What do you think?
Rate this book
Belle's Song
When Belle meets Luke, son of an alchemist and Scribe to the famous poet Chaucer, she is determined to travel with him to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. She hopes for a that her father will walk again. She also hopes to atone for her own part in his accident. It is a time of unrest across the country and the young King Richard II is just hanging on to his throne. A malign character on the pilgrimage suspects Chaucer of treason and slowly winds Belle into a political intrigue. At the same time, the impulsive Belle is drawn towards both Luke and to Walter, the wealthy son of a Knight. But Walter himself is in love with Luke...As the uprising against the King starts to draw pace and the web of intrigue around Belle and Chaucer tightens, Belle and her friends must risk everything to save their country and themselves...
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
K.M. Grant
11 books58 followersK. M. GRANT was inspired by her own family history to write How the Hangman Lost His Heart. Her ancestor, Colonel Francis Towneley, or Uncle Frank, was the last man in Britain to by hanged, drawn, and quartered. His head was passed down for generations of her family until it was finally reunited with his body just after World War II, when it was buried at St. Peter’s Church. It was Uncle Frank’s colorful legacy that showed her how exciting history could be. K. M. Grant is also the author of the de Granville Trilogy. She lives in Scotland and works as a broadcaster and journalist.
She has recently published her first novel for adults as Katharine Grant. The separate name is to ensure the distinction between works appropriate for young audiences and works with adult material. For more information, see The History Girls: Naming myself, by Katharine Grant.
She has recently published her first novel for adults as Katharine Grant. The separate name is to ensure the distinction between works appropriate for young audiences and works with adult material. For more information, see The History Girls: Naming myself, by Katharine Grant.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 28, 2011
When I first spotted Belle's Song in Quercus' Spring catalogue, I knew I wanted to read it as I love the premise; it's got Chaucer and the pilgrimage that inspired The Canterbury Tales, which I loved when I had to study them at university. Add to that the slight crush I have on Chaucer as played by Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale and this book was an automatic want to read. And while I had some issues with the book, I wasn't disappointed.
The troubles I had were mostly concerned with the historicity of the book. Most obviously, Belle has some almost jarringly modern idiosyncrasies, such as her OCD and auto-mutilating. Which isn't to say that there weren't people in the 14th century suffering from OCD and auto-mutilation, there most probably were, but to me they felt too contemporary. On the other hand, had Ms Grant put Belle's OCD in the context of a superstition-like belief, I most probably wouldn't have blinked, so perhaps it's just a matter of personal bias. The fact that Belle was allowed to learn how to read and write was exceptional as I understood it, so in an age where literacy was limited for most people other than scribes and monks, how realistic is it that shops would have written signs in the windows? But to be honest, once the book got going and I was gripped by the story all these concerns vanished, because it's a tale that grabs you and keeps you turning pages.
The main characters of the book, Belle, Luke, Walter and Master Chaucer are all likeable and well-developed, though Luke was my favourite by far. I also like that the love triangle hinted at in the blurb of the book, isn't the one you'd expect, but it's well-written and has some unexpected twists at the end. Despite being a large part of the story, the romance thread isn't the most important component of the story, that is actually the political plot. This political arc focuses on the struggles between King Richard II and the Commission installed by Parliament to control his spending. Ms Grant gives us a deliciously vile villain in the Summoner, every time he came along I felt like I needed to go wash my hands, he was so slimy. In the end, Belle deals with him in a beautiful manner and I love how the story was resolved and ended. Belle's line about finding peace in her love was beautiful.
I find it hard to say much about Belle's Song without spoiling plot elements, but suffice it to say it's a page-turner. I read the book in two nights, and only put it down the first night because I had to work the next day. Ms Grant's writing reminded me a lot of one of my favourite writers of my youth, Thea Beckman, whose historical YA books I devoured in a similar manner. Belle's Song is a wonderful read for readers at the younger end of the YA-spectrum and I could see some adult readers not finding the story meaty enough to their tastes. I really enjoyed the book, however, and it's made me want to revisit The Canterbury Tales again. And to me a book inspiring the reader to read more is always a good thing.
The troubles I had were mostly concerned with the historicity of the book. Most obviously, Belle has some almost jarringly modern idiosyncrasies, such as her OCD and auto-mutilating. Which isn't to say that there weren't people in the 14th century suffering from OCD and auto-mutilation, there most probably were, but to me they felt too contemporary. On the other hand, had Ms Grant put Belle's OCD in the context of a superstition-like belief, I most probably wouldn't have blinked, so perhaps it's just a matter of personal bias. The fact that Belle was allowed to learn how to read and write was exceptional as I understood it, so in an age where literacy was limited for most people other than scribes and monks, how realistic is it that shops would have written signs in the windows? But to be honest, once the book got going and I was gripped by the story all these concerns vanished, because it's a tale that grabs you and keeps you turning pages.
