Treason A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England (Audible Audio Edition) Dena Hunt Barbara Chirdon Sophia Institute Press Books
Download As PDF : Treason A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England (Audible Audio Edition) Dena Hunt Barbara Chirdon Sophia Institute Press Books
As Stephen Long steps ashore in England one gray dawn in May 1581, he wonders how many more Catholics will have to die to make Queen Elizabeth feel secure. Involuntarily he trembles at the thought that soon he may be numbered among them.
For in the days ahead, each time Stephen hears confession or celebrates Mass, he commits yet another act of high treason against the British Crown, for which Queen Elizabeth's swift penalty is gruesome torture and painful death. As Stephen hastens to find shelter away from that open beach, he struggles not only with fear but with doubt as well "Is my mission foolish? Am I nothing more than fresh meat for the queen's butchers?"
In the light of that same gray dawn, just a few miles north, a heartbroken Caroline Wingate lies awake in her unhappy marriage bed, wrestling with thoughts of a different - perhaps crueler - martyrdom.
Although from her earliest years Caroline has known herself to be called to cloistered, contemplative life as a nun, some years ago she was forced by her father into a politically safe marriage with an upright Protestant from whom she must hide her Catholicism - and her true vocation - lest she, too, be executed for her faith.
Hanging by the neck is swift martyrdom, but Caroline's doubts and guilt have pained her daily for years now. An exile in her own soul, in her lonely desolation she confesses, "I don't love my husband as I should. For safety's sake, I cannot give myself wholly to him and must deceive him daily. Nor can I give myself to the One I truly love."
In a few days, circumstances will force Caroline and the young priest together. With death hastening toward both of them, the beautiful fates of these two faithful Catholics confirm what we today too often forget Our faith is the most powerful force in the world - more powerful than politics, wars, or empires.
Treason A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England (Audible Audio Edition) Dena Hunt Barbara Chirdon Sophia Institute Press Books
This seemed to me like an old-fashioned sort of book, slow, meandering, with lots of descriptions of almost everything that could be described, interior monologues by most of the characters, and omniscient narration—nothing hidden, all revealed. I don’t find anything wrong or misplaced with this style, although I’m afraid a considerable chunk of the present day reading public seems to prefer the antithesis to this leisurely development of plot and characters—action, action, and more action, full steam ahead in eighty thousand words or less, please.I give this book full marks for its historical accuracy with regard to the Elizabethan period, as well as its very real sense of place—no one would ever mistake this story occurring anywhere other than a rural corner of England. My only quibble was with a couple of names—Caroline and Norma were not of the period but at least two centuries later for the one and four centuries later for the other.
Overall, the novel is a worthy counterpoint to the clichéd Bloody Mary versus Elizabeth the Great scenario, wherein the former was a dreadful burner of 200 Protestants at Smithfield, and the latter the creator of a Golden Age of political and economic dominance, social stability, and a cultural renaissance. The historical record of course reveals that Elizabeth had arrested, tortured, and killed far more Catholics during her long reign than many people realize, if they bother to wonder about it at all. Under Elizabeth's policies, a Catholic was not only an undesirable "heretic" but more important, a traitor, an agent of Spain and the papacy, and could therefore be executed for treason, to include the preferred and very public method of hanging, drawing, and quartering. The author wove these dreadful details seamlessly--and without needless drama--into her story, which takes place during one week. I admire her artistic restraint.
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Treason A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England (Audible Audio Edition) Dena Hunt Barbara Chirdon Sophia Institute Press Books Reviews
I read this during Holy Week. I had put off reading it, because I thought it would have an antagonist tone toward other faith traditions, especially to the Church of England and its divisions. That was not the tone at all. Dena Hunt has shone not only the faith and hope of English Catholics in Elizabethan England. She has also shone their love for their God, their Church, and their country. In fact, her story has a timeless quality that makes it easier for readers to understand the persecution that martyrs had to endure throughout history and how they felt about it.
