a morbid taste for bones by ellis peters

Winifred, currently buried in Wales.Īs a native of Wales, Cadfael is selected to go with the monks to exhume Winifred’s body. The Abbey’s reputation is diminished because it is without a major relic, and, after a seeming miracle, seeks to take the bones of St. The novel follows Brother Cadfael, a monk of Shrewsbury Abbey in 1137.

However, based on the television series, I was expecting more of a focus on the mystery. That is NOT a bad thing–I’ve lost track of how many mysteries I’ve read over the years but this might be the only book centered on Wales. With Gil Mayo, the series was comic but the books were solemn.Ī Morbid Taste for Bones felt like its priorities were first in describing the intricacies of 12th-century Welsh society, second in describing the Welsh landscape, third in religious details of English monasteries, and fourth in developing the mystery. Once again, the books weren’t bad but had a different feel than the tv series. Morbid Taste for Bones: The First Chronicle of Brother Cadfael.Again, I feel like a philistine but, in a weird way, it’s almost gratifying that this can happen more than once–I liked the television show more than the books. This book beautifully unifies the original plot with the contemporary history in a way that does not seem inapproriate.Įllis, Peters. It further referes to rivalry and hatred between Welsh, Normans as well as Saxons and also highlights Crusades in its historical perspective.

Time and again, it is illustrated that acquisition of relics is not to honor the plea of the saint but it is motivated by Prior Robert’s craving to consolidate his political power. It further manifests the political power that Church holds in the lives of the people and how they ploy to augment and expand their power. Peters clearly illustrates the effect of this power struggle for the throne on the common folks of England and Wales.Peters does not directly refers to this struggle but characters converse the course of this event and its effect on them. The movement of the plot takes place against the background of civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud. Peters set the story in the historical perspective of 12th century and correlates the socio-cultural, political and economic milieu of the contemporary era with the major thematic expression of the story. The whole story revolves around his efforts for the acquisition of bones from a village in Wales. His assertion about the unhappiness due to indifferent attitude of the local Welsh people and wish for reposition compels the monastery’s head to set an expedition to bring the relics of the saint.Īs Cadfael is a master of all trades and a Welsh native, so he is chosen by the monastic authorities for this excursion.

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A morbid taste for bones by ellis peters