Who Would Like This Book:
If you love immersive historical fiction with an edge of mystery, "A Stolen Tongue" is a twisty treat. Sheri Holman plunges readers deep into the grime, devotion, and colorful chaos of a medieval pilgrimage, following the complex and unforgettable Friar Felix. Expect vivid landscapes, a deliciously unsettling atmosphere, and a heady blend of faith, relics, and psychological suspense. Fans of Umberto Eco, Chaucer, or anyone who enjoys novels that blur the lines between the spiritual and the sinister will find plenty to love here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Readers searching for fast-paced action or classic Hollywood adventure may find Holman’s slow-burn plot and focus on medieval mindset a bit dense or even disorienting at times. Those with a keen eye for historical accuracy might bristle at the modern undertones in Felix’s inner life or the sometimes over-the-top descriptions of medieval filth. If you prefer your historical fiction with clear-cut characters and tidy conclusions, you may find the complexity here a bit overwhelming.
About:
'A Stolen Tongue' by Sheri Holman is a historical fiction novel that takes readers on a journey with Friar Felix to the Sinai desert to meet his spiritual wife, Saint Katherine. The book is filled with relics, lice, mad men and women, devotion, love, prayer, and death, all described in fine detailed language. Readers are immersed in the 15th-century environment with vivid descriptions that engage all the senses. The plot unfolds with suspenseful scenes, mysteries, and a grotesque climax, keeping the readers intrigued about what will happen next.
The writing style of 'A Stolen Tongue' is praised for its attention to detail, research, and vivid descriptions that bring the landscapes, movements, reactions, and historical elements to life. The author, Sheri Holman, is commended for her skill in creating a haunting and memorable journey for the readers, with well-developed characters like Friar Felix and a sense of adventure and mysticism that keeps the story engaging till the end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of death, disease, and historical depictions of filth and suffering.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance present, particularly in the relationship between Felix and Arsinoe, as well as his spiritual connection to Katherine.
From The Publisher:
A riveting mystery that recalls the work of Umberto Eco and Barry Unsworth, A Stolen Tongue is the captivating debut novel that launched critically acclaimed author Sheri Holman's literary career.
In 1483, Father Felix Fabri sails from Germany to Mount Sinai on a pilgrimage to venerate the relics of Saint Katherine of Alexandria. But at each of the shrines he visits throughout Greece and Palestine, he finds that the remains of Katherine's body are being stolen piece by piece: her hand, her ear, and then her tongue vanish from their holy resting places. Desperate to discover the thief and save his saint from such appalling desecration, Felix is thrust into a strange mystery that takes him across the desert and plumbs the depths of his soul.
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