Publication
Broadway Books (2006), 438 p.
Original publication date
1989-01
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Description
The bestselling novel that introduces Margaret of Ashbury and launches a trilogy featuring this irrepressible woman Margaret of Ashbury wants to write her life story. However, like most women in fourteenth-century England, she is illiterate. Three clerics contemptuously decline to be Margaret's scribe, and only the threat of starvation persuades Brother Gregory, a Carthusian friar with a mysterious past, to take on the task. As she narrates her life, we discover a woman of startling resourcefulness. Married off at the age of fourteen to a merchant reputed to be the Devil himself, Margaret was left for dead during the Black Plague. Incredibly, she survived, was apprenticed to an herbalist, and became a midwife. But most astonishing of all, Margaret has experienced a Mystic Union--a Vision of Light that endows her with the miraculous gift of healing. Because of this ability, Margaret has become suddenly different--to her tradition-bound parents, to the bishop's court that tries her for heresy, and ultimately to the man who falls in love with her. "From the Trade Paperback edition."… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
I don't give up on books very often, but I gave up on this one. It just didn't seem worth the bother.
I should know better than to read medieval historical fiction: I am a medieval historian, and a historical novel has to be really REALLY good before it can distract me from its historical
But historical inaccuracies aside, I just didn't enjoy the book. It seems like there's a rape or a wife-beating on every other page, which gets depressing and tedious. The theological/philosophical discussions seem trite and forced (Riley just seems to be quoting basic textbooks about medieval theology, instead of really understanding the debates). The story was entirely uninteresting, but I just never knew where it was going. The characters were likable (well, the ones who weren't wife-beating rapists), but not very original (the wise old midwife, the hypocritical cleric, etc.) I thought there was lots of room for interesting development with Margaret's visions and her gift for healing, but Riley never took it anywhere.
So all in all, this book just didn't seem worth the bother to me.
I should know better than to read medieval historical fiction: I am a medieval historian, and a historical novel has to be really REALLY good before it can distract me from its historical
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inaccuracies (or at the very least, it has to be clear to me from a literary standpoint why the inaccuracies were necessary). All in all, Riley did her research well, but there were still some really big historical inaccuracies that didn't need to be there. To name just a few: women in the 14th century generally didn't marry until their late teens or early twenties (not 14, like Margaret); the witch scare didn't begin until the 16th century, so all the fear of witchcraft in the book is an anachronism; there was a good legal system in England, and lords couldn't just punish people however they wanted to; women had legal rights to inherit, so Margaret could have had her first husband punished and inherited his fortune (and they did not make people walk on hot coals to test if they were guilty!). But historical inaccuracies aside, I just didn't enjoy the book. It seems like there's a rape or a wife-beating on every other page, which gets depressing and tedious. The theological/philosophical discussions seem trite and forced (Riley just seems to be quoting basic textbooks about medieval theology, instead of really understanding the debates). The story was entirely uninteresting, but I just never knew where it was going. The characters were likable (well, the ones who weren't wife-beating rapists), but not very original (the wise old midwife, the hypocritical cleric, etc.) I thought there was lots of room for interesting development with Margaret's visions and her gift for healing, but Riley never took it anywhere.
So all in all, this book just didn't seem worth the bother to me.
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LibraryThing member SaraFist
The always amusing Judith Merkle Riley visits mediaeval England in the first of the Margaret Ashby novels. Margaret is clearly based on Margery Kempe, but succeeds in making Margery far mor epalatable. Margaret is neither histrionic nor crazed; rather, she is eminently sensible.
This one is
Decidedly humorous and somewhat satiric tongue-in-cheek portrayal of mediaeval England. Recommended.