The main characters of the book, Belle, Luke, Walter and Master Chaucer are all likeable and well-developed, though Luke was my favourite by far. I also like that the love triangle hinted at in the blurb of the book, isn't the one you'd expect, but it's well-written and has some unexpected twists at the end. Despite being a large part of the story, the romance thread isn't the most important component of the story, that is actually the political plot. This political arc focuses on the struggles between King Richard II and the Commission installed by Parliament to control his spending. Ms Grant gives us a deliciously vile villain in the Summoner, every time he came along I felt like I needed to go wash my hands, he was so slimy. In the end, Belle deals with him in a beautiful manner and I love how the story was resolved and ended. Belle's line about finding peace in her love was beautiful.
I find it hard to say much about Belle's Song without spoiling plot elements, but suffice it to say it's a page-turner. I read the book in two nights, and only put it down the first night because I had to work the next day. Ms Grant's writing reminded me a lot of one of my favourite writers of my youth, Thea Beckman, whose historical YA books I devoured in a similar manner. Belle's Song is a wonderful read for readers at the younger end of the YA-spectrum and I could see some adult readers not finding the story meaty enough to their tastes. I really enjoyed the book, however, and it's made me want to revisit The Canterbury Tales again. And to me a book inspiring the reader to read more is always a good thing.
November 29, 2017
I found the basic plot line of this book good however, I didn’t enjoy the ‘love triangle’ or how long everything seemed in this book.
October 29, 2022
When I first started this book, I thought it was going to be the kind of book I get quickly bored of. I thought I'd read a chapter, then the occasional page, and then just stop reading it as I sometimes do if a book doesn't 'pull me in' soon enough. I'm glad I saw it through though. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into it and, once I did really get into it, I looked forward to reading the next chapter any time I had to put it down! No spoilers but this is a lovely (I want to say 15th century?) tale penned by Belle, a simple bell-founder's daughter who impulsively joins a pilgrimage in the hopes of a much-needed miracle. Even though her story is set in a centuries-old time, it was a relatively easy read, with no difficult vocabulary or language. I thought that Belle and the other characters were full of personality, be it good qualities or malicious behaviours. I don't think I'd read this book again, but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a good story filled with adventure, friendship and secrets.
October 21, 2014
Like all of K. M. Grant's books, I enjoyed this one a lot, but it also was not my favorite. Belle is a flawed character, and while K. M. Grant has always been able to write likable flawed characters, Belle was a little hard to like. I felt sorry for her, certainly - she's clearly struggling with severe personal issues, but as a narrator - as a heroine - her personal issues were a little vexing. She is, a lot of times, unnecessarily spiteful, and she causes a lot of her own problems. The other characters make up for Belle for the most part, though. It is nearly impossible to not like Luke, even if he spends a good portion of the book in a bad temper, and Walter is also easy to become attached to.
That said, K. M. Grant has also populated this particular book with a lot of creepy, disgusting characters - Seekum being the best example. And she does a very good job in making Seekum as disgusting and perverted as possible - I felt physically nauseous whenever he made an appearance. And while K. M. Grant never goes into explicit detail, Seekum's perversions make this book an edgy read. Several times he threatens to rape Belle if she doesn't go along with his plans (pg. 57-63 is the worst of these moments, and while nothing happens, it's a very unpleasant scene to read), and he carries with him a book which contains a list of disgusting debaucheries lots of high-up people have committed, so he can blackmail them. This book becomes a key item to the plot, and once again, K. M. Grant does not go into detail, but the suggestion of what's in it is very clear. On top of these things are suggestive gestures and jokes made and told by the various pilgrims, though none of these gestures or jokes are completely spelled out. And then, to add to these things, it is revealed that one of the characters is gay. While the character (I won't name him) is upset that he is this way, the Author isn't afraid to make his secret attachment to another boy in their party into something romantically tragic.
But, at the heart of all this edgy content, there is a political conspiracy concerning spies and secret messages, armies and foreign kings that make this an interesting and even exciting story. The nice thing about this story is while there are a lot of sexual alludements, they are mostly in one or two places, and then the Reader is presented with long passages free of such things. So it is pretty easy to skip all of that and enjoy the story - just as in Mary Hoffman's David. But this is certainly a book intended for an older audience, whereas K. M. Grant's other books could be read by a somewhat younger one. As I said at the beginning, this is certainly not my favorite out of the ones she has written, but it has its good moments, and the end itself makes it worth reading.
