Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
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Synopsis:
Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of the monasteries and England is full of informers. At the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control with the murder of Commissioner Robin Singleton. Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer, and his assistant are sent to investigate.
My Review:
"How men fear the chaos of the world, I thought, and the yawning eternity hereafter. So we build patterns to explain its terrible mysteries and reassure ourselves we are safe in this world and beyond."
Matthew Shardlake is a hunchback, a somewhat tormented soul who was denied the chance to be a priest because of his deformity. Instead, he became a lawyer and joined the reform movement that divided England from the Catholic Church.
As the book opens, he is called from his work to London, to visit the Vicar General under King Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell informs him he’s sent another investigator, called a “Commissioner”, to investigate irregularities at a monastery on the south coast of England. That first Commissioner has been murdered, and so Cromwell offers to send Shardlake to replace him, and in addition, find out who killed the first commissioner. Shardlake collects his assistant, Mark Poer, and so the story begins.
The novel revolves around the investigation of Shardlake and how he gets the murderer. This is a simple historical detective story, but o
n the one hand,
the book is an interesting display of the issues of the time and how Thomas Cromwell acted, the death of Anne Boleyn and whether the destruction of the monasteries was just - all of which was fascinating to read alongside the fiction.
The book is also rich with detail and filled with many characters who all have a relationship somehow to the main plot. I also appreciate the style the author uses; though famous historical figures are involved and play roles, they are not central characters. London is described from the streets mostly, not just the palace. So this is a welcome perspective.
The strongest point of the novel for me is the character of Shardlake: a devoted man to the king’s cause, even idealistic at the time despite the reader’s abhorrence at some of his blind actions in the king’s name. Before the story ends, however, Sansom reigns in his character, thus setting him up beautifully for the rest of the series.
It was easy to feel as if I was back in the 1500s with Matthew. Often it’s the little details, the snippets of real history, the day-to-day events, the food and clothes, the poverty... CJ Sansom has a real talent for those, for bringing the reader into the story by making the setting so vividly real. For throwing out little clues that send the reader on false tracks, often along with Matthew, for keeping the events wide open to the end, and keeping the reader guessing who is behind things, and why of course.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
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