This one is
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somewhat less romantic in nature than other works, in part due to Margaret's being married throughout. There are also fewer instances of the supernatural or fantastic, but that has more to do with Margaret's being a visionary of God than any change in format.Decidedly humorous and somewhat satiric tongue-in-cheek portrayal of mediaeval England. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member bung
I really enjoyed this novel of Margaret, the illiterate wife of a rich merchant who catered to her whim and allowed her to record her memoirs through a scribe, a disgruntled monk called Brother Gregory, who longed to see God. Geogory eventually teaches her to write and she records the last chapter
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herself. The Light refers to the glow that surrounds Margaret when she uses her gift of healing. This gift, won her the heart of Master Kendall, a much older man who suffered from gout. Show Less
LibraryThing member dianaleez
Judith Merkle Riley's A Vision of Light is one of my favorite novels, and Margaret of Ashbury is probably the literary character I'd most like to be.
Riley's Margaret is so alive! This 14th-century Englishwoman is inspired in a "vision of light" to write her memoirs and do the unheard of - tell a
It's a fast-paced and interesting novel; most of all it's fun. It's also well-researched and authentic, but Riley's research is never a burden for the reader. Her touch is light, and her characters charming.
Riley's Margaret is so alive! This 14th-century Englishwoman is inspired in a "vision of light" to write her memoirs and do the unheard of - tell a
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woman's story. Because is she unable to write, she hires the ever-hungry, every-grumpy Brother Gregory to record her memories. Contemptuous of her ambition, he is nevertheless hungry enough to accept her offer. The story then alternates between Margaret's and Gregory's exchanges in the present and her telling the story of her life and adventures. It's a fast-paced and interesting novel; most of all it's fun. It's also well-researched and authentic, but Riley's research is never a burden for the reader. Her touch is light, and her characters charming.
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LibraryThing member AlmondJoy
After Margaret of Ashbury is left for dead by her evil husband, she is nursed back to health by a midwife, and she gains a miraculous power to heal. Good story! Strong female central character. An appealing book. Highly recommend.
LibraryThing member cathyskye
Protagonist: Margaret of Ashbury, a midwife and herbalist
Setting: 14th century London, England
Series: #1 of a trilogy
First Line: In the year of our Lord 1355, three days after the Feast of the Epiphany, God put in my mind that I must write a book.
Margaret of Ashbury heeds a "voice" commanding her
I loved this book. The setting felt so real that I wanted to adjust my wimple, and the voices of Margaret and Gregory were perfect: Margaret seeing things as they never were and asking why, and Gregory wanting change in his own life--but not for women! Will I be reading the other two books in the trilogy? You can take it to the bank!
Setting: 14th century London, England
Series: #1 of a trilogy
First Line: In the year of our Lord 1355, three days after the Feast of the Epiphany, God put in my mind that I must write a book.
Margaret of Ashbury heeds a "voice" commanding her
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to compose her life story. Unable to write, she hires Brother Gregory to record her memories. He is contemptuous of her ambition but hungry enough to accept her offer. Riley's plot alternates between Margaret's and Gregory's clashes in the present and her telling of her past. The story is fast paced, and the medieval setting is authentically portrayed, whether Riley is describing life on London Bridge, alchemy, or the Black Death.I loved this book. The setting felt so real that I wanted to adjust my wimple, and the voices of Margaret and Gregory were perfect: Margaret seeing things as they never were and asking why, and Gregory wanting change in his own life--but not for women! Will I be reading the other two books in the trilogy? You can take it to the bank!
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LibraryThing member mazda502001
As much as I tried I could not get into this book. I like historical fiction but this just couldn't keep my attention and in the end I just gave up.
Back Cover Blurb:
A Vision....of 14th century England - a time of crude country villages, brawling towns, and splendid cities teeming with untold riches
A Vision....of demons and angels, simpletons, holy flagellants, and fools...of travelling players, corrupt priests, and merchant princes, of brave knights and pale ladies languishing for love.
A Vision....of one beautiful, unforgettable woman - Margaret of Ashbury. Twice bound in marriage, fated to be beaten, betrayed, taught rare arts of love and healing, and tried as a witch, she traversed a world overflowing with bitter sorrow and bawdy laughter to find a haven of love, safety, and triumphant joy.