That said, K. M. Grant has also populated this particular book with a lot of creepy, disgusting characters - Seekum being the best example. And she does a very good job in making Seekum as disgusting and perverted as possible - I felt physically nauseous whenever he made an appearance. And while K. M. Grant never goes into explicit detail, Seekum's perversions make this book an edgy read. Several times he threatens to rape Belle if she doesn't go along with his plans (pg. 57-63 is the worst of these moments, and while nothing happens, it's a very unpleasant scene to read), and he carries with him a book which contains a list of disgusting debaucheries lots of high-up people have committed, so he can blackmail them. This book becomes a key item to the plot, and once again, K. M. Grant does not go into detail, but the suggestion of what's in it is very clear. On top of these things are suggestive gestures and jokes made and told by the various pilgrims, though none of these gestures or jokes are completely spelled out. And then, to add to these things, it is revealed that one of the characters is gay. While the character (I won't name him) is upset that he is this way, the Author isn't afraid to make his secret attachment to another boy in their party into something romantically tragic.
But, at the heart of all this edgy content, there is a political conspiracy concerning spies and secret messages, armies and foreign kings that make this an interesting and even exciting story. The nice thing about this story is while there are a lot of sexual alludements, they are mostly in one or two places, and then the Reader is presented with long passages free of such things. So it is pretty easy to skip all of that and enjoy the story - just as in Mary Hoffman's David. But this is certainly a book intended for an older audience, whereas K. M. Grant's other books could be read by a somewhat younger one. As I said at the beginning, this is certainly not my favorite out of the ones she has written, but it has its good moments, and the end itself makes it worth reading.
February 22, 2011
Belle is the daughter of a bellmaker. When her father suffers a terrible injury that Belle believes is her fault, she decides to join a group of pilgrims - led by Chaucer - who are heading for Canterbury. She is praying for a miracle: that her father will be able to walk again. The journey is not a simple one - Belle is blackmailed by the summoner to spy on Chaucer, who is believed to be taking a message for the King of France, and she is gradually drawn into a web of lies and political intrigue. Add to this her growing attraction for Luke and Walter, two very different young man on the pilgrimage, and Belle faces some difficult decisions.
Belle's Song is a relatively slight little book, and Grant tries to pack so much into the story that I think this novel suffers. I enjoyed all the separate elements: the exploration of the characters on the pilgrimage; the political issues involving the King of England; and the beautiful love story between Belle and Luke - but I thought that any of of these three could have easily been a book in itself, so Belle's Song felt constantly rushed.
The main characters were all very enjoyable to read about. Belle is impulsive yet fragile, confident but not at the same time. Her lustrous red hair and vivid imagination are just small facets of the three dimensional character we're shown. She has the motivations of a girl - dreams of courtly love - and also the duty of a daughter - hoping for her father's recovery. Add into this an element of self-harm which was handled sensitively, and Belle is a very intriguing central character.
Luke and Walter are both suitable matches for our girl Belle - and I loved the dark secret that Walter is carrying. It made for the perfect love triangle.
The burgeoning relationship between these three young characters is definitely the best part of the novel. I also enjoyed identifying the characters from Chaucer's Tale, and I fervently hope that some readers of this book will feel encouraged to go back to the source material. I really appreciate the fact that Grant has used such a vital piece of English storytelling as a jumping off point for this novel.
The only part of the novel that I found very difficult to swallow was the ease by which Belle came face to face with the King, and was able to tell hiim what he should do - considering my medieval reading, this was a little too far-fetched. It served the plot, but caused me to scoff. However, I doubt that this will affect the reading pleasure of many!
Belle's Song is a very sweet little book, with a beautiful cover, and a wonderful love story. I think it would be well worth your time picking up.
Belle's Song is a relatively slight little book, and Grant tries to pack so much into the story that I think this novel suffers. I enjoyed all the separate elements: the exploration of the characters on the pilgrimage; the political issues involving the King of England; and the beautiful love story between Belle and Luke - but I thought that any of of these three could have easily been a book in itself, so Belle's Song felt constantly rushed.
The main characters were all very enjoyable to read about. Belle is impulsive yet fragile, confident but not at the same time. Her lustrous red hair and vivid imagination are just small facets of the three dimensional character we're shown. She has the motivations of a girl - dreams of courtly love - and also the duty of a daughter - hoping for her father's recovery. Add into this an element of self-harm which was handled sensitively, and Belle is a very intriguing central character.
Luke and Walter are both suitable matches for our girl Belle - and I loved the dark secret that Walter is carrying. It made for the perfect love triangle.
The burgeoning relationship between these three young characters is definitely the best part of the novel. I also enjoyed identifying the characters from Chaucer's Tale, and I fervently hope that some readers of this book will feel encouraged to go back to the source material. I really appreciate the fact that Grant has used such a vital piece of English storytelling as a jumping off point for this novel.
