Some secrets are best left buried (Company of Liars - Karen Maitland)

Member Name: Mildew82

Product:	Company of Liars - Karen Maitland
Date:	13/06/09 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fascinating and intriguing story in a realistically created world

Disadvantages: The plot is a bit slow to move in the beginning

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the subtitle - a novel of the plague. As one of those more morbid children the Black Death had always intrigued me with the tales of wracking coughs and blackened pustules on the rotting flesh of walking corpses (I hope nobody is eating dinner at the moment) and I thought, hey now's the time to relive some of those fond childhood memories.

This novel is actually set at the time the Black Death was just arriving in England in 1348 so the piles of dead bodies and Monty Python cries of "Bring Out Your Dead" had yet to occur. As a result the general atmosphere of the book begins as a small ripple of fear which gradually increases as the story progresses and the threat of the plague worsens.

The story is narrated by a trader in holy relics, scarred hideously during the Holy War but with many life experiences to make them the pinnacle character in the story. The story begins with a prologue of an unknown group of people plotting the demise of an evil witch which instantly sets the mediaeval scene by showing you the beliefs back then of the God-fearing people - a good way to whet the appetite.

With no obvious connection to the prologue which leaves you instantly intrigued, the story then continues with this trader as a lone traveller, but as the plague begins to move inland from the coasts and the trader tries to seek refuge at a pilgrimage site in North Marston, a series of seemingly coincidental events leads to this trader being accompanied by a bizarre motley crew of misfits: a conjuror, a midwife, a rune-reading girl, a musician and his young and unruly apprentice, a storyteller with one arm and a young couple on the run.

As the journey begins and the threat of the pestilence worsens, it soon becomes clear that there is an even more sinister, yet intangible danger threatening the group - one that they would all be lucky to survive.

For those of a sensitive nature you will be glad to know that this book doesn't deal with the messy details of the plague, but simply uses it as a back drop to create a heightened sense of uneasiness in both the characters and you as the reader. Although the group are never really touched by the plague they can never feel at ease due to unfortunate events which cause conflict and distrust in the group. But is someone or something masterminding the whole thing?

Secrets best left buried seem to find a way to escape with dire consequences...

This book is extremely well written and by making the story from only one perspective this allows the reader to be kept in the dark as much as the characters which allows the mystery and intrigue of the plot to remain firmly in place until the end.

Although the dialogue is written in modern English (thank God), through use of captivating description of the villages and the ways of the people and by intertwining the plot with some fascinating and entertaining stories and traditions, the world of mediaeval England is majestically brought back to life.

Conclusion

This is a subtle and intelligent, yet unnerving mystery which gradually builds up momentum as the peril the characters find themselves in intensifies. The mediaeval world is beautifully brought to life, despite the grim back drop of the Black Death and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of history or loves a good mystery.

Summary: A fascinating and unnerving story set in grim time - great for mystery lovers or history buffs