarily the good kind. I mean, it was the middle ages, on top of everything else you know these people didn't bathe regularly or brush their teeth.

You can pick up a used copy pretty inexpensively if this subject is of interest.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has got to be one of the worst books I have ever read. The actual writing was not all that bad, and probably the only reason I got through the book at all. The problem was the story, and the awful characters. Not one of the characters had any redeeming qualities, with the possible exception of Arnaud. He was actually a decent human being. The rest were just flat-out depraved. Half the story was just frankly unbelieveable. Admittedly, I am not an expert on medieval France, the medieval Catholic church, or the Inquisition. And I have no doubt that the Inquisition was nothing short of hell on earth for those who were accused of heresy. However, the total lack of compassion or mercy shown to literally every citizen that was encountered by members of the Inquisition, regardless of guilt or innocence, seems pretty unrealistic to me. Overall, there was too much depravity, and not nearly enough of any other character quality, for me. I prefer my literature a little less one dimentional.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel of heresy, and the celebration of love. Set during the French Inquisition in the thirteenth century.
I was hesitant at first, since this writing is above a level of excellency i have ever read before, yet it was easy to read. Almost as easy as reading Hunger Games, a book universally known as easy to read. The text in the Good Men is stupendous, it reads like a poem, and it reads with the fluency of that time period, but it is grammatical and understandable for the twenty first century. None of the characters are likeable or relatable to in the least, though the book still interests me. Historical facts are rampant throughout this novel, and despite the lack of plot, i have learned a lot. Craig has abilities beyond what is able to be put into words, and the Good Men belongs in a category of there own.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good--it didn't take me too long to get into this one, and the pages kept turning. The author clearly had just read/seen Les Miserables and Brokeback Mountain, but since the whole heresy-in-medieval-France setting is pretty fresh, I suppose she gets a pass. She also bonks you on the head repeatedly with her central point: you can't separate sensuality and spirituality, and the characters who do so are the ones who wind up perverted (bringing everyone else down too). Perhaps that's one of those evergreen themes, tho. Very well researched in any event.

[Wynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an outstanding historical fiction, head and shoulders above most. The writer started out to produce a scholarly text, but shifted to fiction. The Good Men were aesthetics and looked more holy than the Church leaders, however they were leading other into death. Some of their beliefs have echoes in Protestantism, some seem quite bizarre. It is difficult for a modern reader to understand fanaticism (even our own). The novel made the behavior of the fanatics on all sides more understandable and believable.

[Honnha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was deep enough to pull you in but not so overloaded with facts that it tasted like sand on glass. And I loved the irony of the title. So many 'Good Men' of 'faith' doing what they do so well -hypocrisy, torture, murder, judgement, rape. And the one man who didn'the revel in these God-sanctioned attorcities and embodied the kind of tenants the Christ actually taught had the most cause to be condemed. Wonderful. Highly recommended by an absolute book snob.

[Patricia Reinwald · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had this book for a few years now, and have just recently started to try and read it. It is very slow going ... I'm only about two chapters in so far. Usually, I have no trouble falling into historical novels, such as this, but this one is failing to grab my attention. I'm hoping it picks up soon, because the premise looks fantastic. I'll update this review when I've finished the book.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! Not a historical novel which, like far too many, belongs in the Romance section. Serious writing about a serious topic with an abundance of well researched historical facts. Good story with psychological insights into the characters which hold your interest as you read.

Oh finished a while ago. This book has motivated me to read about the medieval times.

[Laurel Deloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Men is the gripping, epic story of what happened when religious persecution turned Christian against Christian and neighbor against neighbor in Montaillou, a small village in south-west France. Three generations of characters are torn between desires for spiritual grace and fleshly pleasure.

[Rachel Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the authors first, and only, book. It's beautifully written, historically accurate (mostly - and she owns up to what she altered), and emotionally accessible. I fortuitously stumbled upon it and will now actively seek out any book written by Charmaine Craig in the future.

[Marnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

been thinking about this book since I finished it Friday night, and I still don't know how I feel about it. it was very well-written, but the subject matter was quite troubling. couldn't really connect with any of the characters, and it was often difficult to pick up and read again.