Testament / Alis Hawkins

From the publisher's site:

Salster, England, 1385

Master mason Simon of Kineton is building his magnum opus: a great college to rival any in England.

But the Bishop of Salster, hostile to free education, is determined to sabotage Simon’s project.

When rumours spread that the mason's son is cursed, the bishop sees an opportunity to undermine both Simon and the college.

And everything Simon has worked so hard for could end up crumbling down around him…

Salster, 2019

Damia Miller has been employed to promote penniless Kineton and Dacre college.

Delving into the college’s history, she becomes captivated by the vast grotesque painting that has recently been uncovered during renovations.

It soon becomes clear to Damia that the painting holds the key to the past – a past which could reveal exactly what she’s been searching for…

This novel has some truly beautiful and touching prose passages, and the dialogues are masterfully written. Its structure, with chapters alternating between timelines, each throwing light upon the other, works very well. I found the scenes set in the late 14th century more affecting and the characters better developed, perhaps owing to the more sober tone adopted by the author. By contrast, the modern-day sections are weighed down by what feel like superfluous side-plots and the irksomely busybodyish protagonist's life suffers from an overabundance of drama, making for a sluggish narrative. Despite these minor qualms, I believe this reissue (the novel was originally published in 2008) acts as a timely reminder of the power of community in facing conflicts and differences.

I received an electronic copy of this novel from the publisher, Sapere Books, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rating: ***