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I am a longtime fan of author Lauren Groff, with my favorite being “Fates and Furies��. Her new novel, “Matrix��, is about a 12th century nun which I read with trepidation. I could not imagine a story in which I’d be interested, involving a French nun who is also known as a poet and a woman with “visions�� from the Virgin Mary. Given my heretical opinion of those who indulged in holy visions, I always assume those visions occurred from severe mental illness or from a physical reason such as dehydration, toxins, illnesses. In other words, I am not a believer in the holiness of visons from deities. Hence, I doubt I’m going to enjoy this story.

Well, I did enjoy it. Groff took her nun, Marie, and made her into a feminist of the 12th century. Marie is a character who decided to fight back in her subjugation. Marie was an orphaned and rebellious teen, selfish and far from religious. Queen Eleanor banishes her from France to an English poverty-stricken nunnery where she ascends to roll of prioress. Through grit and determination, Marie turns her impoverished abbey into one of the richest lands in England.

Through Groff’s imagination, the reader enjoys Marie’s successes. Marie is pitted against the patriarchs of the church. She’s pitted against the land. Even some of her beloved postulants scheme against her. Through Marie’s anger with Eleanor, she decides to create an abbey like none other. She was ambitious in her relentless efforts to protect her “daughters�� and her land. Groff made Marie into female power. That is not to say that Marie didn’t question her own morality, especially as she reflected upon what was “just��.

Marie is based on the medieval author Marie de France. Although not much information is available about Marie de France, Groff researched Queen Eleanor and created a very interesting story about a woman who through ambition and strategy, outwitted the patriarchy. Groff proves that feminism was relevant through the centuries.

Groff’s prose carries the story along with her imagination. Groff remains one of my favorite authors.