Back Cover Blurb:
A Vision....of 14th century England - a time of crude country villages, brawling towns, and splendid cities teeming with untold riches
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and strange wonders.A Vision....of demons and angels, simpletons, holy flagellants, and fools...of travelling players, corrupt priests, and merchant princes, of brave knights and pale ladies languishing for love.
A Vision....of one beautiful, unforgettable woman - Margaret of Ashbury. Twice bound in marriage, fated to be beaten, betrayed, taught rare arts of love and healing, and tried as a witch, she traversed a world overflowing with bitter sorrow and bawdy laughter to find a haven of love, safety, and triumphant joy.
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LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
“A Vision of Light” starts the Margaret of Ashbury trilogy. Set in the mid-1300s, the story starts with Margaret as a child, the daughter of a very poor but free born man. In her early teens, she is married against her will to a miserable sadist who makes her life a living hell and puts a fear
Margaret’s life has many ups and downs, from complete wretchedness to bliss. She’s an intelligent, hard working woman who has a special gift- she can heal people, not just with herbs, but by channeling energy through her hands. And she speaks with a Voice, who she identifies as God.
The book is rich in historic detail, both the pretty and the ugly. Riley brings the era to life. The characters are mostly well done; while Margaret is strong on wanting to earn her own living and not be dependent on a man, she is still a product of her time and society. I have only one big problem with the book, and I cannot say exactly what it is without giving a spoiler. Suffice it to say that at the very end, Margaret accepts something without a struggle, which seems very much out of character for her.
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of marriage into her. When the plague hits England- and her- she gets free of the marriage, or so she thinks. She takes up a new life as a healer and midwife, which works fine for awhile, until the Church comes after her for dealing with the devil. They forbid her to deal in her profession any longer, as midwives are in league with the devil. This leaves her with no way of earning her living….Margaret’s life has many ups and downs, from complete wretchedness to bliss. She’s an intelligent, hard working woman who has a special gift- she can heal people, not just with herbs, but by channeling energy through her hands. And she speaks with a Voice, who she identifies as God.
The book is rich in historic detail, both the pretty and the ugly. Riley brings the era to life. The characters are mostly well done; while Margaret is strong on wanting to earn her own living and not be dependent on a man, she is still a product of her time and society. I have only one big problem with the book, and I cannot say exactly what it is without giving a spoiler. Suffice it to say that at the very end, Margaret accepts something without a struggle, which seems very much out of character for her.
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This novel was a pleasure to read. Not that I can't find fault. Margaret of Ashbury, the wife of a rich merchant, hires a clerk to dictate her memoirs in the year 1355. The narrative switches between the present day and her experiences with her amanuensis, Brother Gregory in third person, and her
Yet I forgive what I often find a deal breaker, because the story of Brother Gregory and his interaction with the unorthodox Margaret is so compelling in its own right and compliments the story she's telling; it illuminates the misogyny of the day, especially among the religious, who don't see women as capable of reason or whose only possible virtue is obedience.
The story is told with wonderful period detail bringing 14th Century England--the period of the Black Plague and its aftermath to life--lives high and low, from the nobility of the castle to rich merchants, clergy, even robber bands and traveling minstrels. And there's a winning humor lacing the entire tale throughout.
There's also a thread of the fantastical that tempts me to tag this as fantasy--as Margaret has a "vision of light" and afterwards develops powers of healing. But then that could be seen as not out of place in a century that produced such mystics as Birgitta of Sweden, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and particularly Margery Kempe. Kempe dictated to scribes what is considered the first autobiography in the English language and her life has several points in common with the story of Margaret of Ashbury.
I feel mixed about the ending. Part of me wishes it has ended when Margaret put a "finis" on her memoirs--though it does end on a good note for further books in the series--I saw two more on the bookstore shelf. After this first book, I'll certainly be picking more up someday.
