The face of a Madonna

Armstrong, Thomas

1964, 1st Edition. London: Collins. Near fine cloth copy in a good if somewhat edge-nicked and dust-dulled dust wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Remains particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong. Item #335912

Physical description: 383 pages; 21cm. Summary: This novel is set in 14th century Yorkshire and tells the story of Ughtred, a young monk and artist at Rievaulx, and Lazelle, a young nun from a Gilbertine convent at Watton. The opening ten pages are titled The Immurement and describe how the pair, who have been convicted of heresy, are walled up alive. Just before the walling up is completed a Franciscan friar, Jerome, looks in at the couple and declares that he sees signs of plague. The walling up is completed hurriedly and the observers leave in a panic. The main part of the novel then describes the events leading up to this punishment, beginning with The Eleventh Month before Immurement. Ughtred and Lazelle meet by chance when she is swept into a river and Ughtred rescues her. He thinks of her constantly and decides to use her face for that of the madonna in a painting he works on at Rievaulx. Because of their vows, they may not meet but chance does offer opportunities. Alongside this developing relationship, Armstrong shows Ughtred’s exposure to the ideas of John Wycliffe and the Lollards and his increasing disillusionment, not with Christianity, but with the worldliness of the Church. Subjects: Historical fiction. Regional fiction. Religious fiction. Fiction in English. English fiction. Fiction in English 20th century. Genre: Fiction.

Price: €14.95