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Brian's Reviews > Revelation
Revelation (Matthew Shardlake #4)
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“Sometimes these days I feel that everywhere I look there is madness and darkness and devils.�
REVELATION is the fourth book in the Shardlake series, and this installment really delves into the radical reformers and those who were reverting back to Catholic lite rituals at the end of Henry VIII’s reign. C.J. Sansom creates an interesting plot twist around this civil and religious unrest and incorporates an intriguing development with the Book of Revelation from the Bible as the inspiration for the plot’s driving devices.
As has been the case in this series, one of the best parts of this text is that our protagonist (hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake) is such a well-drawn character. A flawed man, yet those flaws pale in comparison to his compassion and flat-out human decency. I did find the characterization of Shardlake to be a little flat in this installment compared to others, but I think that is because the lives of some of the characters that surround him were given much more attention in this book. As in any developing series, the more it goes on the more involved and robust the world of the series becomes. The relationships in this series are real, and they are encountering real problems, and it is seamlessly weaved in with a plot and storyline that will keep you turning the pages. I love that as I continue with this series more and more layers of the reoccurring characters are revealed, and they become more complex, more nuanced, and thus even more human.
As is always the case with this series the period feels real, and I felt the realities of the world of Tudor England while I was reading. I enjoy it a lot when a book creates that kind of immersive experience.
Quotes:
� “Christ said, by their fruits shall you know them, and the fruits of the faithful of both sides looked more rotten each year.�
� “The strangest matters may have a simple resolution.�
� “There are no debts between friends.�
� “…that there was little hope in the world, and a man should not be blamed for clinging on to that which he could find.�
� “But if we never acted except when we were certain our motives were pure, we would never act at all.�
� “I think that is how grief is. The hole in the world will always be there but you begin to notice other things.�
� “But we cannot always believe what suits us.�
� “Yes, I believe that humility is the greatest human virtue.�
In REVELATION the mystery at its core is interesting and Mr. Sansom does a nice job of incorporating the “reformist� and “conservative� religious issues of 1540s England seamlessly into the text.
I am looking forward to reading the last three novels in this series soon.
REVELATION is the fourth book in the Shardlake series, and this installment really delves into the radical reformers and those who were reverting back to Catholic lite rituals at the end of Henry VIII’s reign. C.J. Sansom creates an interesting plot twist around this civil and religious unrest and incorporates an intriguing development with the Book of Revelation from the Bible as the inspiration for the plot’s driving devices.
As has been the case in this series, one of the best parts of this text is that our protagonist (hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake) is such a well-drawn character. A flawed man, yet those flaws pale in comparison to his compassion and flat-out human decency. I did find the characterization of Shardlake to be a little flat in this installment compared to others, but I think that is because the lives of some of the characters that surround him were given much more attention in this book. As in any developing series, the more it goes on the more involved and robust the world of the series becomes. The relationships in this series are real, and they are encountering real problems, and it is seamlessly weaved in with a plot and storyline that will keep you turning the pages. I love that as I continue with this series more and more layers of the reoccurring characters are revealed, and they become more complex, more nuanced, and thus even more human.
As is always the case with this series the period feels real, and I felt the realities of the world of Tudor England while I was reading. I enjoy it a lot when a book creates that kind of immersive experience.
Quotes:
� “Christ said, by their fruits shall you know them, and the fruits of the faithful of both sides looked more rotten each year.�
� “The strangest matters may have a simple resolution.�
� “There are no debts between friends.�
� “…that there was little hope in the world, and a man should not be blamed for clinging on to that which he could find.�
� “But if we never acted except when we were certain our motives were pure, we would never act at all.�
� “I think that is how grief is. The hole in the world will always be there but you begin to notice other things.�
� “But we cannot always believe what suits us.�
� “Yes, I believe that humility is the greatest human virtue.�
In REVELATION the mystery at its core is interesting and Mr. Sansom does a nice job of incorporating the “reformist� and “conservative� religious issues of 1540s England seamlessly into the text.
I am looking forward to reading the last three novels in this series soon.
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Reading Progress
June 20, 2024
–
Started Reading
June 20, 2024
– Shelved
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
fiction
June 29, 2024
–
Finished Reading
