I invite you, Reader, to celebrate with me!

• I’m excited to offer my review of the favorite novel I’ve read in 2024! (see below)
• My second grandson has arrived in the world, and my husband and I have the opportunity to participate in his family’s life almost daily!
• The revisions of my new novel are nearly finished!

I hope you’re finding things to celebrate in this season, too!

My Review of The Mercy Seller:

You may be familiar with Martin Luther’s reform efforts and eventual break from the Roman Church in the 1500s…

But these earlier reformers had less success and paid a terrible price:

• John Wycliffe, a cleric who translated the Bible into English in the late 1300s (His followers became known as Lollards)
• Jan Hus, a preacher in Prague in the early 1400s who championed Wycliffe’s ideas in Bohemia.

Why?

The Mercy Seller, Brenda Rickman Vantrease’s 2007 novel, immerses readers in the cultures in which Wycliffe and Hus lived (England and Bohemia, respectively). After reading it, I understood in a visceral way why the beliefs and reforms that Wycliffe and Hus proposed were doomed to fail in their times and locations.

Because Anna was raised with the teachings of Jan Hus in Prague, she must flee and undertake a dangerous journey, both physical and metaphorical, to find safety and a new life.

Without a guide, this young woman struggles to know whom to trust. The people she encounters challenge her view of the world, as her perspective challenges theirs.

This compelling story of courage, betrayal, persecution, and character growth also gives readers a window into an era far removed from ours.

Characters:

Some were easy to root for, others easy to hate, some evoked both emotions

• Gabriel/VanCleve—title character, an English priest assigned to sell pardons/indulgences; his background and many-faceted career become central to the story
• Anna—protagonist who grew up in Prague, raised with Lollard beliefs by her grandfather, Finn; she learns his trade but must flee Prague after religious persecution begins
• Finn—copyist of writings of Wycliffe and gospels of the New Testament, fled from England to Prague to escape persecution of Lollards
• Abbess Kathryn—leader of the abbey at Saint Martin’s that specializes in copying texts, both sacred and secular
• Brother Francis—Gabriel’s spiritual father and mentor
• Little Bek—abandoned handicapped boy; Anna mothers him
• Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham—member of House of Lords; he and his wife use their wealth in generous ways, among which are supporting the Lollard community and the copying of religious texts into English
• Prince Hal (Henry V of England)—friend of Cobham’s during their military years; torn between his need for Archbishop of Canterbury’s blessing of his coronation and his friendship with Sir John Oldcastle
• Archbishop Arundel—aged, declining leader of Roman Church in England; determined to root out heresies and heretics from England

Strengths:

• Characters—three-dimensional, their arcs reveal clear change; the author shows us their flaws as well as (for some) their heroic qualities
• Heroic theme—self-sacrifice for one’s beliefs
• Plot—fascinating threads connect the characters, including multiple generations; plot twists that keep readers on edge
• Settings—portrayals of the several settings provide telling details to immerse readers

Weakness:

Alternating points of view between characters from scene to scene can confuse readers until they get their bearings.

Content review:

Readers should anticipate a few scenes of physical intimacy, but not of a graphic nature, as well as descriptions of executions in this time period.

My recommendation:

If you enjoy an exciting story of strong-willed individuals whose religious convictions lead them to risk and sacrifice their lives, and whose interactions shape their characters, I highly recommend The Mercy Seller.

Reader, can you recommend novels set in the world of John Wycliffe or Jan Hus?