Quote from Forum Archives on May 7, 2003, 4:04 pm

Posted by: AnneBainbridge <AnneBainbridge@...>

Having just finished reading this trilogy (The Dove and the Rose, The
Maiden's Sword, and The Citadel and the Lamb), I had to take time to report
to you on them, and to encourage you to read them, if at all possible.

This series, set in the Dutch Reformation of the 16th century, follows a
(fictitious) young couple and their families through several years of
political and religious turmoil. It's history and romance and affirmation of
faith, all rolled into one, and has made me deeply appreciate the freedom of
religion that we enjoy today.

Ethel Herr is not only an excellent writer, she is also a historian, and her
historical fiction is rich with detail. Admittedly, this makes them a little
harder to read -- unusual phrasing, a few foreign words, etc., but she
provides a glossary and pronunciation guide in the front of each book, which
helps tremendously.

Now to share something that has troubled me for some time, but I haven't
taken time to write it out. At the end of the final novel in this series, the
author, after sharing the extensive list of resources she studied while
writing it, says it so much better than I ever could, and I quote her: "One
word of caution about historical novels. Many people think they are a good
way to get history in a delectable dessert rather than in a hard-to-swallow
pill. But you need to know that not all novelists are historical scholars.
Look for two things: (1) If the characters in a novel seem to think, talk,
and act like twentieth-century characters, or (2) the obvious sole purpose of
the book is the romantic plot, which could easily take place essentially
unchanged in any time or place in history, then be aware that the history
and/or the thought patterns of the characters may not be accurate. Do not
rely on such books to give you a true picture of the history of the period,
place, or movement you are studying."

There are so very many novels out there that are touted as historical, yet
there is very little true history involved. Admittedly, they are pleasant
reading -- I've read several. But somehow it bothers me that they are called
"historical." Maybe it's the idealistic, perfectionistic, purist in me!

Thanks for letting me vent a bit. 😉 But please don't hold it against Ethel
Herr! She's well worth reading.

Anne