I picked this book up as part of Net Galley's Summer Camp reads! I was immediately attracted to the cover, but I was entirely not sure how I would feel about the book. It is historical fiction, and I'm very hit or miss on historical fiction. But, I am a sucker for a good cover, and this is a really really nice cover!
It's a debut novel for Janet Rich Edwards,and if you're a historical fiction type of reader, this is worth putting on your TBR.
Spoiler free review- because Spoilers are just.. NOT IT.
Readers dive into the 13th century Bruges where wealth is measured in wool and social station is highly prized and protected. We meet Aleys- a young girl who's prone to visions and deep passionate feelings, specifically related to the church. I'm unclear if she would have been prone to religiousity in a different time or if that was simply because that was what she had exposure to in her sheltered life. Her only exposure to books is her Mother's richly illustrated psalter which Aleys covets.
I imagine the psalter may have looked a bit like this:
Aleys is smart, passionate, and also stubborn and proud. On the eve of her wedding (which would secure her and her families social standing) she runs to join a religious order. There she is tasked with an almost impossible seeming task and to make progress she must reexamine many of her notions about others, God, and her place in society. Change is afoot in the religious community (and the world as a whole). Forces greater than Aleys and her local religious organizations are at play. Aleys must confront her place within this complex situation and, like all young people, make the choices that will determine her life.
As a novel, this book does move at a leisurely pace, with a lot of room for Aleys, and the reader to reflect on religion, prayer, and community. (It is not a religious book, but a book about persons who were highly involved in the religious life at the time- so readers be assured, this is not a religious propaganda type of novel at all.) I found I enjoyed it best by absorbing a few chapters at a time.
Strengths of this novel are the richly detailed descriptions of life in that time period, and the insight into the Catholic church in that time period. I often felt as if I could step right into the Beguine's dormitory, or touch the wool prepared for the market. As a non-Catholic, the explanations regarding different orders and roles flowed easily and did not feel didactic. Aleys herself is a compelling character, though I can't say she is particularly loveable, she was peculiar and interesting and I did want to read on to see how things would play out for her and the community. This is an excellent read for book clubs as historical fiction is very book club popular, and this is a unique time period that isn't well represented in the historical fiction landscape.
This book is scheduled to come out in December, just in time for holiday gifting! While I have an electronic copy (Thank you to Spiegel and Grau and Net Galley for the advance reader copy) I suspect this one may make it on to my wish list. (I'm on an economical book buying ban, but I know I can use all the holidays and birthdays for book hauls!!! Hint hint!)
STATS
First Published : December 2, 2025 (Scheduled)
Pages: 368
Available as an Audio Book : Planned for release on 12/ 2/25
Trigger Warnings: Medical content, fire, confinement, death Sexual assault, violence, sexism, mental illness,sexism, animal death - as always this is likely not a complete list, so please read responsibly.
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