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own story told by her first person. Whenever we hear her own story in her own voice, I found the story absolutely engrossing. I was less taken at first with the third person parts, more than anything because within it, without the restraint of first person, Riley can't hold point of view, sometimes hopping heads within a paragraph. Yet I forgive what I often find a deal breaker, because the story of Brother Gregory and his interaction with the unorthodox Margaret is so compelling in its own right and compliments the story she's telling; it illuminates the misogyny of the day, especially among the religious, who don't see women as capable of reason or whose only possible virtue is obedience.
The story is told with wonderful period detail bringing 14th Century England--the period of the Black Plague and its aftermath to life--lives high and low, from the nobility of the castle to rich merchants, clergy, even robber bands and traveling minstrels. And there's a winning humor lacing the entire tale throughout.
There's also a thread of the fantastical that tempts me to tag this as fantasy--as Margaret has a "vision of light" and afterwards develops powers of healing. But then that could be seen as not out of place in a century that produced such mystics as Birgitta of Sweden, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and particularly Margery Kempe. Kempe dictated to scribes what is considered the first autobiography in the English language and her life has several points in common with the story of Margaret of Ashbury.
I feel mixed about the ending. Part of me wishes it has ended when Margaret put a "finis" on her memoirs--though it does end on a good note for further books in the series--I saw two more on the bookstore shelf. After this first book, I'll certainly be picking more up someday.
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LibraryThing member satyridae
A very amusing story about a 14th century woman with a decidedly 20th century sensibility. Riley has a deft hand with characterization and plot, but the modernity of everyone's ripostes and thought processes spoilt the flavor for me.
LibraryThing member SusanMcDonough
I am rereading A Vision of Light, a wonderful story. I am rewriting my third person book into the first person, and I thought that Margaret of Ashbury, being a writer herself, might be able to help with that! I love Margaret's voice, and the medieval time period is similar to the fantasy world my
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own protagonist, Elizabeth, finds herself in. Show Less
LibraryThing member RobinWebster
A light, fun read. I love all the Margaret books. She's just so humble, clear-sighted, and true to what she believes is right. A wonderful read. I'd recommend both to those who like a humble christian woman heroine AND those who like subversive feminist stuff.
LibraryThing member mfdavis
I liked this book for the historical background -- London, 1350's. Margaret is a somewhat unusual heroine...there were times when I was cheering her on, & times when I wanted to tell her to stand up for what she believed (instead of taking physical, mental & emotional abuse from the men around her)
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but probably that was a fairly historically accurate picture of the plight of women in the middle ages.... Show Less
LibraryThing member MaureenCean
More of a 3.5 really. Earlier on, I thought it was going to be way too long, but then I really got into it. The tale was entertaining.
LibraryThing member Black-Lilly
I loved those books as a teenager back in the days, and when I had a look at my library of what to read next, I saw my overly "zerlesende" (aka, I read them so much that they are falling apart) editions of the Margaret of Ashbury novels. Instead of bothering with the German translations, I took the
Yes, Ms Merkle Riley was a bit lenient with historical facts, I already knew as a teenager of thirteen that witches weren't burnt in the medieval times and other little things which were added because it fitted the narration better.
But honestly, I still love the story, it is such a nice feel good book, that didn't loose any of its charm in the nearly thirty years since I read it first. The story itself might not be something extraordinary special but the wit and humor make it a fine read.
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opportunity and got the English ebooks and it was not a disappointment.Yes, Ms Merkle Riley was a bit lenient with historical facts, I already knew as a teenager of thirteen that witches weren't burnt in the medieval times and other little things which were added because it fitted the narration better.
But honestly, I still love the story, it is such a nice feel good book, that didn't loose any of its charm in the nearly thirty years since I read it first. The story itself might not be something extraordinary special but the wit and humor make it a fine read.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780307237873
Physical description
8 inches