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Book Review
Jan. 17th, 2011 09:32 pmThe Serpent Garden
by Judith Merkle Riley
This fun historical novel is about Susanna Dallet, a woman trained by her father in the art of painting. When her wastrel of a husband is murdered, she takes up painting professionally to support herself, specializing in the art of miniature portraits. Her talent brings her to the attention of Cardinal Wolsey, and thus she becomes part of the Tudor court and ends up accompanying Princess Mary to France upon her marriage to Louis XII. Due to some of her husband's activities and her unwitting possession of an old manuscript, Susanna also attracts the attention of a necromancer and a secret conspiracy. Riley also weaves in some fantasy elements, with the appearance of Hadriel, an angel responsible for artistic inspiration, and Belphagor, a demon conjured up by the diabolical Septimus Crouch (what a wonderful name for a villain). Along the way, there is a slow-building romance with robert Ashton, one of Wolsey's retainers.
Riley writes with wit and a good sense of humor. Susanna is engaging and spirited, with an amusing mixture of pragmatism, wit, and artlessness. Belphagor and Hadriel provide humor and the occasional literal deus ex machina (or diabola, as it were). I loved the descriptions of the process of painting and Susanna's relationship to her art. I also liked reading a book that looked at historical people and events from the view of those who are only peripheral.
On a side note, Riley manages to do a bit of a prescient send-up of The Da Vinci Code (her book was published a few years before his).
by Judith Merkle Riley
This fun historical novel is about Susanna Dallet, a woman trained by her father in the art of painting. When her wastrel of a husband is murdered, she takes up painting professionally to support herself, specializing in the art of miniature portraits. Her talent brings her to the attention of Cardinal Wolsey, and thus she becomes part of the Tudor court and ends up accompanying Princess Mary to France upon her marriage to Louis XII. Due to some of her husband's activities and her unwitting possession of an old manuscript, Susanna also attracts the attention of a necromancer and a secret conspiracy. Riley also weaves in some fantasy elements, with the appearance of Hadriel, an angel responsible for artistic inspiration, and Belphagor, a demon conjured up by the diabolical Septimus Crouch (what a wonderful name for a villain). Along the way, there is a slow-building romance with robert Ashton, one of Wolsey's retainers.
Riley writes with wit and a good sense of humor. Susanna is engaging and spirited, with an amusing mixture of pragmatism, wit, and artlessness. Belphagor and Hadriel provide humor and the occasional literal deus ex machina (or diabola, as it were). I loved the descriptions of the process of painting and Susanna's relationship to her art. I also liked reading a book that looked at historical people and events from the view of those who are only peripheral.
On a side note, Riley manages to do a bit of a prescient send-up of The Da Vinci Code (her book was published a few years before his).