The only part of the novel that I found very difficult to swallow was the ease by which Belle came face to face with the King, and was able to tell hiim what he should do - considering my medieval reading, this was a little too far-fetched. It served the plot, but caused me to scoff. However, I doubt that this will affect the reading pleasure of many!
Belle's Song is a very sweet little book, with a beautiful cover, and a wonderful love story. I think it would be well worth your time picking up.
February 26, 2011
Belle is the only child of a bellfounder living in London in 1387. Her mother died when she was young and Belle knows she is likely a disappointment to her father, for she cannot help him with his trade like a son could, and she is terrible at the traditional female chores of cooking and cleaning house. To make things worse, when she is fifteen her daydreaming contributes to an accident that leaves her father crippled. When she meets a group of pilgrims staying at the inn next door, including the the famous writer Chaucer, she decides she will travel with them to Canterbury to pray that her father will be healed.
When she joins the pilgrimage, Belle meets many people, including two attractive young men - Luke, who is Chaucer's scribe, and Walter, the son of a wealthy knight. She also meets the horrible Summoner Seekum, who forces her to spy on Chaucer for him. There is trouble in England, for many are unhappy with the young king and would like to see him overthrown, while others support the king and would even seek the help of their enemy, France, to save him. During her journey, Belle encounters adventure, danger, romance, political intrigue, terrible secrets, and more.
Honestly, I have really mixed feelings about this book. I did really like the historical setting and the basic plot. But I think there was just too much going on for one 300 page book. There was the pilgrimage, the political intrigue, the love triangle which included a very dangerous secret, some sort of family feud that led to a jousting tournament, blackmailing a bunch of really horrible people, and Belle's issues of self-harming and being rather.... obsessive compulsive is the right term, I think (which I was very surprised to see in a historical novel). I think this could have been a really good book but it just became too complicated and didn't need all of this. If you are really interested in the historical setting you might enjoy this book but I wouldn't really recommend it to occasional readers of historical fiction.
(I wish Goodreads had half stars, I would give this 2.5 stars)
When she joins the pilgrimage, Belle meets many people, including two attractive young men - Luke, who is Chaucer's scribe, and Walter, the son of a wealthy knight. She also meets the horrible Summoner Seekum, who forces her to spy on Chaucer for him. There is trouble in England, for many are unhappy with the young king and would like to see him overthrown, while others support the king and would even seek the help of their enemy, France, to save him. During her journey, Belle encounters adventure, danger, romance, political intrigue, terrible secrets, and more.
Honestly, I have really mixed feelings about this book. I did really like the historical setting and the basic plot. But I think there was just too much going on for one 300 page book. There was the pilgrimage, the political intrigue, the love triangle which included a very dangerous secret, some sort of family feud that led to a jousting tournament, blackmailing a bunch of really horrible people, and Belle's issues of self-harming and being rather.... obsessive compulsive is the right term, I think (which I was very surprised to see in a historical novel). I think this could have been a really good book but it just became too complicated and didn't need all of this. If you are really interested in the historical setting you might enjoy this book but I wouldn't really recommend it to occasional readers of historical fiction.
(I wish Goodreads had half stars, I would give this 2.5 stars)
March 20, 2011
Nice little tale well worth reading.
Some people have pointed out inaccuracies, and indeed some things surprised me - the use of spectacles (though I found indeed they were indeed already used at this time, though I doubt a alchemists son could get by them so easily) and wheelchairs (apparently not invented yet, not by far) and the fact a bellfounders daughter would be able to read, own books, and especially, write a story such as this with intimate details on herself. Or the mere idea a bellfounders daughter could take over her fathers business - I doubt this was even allowed. Though this is indeed odd, I found it does not mean that the story is not marvelous and a pleasure to read.
My one objection is that the book does not contain historical notes and/or an authors afterword like most historical novels based on true characters do. Such notes could have explained about the reason for the aforementioned inaccuracies - or perhaps accuracies, if I'm mistaken. I recognized characters like Chaucer, king Richard and De Vere. Despite having been to Canterbury I have never actually read The Canterbury Tales (for shame!) and I probably am not the only one left wondering which parts of the novel are based on actual historical happenings, (other) people I have (not) heard of before and the Tales themselves, and which parts are pure fiction. I was reading up on the Tales on Wikipedia and found something about a Millers Tale, which just made my curiosity grow... yes, if this gets a reprint, authors notes are desperatly needed.
Still, well recommended.
Some people have pointed out inaccuracies, and indeed some things surprised me - the use of spectacles (though I found indeed they were indeed already used at this time, though I doubt a alchemists son could get by them so easily) and wheelchairs (apparently not invented yet, not by far) and the fact a bellfounders daughter would be able to read, own books, and especially, write a story such as this with intimate details on herself. Or the mere idea a bellfounders daughter could take over her fathers business - I doubt this was even allowed. Though this is indeed odd, I found it does not mean that the story is not marvelous and a pleasure to read.
