The Burning Times: A Novel of Medieval France

by Jeanne Kalogridis

Book Overview

Of the Black Death, they said it was the end of the world; I knew better. The world can withstand the sickness of the body, but it remains to be seen whether it will survive the sickness that eats at the souls of our persecutors... So professes Mother Marie Franoise, born Sybille, a poor midwife who is taught pagan ways and magic by her grandmother and is forced to take refuge among the Franciscan sisterhood as the Inquisition threatens. Her extraordinary...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684869233
• ISBN13: 9780684869230
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 394 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.9" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Bautiful, emotionally powerful novel

This is a beautifully written novel, and the author is clearly gifted with the pen. Yes, it is romantic, but that's what makes this novel so powerful. It is a very pagan book, and anyone familiar with the Old Religion will be very surprised at her accuracy. I highly reccomend this book to anyone that enjoys falling in love with the characters of a book. To those that had a hard time reading this book, it is challenging, but you have to be above reading the newspaper to truly enjoy what the author has done here. I'd suggest a few Artemis Fowl or Harry Potter books and you should be ready to enjoy this novel. ;-).

Excellent Book!!!

Absolutely one of the best books I've ever read. The author pulled me into the story and I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. Excellent description of the characters.

A pleasant surprise of a read

I hadn't expected to get hooked when I first picked up "The Burning Times," but let's just say that I didn't get much accomplished that particular weekend other than reading this novel straight through. I had thought I would be reading a fairly mundane story about the inquisition and medieval witch burnings, and I was happily caught off-guard by Kalogridis' more trascendent tale.This is a story that can be read and understood on a number of levels, and the message about the unfortunate consequences of love tainted with fear -- even with the best intentions -- is a quite relevant and timely one just now

Excellent reading!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I couldn't wait to get back to it. I read it in two days. Your basic good vs. evil with some history mixed in. Wish I hadn't read it yet so I could experience it again.

A special book written by a special author

In 1357 France, the Inquisition agents of Cardinal Chretien arrest Franciscan Abbess Marie Francois. They charge her with heresy for practicing pagan rituals and magic, and for communicating with the devil. They plan to burn Marie at the stakes so she can serve as an example to those who stray from the right path of worshipping God. The reluctant Dominican scribe, Michel, who prefers to save souls, rather than dispatch people to the next life, is chosen to obtain Marie's confession. However, Michel feels Marie is pure, good, and holy instead of an evil witch. He decides to prove her innocent of the charges even after she admits her grandmother taught her the pagan ways. Forced to flee Marie whose birth name is Sybille joins the "Race" and seeks out her lover Luc de la Rose for the good of her "people". THE BURNING TIMES is at its best when it stays with fourteenth century realities like the Black Plague, the French Inquisition, the burning of witches at the stakes, and the pagan religions. When the plot veers into fantasyland, it loses speed as a different type of tale emerges. Likewise, key characters are impacted especially the heroine. As Marie she is an incredible individual struggling against a rising tide, but as Sybille she seems mythological as if she truly is Diana the Huntress. Known for her vampire tales, Jeanne Kalogridis has written an intriguing historical fiction that will attract readers, but the talented author took too big of a bite with this story line(s).Harriet Klausner