I am giving it five stars, because it is beautifully written, it has that timelessness that I mentioned, and it presents a worldview that gives hope. It tells of the brutal reality of Elizabethan England that is not well known, but it is a breath of fresh air for readers who are tired of modern novels with mediocre characterization and pointless endings. Read this book at least once. Read the introduction by Joseph Pearse on what makes good literature. Read all the way to the very end. It is not very long, but it is powerful. It can change your life. Read it!
This is a difficult period of history in which to place a novel, yet this book drew me in because of the author's attempt to portray societal and political forces which provided momentum to the cruel persecution of Catholics under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I do sense a need to either decrease the number of characters or lengthen the novel in order to provide opportunity for a more natural transition between scenes, and a more complete development of character and plot. Effective communication of sentiment suffers at times to the point of seeming a bit contrived. An example can be found in the way in which both cornflowers, and the character Caroline, are referred to as symbols of England. Because the correlation had not been gradually developed it seemed to pop up out of context. Another concern relates to the giving of a penance as integral to the sacrament of confession. The priest could not properly omit giving a penance in order to show sympathy for Caroline. A great deal of research would be required for both historical and theological accuracy. I commend Dena Hunt for her courageous choice of subject matter. I believe this time and place in history is worthy of all the work required to expose what occurred with as much integrity as possible. All in all, I found her book interesting and valuable to read.
Wonderful historical fiction. I felt as though I was in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Many details were revealing to me, and it is a wonder we humans have sincerely not learned from our mistakes, from our cruelty. This is placed under Catholic authors and understandably so, but I believe it could also belong under just the "historical fiction" category. Terror and persecution happened because of people's faith. Faith was intermingled with politics at that time. It is not a book that someone of a different faith would be tired of reading or would feel it was preachy. This is a book for everyone.
The book is a detailed story of families' experiences under Queen Elizabeth and her reign of terror. The underground in this book at that time reminded me of the underground railroad. The story is a frightening reminder of how much of a tyrant Queen Elizabeth was. It also gives us a window into how much people sacrificed to hold on to their beliefs. There was deception for the sake of survival. There was compassion and quite a bit of longing. For quite a few, there was ambition and what we might dub as "social ladder climbing". This story helped me to even more deeply admire how strong people's faith can be and how they will not deny it. I could not help but think of many innocents in the Middle East today.
I appreciate the author's details that helped me "time travel" as I read this wonderful book. The character development was good. Even when it seemed hopeless, some characters hung onto their hope. The author gave us tragedy and love. I appreciated the ending. It is worth your time to read the book.
This seemed to me like an old-fashioned sort of book, slow, meandering, with lots of descriptions of almost everything that could be described, interior monologues by most of the characters, and omniscient narration—nothing hidden, all revealed. I don’t find anything wrong or misplaced with this style, although I’m afraid a considerable chunk of the present day reading public seems to prefer the antithesis to this leisurely development of plot and characters—action, action, and more action, full steam ahead in eighty thousand words or less, please.
I give this book full marks for its historical accuracy with regard to the Elizabethan period, as well as its very real sense of place—no one would ever mistake this story occurring anywhere other than a rural corner of England. My only quibble was with a couple of names—Caroline and Norma were not of the period but at least two centuries later for the one and four centuries later for the other.
Overall, the novel is a worthy counterpoint to the clichéd Bloody Mary versus Elizabeth the Great scenario, wherein the former was a dreadful burner of 200 Protestants at Smithfield, and the latter the creator of a Golden Age of political and economic dominance, social stability, and a cultural renaissance. The historical record of course reveals that Elizabeth had arrested, tortured, and killed far more Catholics during her long reign than many people realize, if they bother to wonder about it at all. Under Elizabeth's policies, a Catholic was not only an undesirable "heretic" but more important, a traitor, an agent of Spain and the papacy, and could therefore be executed for treason, to include the preferred and very public method of hanging, drawing, and quartering. The author wove these dreadful details seamlessly--and without needless drama--into her story, which takes place during one week. I admire her artistic restraint.
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