My one objection is that the book does not contain historical notes and/or an authors afterword like most historical novels based on true characters do. Such notes could have explained about the reason for the aforementioned inaccuracies - or perhaps accuracies, if I'm mistaken. I recognized characters like Chaucer, king Richard and De Vere. Despite having been to Canterbury I have never actually read The Canterbury Tales (for shame!) and I probably am not the only one left wondering which parts of the novel are based on actual historical happenings, (other) people I have (not) heard of before and the Tales themselves, and which parts are pure fiction. I was reading up on the Tales on Wikipedia and found something about a Millers Tale, which just made my curiosity grow... yes, if this gets a reprint, authors notes are desperatly needed.
Still, well recommended.
April 8, 2017
Belle's story follows the main character belle as she goes on pilgrimage for her father
The story is very in depth with lots of detailed description. You get a good sense of period from in about what life was life during medieval times and how people viewed the world.
The story had two parts. The first bit with the pilgrimage was very straight forward and what you'd expect. The second part looked in more depth at the political rumblings of the time mostly notably events involving the King of England, the King of France and potentional plots to overthrow the King. I found these really interesting as ideas as it is a time when the King seen as divine and the punishment for suggest otherwise were severe.
I loved the relationship between Belle, Walter and Luke. I loved seeing how it developed over the course of the book and I loved the ending and how Belle did what she did to protect her friends. I loved the scenes in the court room and was gasping along as things unfolded and I liked the finally ending.
I found the story to be quite slow at times and there is a lot of detail to take in. In which case I wouldn't recommend it for younger YA readers but for older teenagers who have a keen interest in historical fiction. All in all a beautifully and intelligently written novel which will appeal to those with a strong interest in medieval historical fiction.
The story is very in depth with lots of detailed description. You get a good sense of period from in about what life was life during medieval times and how people viewed the world.
The story had two parts. The first bit with the pilgrimage was very straight forward and what you'd expect. The second part looked in more depth at the political rumblings of the time mostly notably events involving the King of England, the King of France and potentional plots to overthrow the King. I found these really interesting as ideas as it is a time when the King seen as divine and the punishment for suggest otherwise were severe.
I loved the relationship between Belle, Walter and Luke. I loved seeing how it developed over the course of the book and I loved the ending and how Belle did what she did to protect her friends. I loved the scenes in the court room and was gasping along as things unfolded and I liked the finally ending.
I found the story to be quite slow at times and there is a lot of detail to take in. In which case I wouldn't recommend it for younger YA readers but for older teenagers who have a keen interest in historical fiction. All in all a beautifully and intelligently written novel which will appeal to those with a strong interest in medieval historical fiction.
Did Not Finish
July 17, 2012I probably shouldn't have even started this book. I made it through about 4 chapters before I had to stop. I know that this review is going to be overly picky, but I'm okay with it because I do think that the intended audience probably won't be bothered by these things, and I think I'd still recommend it, although there are much better representations of medieval life in YA fic than this. But medievalists, even fledgling medievalists like me, shouldn't read this.
I was annoyed by Belle's thoroughly modern speech. I don't expect modern novels set in the 14th century to immitate 14th century writing and speech patterns, but I expect a little effort to set the 14th century teen apart from a 21st century teen. Belle's relationship with her father is so Bella/Charlie Swan that I wanted to scream.
I was really put off by Belle's OCD and self-harming behaviour. She uses a pumice stone to scrape her legs til they bleed. And it's not that I don't believe medieval people suffered from OCD or self-harmed, but again, the way Belle talks about it is so modern. It was extremely irritating.
This book is less a story set in medieval England than it is set in Medieval Times theme park Englnad.
I was annoyed by Belle's thoroughly modern speech. I don't expect modern novels set in the 14th century to immitate 14th century writing and speech patterns, but I expect a little effort to set the 14th century teen apart from a 21st century teen. Belle's relationship with her father is so Bella/Charlie Swan that I wanted to scream.
I was really put off by Belle's OCD and self-harming behaviour. She uses a pumice stone to scrape her legs til they bleed. And it's not that I don't believe medieval people suffered from OCD or self-harmed, but again, the way Belle talks about it is so modern. It was extremely irritating.
This book is less a story set in medieval England than it is set in Medieval Times theme park Englnad.
June 30, 2011
Well-written, but the heroine seemed way too forward-thinking for the time. I guess I was looking forward to hearing about the pilgrimage aspect of the book more than the political intrigue it ultimately came.
November 14, 2022
Belle, daughter of a local bell-founder is thrust into an adventure of deceit, betrayal, courage, love, debauchery, indecency and scandal amongst other things on her humble pilgrimage to seek a miracle from St Thomas tomb. This idea was put into her head by a scribe the night before and believing she could make the journey in honour of her father (to ask the Saint for her father to walk once more) after an accident left him crippled for like.
