Release: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Source: HFVirtual Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, IndieBound.
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Marj Charlier’s The Rebel Nun is based on the true story of Clotild, the daughter of a sixth-century king and his concubine, who leads a rebellion of nuns against the rising misogyny and patriarchy of the medieval church.
There were only a few affordable choices in life for women at that time: prostitution, motherhood, or the cloister. Only the latter offer them any independence. However, by the end of the sixth century, even this is eroding as the church begins to eject women from the clergy and declares them too unclean to touch sacramental objects or even their priest-husbands.
Hence, craving the legitimacy thwarted by her bastard status, Clotild seeks to become the next abbess of the female Monastery of the Holy Cross, the most famous of the women’s cloisters of the early Middle Ages. But the bishop of Poitiers blocks her appointment and seeks to control the nunnery himself. So Clotild masterminds an escape, leading a group of uncloistered nuns on a dangerous pilgrimage to beg her royal relatives to intercede on their behalf. But the bishop refuses to back down, and a bloody battle ensues. Will Clotild and her sisters succeed with their quest, or will they face ex-communication, possibly even death?
In the only historical novel written about the incident, The Rebel Nun is a richly imagined story about a truly remarkable heroine.
About the Author:
Initially, Marj started her career as a reporter at the Story City Herald in high school. And after getting a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she worked at several small and mid-sized dailies before joining the Wall Street Journal, where she stayed for 12 years as a staff reporter.
Then, after twenty years in journalism, she pursued her MBA and began a second career in corporate finance. The Rebel Nun is her first historical novel and her eleventh published novel.
Marj was born in Iowa and now resides in Palm Springs, CA, full-time with her husband, Ben. Her non-human loves are books, dogs, books, golf, books, wine, books, and writing books.
The Rebel Nun Review:
Wow! I honestly cannot believe that this bases off on a true story. The Rebel Nun is a compelling tale of a group of nuns who rebel against the injustice of the church, and I enjoyed reading it.
To begin with, the story was a little hard to grasp over the first few pages as the author introduces many characters. But once I got the hang of it, I could not put it down. The author sets the pace gradually and helps us get into the characters and the situations, and I rooted for Clotild throughout her mission.
Clotild is a dynamic character and shines in the tale. The author writes the story compellingly, where you feel like you are with Clotild and the other nuns of the Holy Cross. She writes the characters wonderfully, where you immediately hate people like Lebover and Maroveus. I also enjoyed how she describes Clotild’s background and her relationship with Radegund and the other members. However, I was fascinated with her conversations with Alboin. Alboin is one of those mysterious characters who intrigued me from the first page. If the author ever writes a spinoff or a sequel to the tale, I would love to revolve around Alboin’s life.
Interestingly, the book’s tone became more severe and graphic towards the end and impacted me towards the climax. The author also shocked me in some scenes, like what happens to Marion in the beginning or Justina later. The story is gripping until the end, and the author glued me to the pages during the trial scenes. While I enjoyed reading the story throughout, the last few pages made me admire it profoundly.
Overall, “The Rebel Nun” is worth reading if you enjoy historical fiction with memorable characters.
Giveaway
Enter to win a copy of The Rebel Nun by Marj Charlier!
The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on May 14th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on The Rebel Nun by Marj Charlier Blog Tour hosted by HFVirtual Book Tours. Check out my post, and make sure to enter the giveaway.
Love this review and I also loved this book! Thanks so much for the wonderful review!
Amy
HF Virtual Book Tours