An accident she took full responsibility for.
Unbeknownst to her, what lay ahead was heartache, as two suitors came forward to vy for her hand, scoundrels emerged out of the shadows to manipulate abd blackmail and even the most innocent of characters turned out to have an evil streak.
Ending in a cell and eventually a court room to be judged on charges she did not deserve and made up lies uttered from the most unsavoury of character's.
This tale was beautiful and heart breaking all at the same time. I love it. What I didn't understand.. was the title???
An accident she took full responsibility for.
Unbeknownst to her, what lay ahead was heartache, as two suitors came forward to vy for her hand, scoundrels emerged out of the shadows to manipulate abd blackmail and even the most innocent of characters turned out to have an evil streak.
Ending in a cell and eventually a court room to be judged on charges she did not deserve and made up lies uttered from the most unsavoury of character's.
This tale was beautiful and heart breaking all at the same time. I love it. What I didn't understand.. was the title???
February 15, 2023
This book was incredibly fascinating and capturing. As well as it just being a good storyline, it was also taught me quite a bit about the time period in which it was set. The only down point about this book for me was that I often lost track of what was happening and confused some of the charatcters at times. Overall I think it was a very good book and would recommend it to people looking to develop their reading skills and get into reading a bit more.
September 27, 2023
Reads like quite a recent book with some fashionable modern themes rather than one over 10 years old. I found the themes fairly well integrated rather than simply as the typical token addition that jars, but overall found Belle, the main character, rather tedious and the plot not particularly interesting. Walter was the most interesting and likable character.
May 31, 2023
Not for me unfortunately, I had to DNF but it may have just been the impatient mood I was in...
September 3, 2014
When I was in college, the first English professor I had just happened to be an expert in Middle English and he taught us how to read Chaucer in the original language. We would read passages from "The Canterbury Tales" out loud, which I now firmly believe is the only way to do it as you really get a sense of the language It was wonderful. The rhythm, the bawdiness, the flow, and richness of the language, all made me love reading and learning about the middle ages even more. the love continued as I later learned about Dame Margery Kent and giggled continuously through my Medieval history classes with a professor who enjoyed trying paint historical characters as real, flawed, and some unintentionally hilarious people. I loved Rebecca Barnhouse's "The Book of the Maidservant" so I was hoping that "Belle's Song" would be like that. Alas, I was mistaken.
This book is much darker than I had anticipated and much of the story is not spent on the pilgrimage at all. Where are the tales? Where is Chaucer writing about all of the people that went along on the journey? Where is some backstory? That is what I had hoped for. But instead I got a completely unnecessary love triangle-- made even more unnecessary by the fact that one of the participants is gay-- and a lot of political intrigue that felt like it belonged in another book entirely. The fact that Walter is gay really irked me. Not because it wouldn't have been possible, but because it really was so completely unnecessary for his character. It was like the author was torturing him for no reason at all. His sexuality really wasn't much of a factor, except to make Luke jealous, and since it was really obvious that Luke cared for Belle almost from the beginning, I just didn't see the need. It was a modern insertion that did not need to be there and honestly did nothing for the story.
For some reason, I didn't fully make the connection that K.M. Grant is the author of "Blood Red Horse," and if I had, I probable would not have been so keen to read this book. "Blood Red Horse" was ok, but like this book, it suffered from some unnecessary plot points and a story that didn't seem very well thought out. If you want a better story about pilgrimages read "The Book of the Maidservant." While it's not about Chaucer, it's funny and enjoyable in a way that "Belle's Song" should have been.
This book is much darker than I had anticipated and much of the story is not spent on the pilgrimage at all. Where are the tales? Where is Chaucer writing about all of the people that went along on the journey? Where is some backstory? That is what I had hoped for. But instead I got a completely unnecessary love triangle-- made even more unnecessary by the fact that one of the participants is gay-- and a lot of political intrigue that felt like it belonged in another book entirely. The fact that Walter is gay really irked me. Not because it wouldn't have been possible, but because it really was so completely unnecessary for his character. It was like the author was torturing him for no reason at all. His sexuality really wasn't much of a factor, except to make Luke jealous, and since it was really obvious that Luke cared for Belle almost from the beginning, I just didn't see the need. It was a modern insertion that did not need to be there and honestly did nothing for the story.
For some reason, I didn't fully make the connection that K.M. Grant is the author of "Blood Red Horse," and if I had, I probable would not have been so keen to read this book. "Blood Red Horse" was ok, but like this book, it suffered from some unnecessary plot points and a story that didn't seem very well thought out. If you want a better story about pilgrimages read "The Book of the Maidservant." While it's not about Chaucer, it's funny and enjoyable in a way that "Belle's Song" should have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2012
This book has just above a 3 star score on Goodreads, so I guess I enjoyed it more than the average reader. Set in the 1300s, it follows Belle, a bell makers daughter, on a journey to Canterbury. Belle has joined the pilgrimage in hopes of healing her father who was crippled in a workshop accident. Geoffrey Chaucer just happens to be one of the pilgrims, and Belle soon befriends him and his scribe. As the journey continues, Belle becomes more and more fond of Chaucer, only to realize that he has been embroiled in some pretty scandalous politics. The pilgrimage soon becomes dangerous as Chaucer's enemies try to exact their revenge.
There was somewhat of a love triangle involved in the journey, but it definitely wasn't the focal part. I felt like the historical setting gave me a good sense of the political climate and just how dangerous it would have been for a teenage girl to travel alone even in the midst of other company. Belle was a sympathetic character, sometimes a little irrational, but she is only like 15 or something, so that's to be expected. Wrongs and righted in the end, so you can anticipate a happy conclusion. Cute historical fiction that should be recommended to female readers.
There was somewhat of a love triangle involved in the journey, but it definitely wasn't the focal part. I felt like the historical setting gave me a good sense of the political climate and just how dangerous it would have been for a teenage girl to travel alone even in the midst of other company. Belle was a sympathetic character, sometimes a little irrational, but she is only like 15 or something, so that's to be expected. Wrongs and righted in the end, so you can anticipate a happy conclusion. Cute historical fiction that should be recommended to female readers.
December 21, 2011
This story follows Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral in the late 1300s. It is told from the point of view of Belle, a teenage girl who joins the pilgrims to pray for her crippled father. Belle is a headstrong girl, struggling to find purpose in her life, but as she interacts with her fellow travelers, she learns the importance of friendship and family. Belle also learns about political intrigue when one pilgrim blackmails her into spying on Chaucer and others in the party.
Belle's Song is entertaining on its own, with intrigue and interesting characters. However, it is also an intriguing addition to The Canterbury Tales with more insight into the characters of the Knight, the Summoner , and Chaucer himself. My only complaint is I find it strange that Grant wrote for a young adult audience when few read The Canterbury Tales before college level English classes. Therefore, a lot of the literary allusions are lost on the intended audience. Belle and her story belong with a young adult audience, but the richness of references to Chaucer might not be recognized.
Belle's Song is entertaining on its own, with intrigue and interesting characters. However, it is also an intriguing addition to The Canterbury Tales with more insight into the characters of the Knight, the Summoner , and Chaucer himself. My only complaint is I find it strange that Grant wrote for a young adult audience when few read The Canterbury Tales before college level English classes. Therefore, a lot of the literary allusions are lost on the intended audience. Belle and her story belong with a young adult audience, but the richness of references to Chaucer might not be recognized.
January 29, 2013
I liked this book. The ending was a little bittersweet because not everyone in a love triangle gets what they want but its still a happy ending for Belle. I usually barely tolerate love triangles but this one turned out to be unique. I liked the twist thrown in with one of the guys and relationships the three shared. There are times I thought the plot got boring but the characters and their inner conflicts made the story for me. Luke and Belle are my favorite characters. Its rare for me to like a couple equally so while the plot is alright the character growth is well done.
this is definitely a book for those who like historical fiction. The romance is actually only a smaller part admist all the political intrigue going on. I felt like it was a lot to cover in such a short book but the history added depth to the plot. Plus Geoffrey Chaucer is in it .
this is definitely a book for those who like historical fiction. The romance is actually only a smaller part admist all the political intrigue going on. I felt like it was a lot to cover in such a short book but the history added depth to the plot. Plus Geoffrey Chaucer is in it .
March 24, 2016
I picked up this book at the store after being intrigued by the synopsis. Little did I know I would be diving into a book about a spoiled, selfish, obsessive compulsive brat. Throughout the book, the character of Belle had really irked me. She had no depth. All of her actions were done spur of the moment and out of selfishness. At 15 years of age in the 1300s, Belle should have been quite mature, yet she stayed at the same stunted personality for the whole book.
In addition, some of the themes mentioned in the book are issues that were not existing in the 1300s let alone had much to do with the story. It seemed as if the author just decided to include certain things because they are "trendy".
The book had such promise but the lack of character depth and bland story really didn't do it for me.
In addition, some of the themes mentioned in the book are issues that were not existing in the 1300s let alone had much to do with the story. It seemed as if the author just decided to include certain things because they are "trendy".
The book had such promise but the lack of character depth and bland story really didn't do it for me.
February 27, 2012
This book was okay. It's about a girl who is a daydreamer, and as a result of her daydreaming, her father is terribly injured. So, she goes on a pilgrimage to Canterbury in the same company as Chaucer to pray for a miracle for her father. There's some politics involved, as well as two men, Luke, Chaucer's scribe, and Walter, a handsome squire.
I enjoyed seeing Belle's development as a character and seeing her go from a hopeless dreamer to someone who will do anything to protect those she loves. I did get caught up in the story and wanted to find out what happens.
As an FYI, this story does involve an old-fashioned version of cutting. It's what Belle does to deal with her stress. So just be aware of that as you read.
I enjoyed seeing Belle's development as a character and seeing her go from a hopeless dreamer to someone who will do anything to protect those she loves. I did get caught up in the story and wanted to find out what happens.
As an FYI, this story does involve an old-fashioned version of cutting. It's what Belle does to deal with her stress. So just be aware of that as you read.
June 29, 2012
As much as I liked the premise of this book, the setting of the Canterbury tales, I had low expectations since I so disliked Grant's perfect fire trilogy. However, this book gave me a pleasant surprise. The historical setting was beautifully described, the characters, especially Belle, flawed and frustrating yet lovable. I liked the historical context of her OCD and "pumicing," as these problems would have been present in past times yet are so rarely addressed. The politics prevalent throughout were also a nice addition. I would definitely recommend this book to all Chaucer fans as well as medieval historical fiction lovers.
March 15, 2012
Aside from the fact that Belle was one of the most irritating heroines I've ever encountered, this brisk, well-written novel was a page turner. Belle's father was terribly injured by one of his own bells, and it was Belle's fault. She decides to set out on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to pray for her father's recovery, and the pilgrims she joins are familiar ones: Master Chaucer, and his entire cast of characters. Political intrigue, romance, a knight who is not what he seems, and plenty of adventure give zing to what might otherwise be just another historical novel about the middle ages. Details about Belle's father's profession are interesting as well. High school.
June 7, 2012
Belle, the bell founders daughter, spends her days trying to be helpful, but doesn't often succeed. Her mother has died and Belle wants nothing to do with everyday work around the house. Her father, crippled due to Belle's daydreaming, must rely on a neighbor widow to care for him. Belle feels supremely guilty about her father's condition.
While visiting at a local tavern Belle meets the members of a pilgrimage to Canterbury, England. She believes this to be a wonderful opportunity: to go to Canterbury on pilgrimage to pray for the healing of her father!
Along the way Belle is drawn into the lives of those around her. In the end she helps save her country and finds love.
While visiting at a local tavern Belle meets the members of a pilgrimage to Canterbury, England. She believes this to be a wonderful opportunity: to go to Canterbury on pilgrimage to pray for the healing of her father!
Along the way Belle is drawn into the lives of those around her. In the end she helps save her country and finds love.
December 12, 2011
I remember wanting to read this book so bad, but once I started reading it I couldn't remember why. Not only did it drag but the story itself was uninteresting. Maybe i'm just not a fan a historical fiction because no matter how hard I tried this book couldn't drag me in. The only thing that did interest me was the unusual love triangle but besides that nothing. With that said, I don't think it was horrible and im pretty sure people interested in historical fiction will like it more. It was overall a ok book just not a book for me.
August 25, 2013
I liked this book. The main character reminded me a good bit of someone I know, which was interesting. An unfavorable word was used 3 times, but as it was only 3, I didn't mind too much. There were some mentions of topics that I shan't care to discuss, but overall I think the book was well done. One of the plotlines didn't seem well enough developed, but other than that the plot was sound.
October 12, 2016
3.5 stars
I was excited to read this because I haven't had a lot of good historical fiction reads lately, however I found this book was mostly present day problems forced into the past. Aside from jousting and the mention of hangings it really didn't scream 1300's for me. That being said the plot was still pretty well done, I just wish the characters had been written a bit better.
I was excited to read this because I haven't had a lot of good historical fiction reads lately, however I found this book was mostly present day problems forced into the past. Aside from jousting and the mention of hangings it really didn't scream 1300's for me. That being said the plot was still pretty well done, I just wish the characters had been written a bit better.
February 21, 2011
I'm not sure, but this might be my least favourite of the books I've read for the history project. Which is saying quite a bit. Will write more after I LJ it, but -- wow, historical inaccuracies, playing fast-and-loose with historical characters - and more.
January 30, 2014
This was a quick read and was moderately entertaining. There were just several aspects of Belle's character I didn't care for. Some antiquated disability terminology and concepts were a bit of a turn off as well, but that is to be expected in the time period the story takes place I suppose.
December 18, 2015
I didn't like this book at all. It seemed like the author was confused if this was suppose to take place in the set time period or in modern day. And the main character was very ditzy. I only made it to chapter 5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews