The Abbess of Whitby: A novel of Hild of Northumbria

This fictional account of the life of Hild, the Founder and abbess of Whitney, is an engrossing reading pleasure. The first two sections, and the most riveting, are almost entirely fiction as Dallaway begins Hild's story as a young girl who is chosen to be the year's Eostre maiden. As a grandniece of King Edwin, Hild lives a somewhat privileged life (privileged for that day and age) serving Queen Ethelburga. She is later married off to a hostage from the Gododden tribes who is actually a war leader. This is certainly not what she wanted but female members of the King's family did not question decisions made about whom they were to marry. The second part describes her life as the wife of this war leader and her adaptation to a new life. Although there is no historical information about Hild's early life, Dalloway depiction of life in this warlike society is vivid. She brings to life the warrior kings Edwin, Oswin, and Oswald, as well as the early Christian leaders Paulinus, Aidan, and Colman.It is in the third section, depicting Hild's life as a Christian and founder of two missions and the Abbey at Whitby, where the novel loses some of its force and vitality. It is still interesting, but it is as if Dalladay had to cover the last thirty years of Hild's life getting in all the known facts. Describing in greater detail Hild's religious development and her actual work training others would have kept the story at the same level of intensity of the first two parts. The famous Synod of Whitby where the conflict between the Roman Church and the Celtic Church came to a head also deserved more detail. However, the novel is exceptionally crafted and brings to life real people and events (the characterization of Wilfred is particularly vivid) of a tumultuous time. Readers who are knowledgeable about the time will enjoy this novel. Readers for whom the 7th century is a vast unknown should still enjoy a well told tale but might want to look up information about the kings, the religious leaders, and the events of this violent, turbulent yet fascinating age.

Great story!

This a wondrous trip through 7th century Britain accompanying Hild as she evolves from her pagen life to the role of Abbess in the early Christian Church. Excellent writing...a pleasure to read.

Great read, it makes me appreciate even more the growth of Christianity in England, and how hard the believers worked to spear the faith. I hope the author writes more on the subject.

When I saw Lion Fiction (Kregel in the US) the Publisher of Edoardo Albert's fantastic Northumbrian Thrones Series, set in seventh century England were bringing out another book about a major figure from this time, I snapped it up. I confess to a long-enduring love for the Anglo-Saxon era, and the seventh century was a golden age for the famous Kingdom of Northumbria.Whilst many other works set at this time are very masculine with an emphasis on battles, war and politics it was interesting to find a story that looks at the time from a female perspective focused on everyday life, family relationships and the management of estates.Such a woman was Hild, sometimes known as St Hilda, born to a royal Saxon father and British mother. Little is known of her early life and adulthood, before she assumed the leadership of Whitby Abbey- in its day one of the most famous religious houses of Northern England.As such, much of the novel is what I would call speculative history (based on likely circumstances of what might have been but we cannot know for certain), recounting Hild's journey through marriage, life the turbulent political circumstances of the time and place, and ultimately to faith.After her conversion, and entry into a religious house, Hild has been lauded as one of the most powerful and influential women of her time- Kings and clerics came to her for advice, and her Abbey trained men who would one day become Priests, Bishops and Missionaries- even a poet.Her story and those of her fellows are told with honesty, compassion and is compelling enough to hold the reader's interest. My only complaints were the writing style. Somehow, in the narrative passages it lacked the descriptive, almost poetic beauty of Edoardo Albert's novels which evoke Tolkien and the Epic Literature of the age, instead a rather informal conversational tone is used.At times, this resulted in language that seemed too modern for the time, and certain turns of phrase which might have been unique to Northern England which might pass over readers from other backgrounds. I did spot a few anachronisms, and in places the writing seemed a little 'rushed', and I found myself reading passages again as within a sentence or two the characters would love to a different room, place or situation. Sometimes it could be hard to keep up.However, the author's note suggests that much sound research had gone into the story, so maybe what felt like a lack of a 'sense of period' in some parts can be put down to personal opinion.Aside from the above, this book had many positives. It is a wonderful spiritual biography of one of the most important women in Early Medieval Christian Britain. I would certainly recommend to any interested in women's history or this fascinating, formative era of England's past.I requested a copy of this book from the publisher in the hope of reading and reviewing it. I was not required to write a positive one an all opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this novel about Hild, she lead an amazing life from handmaiden to the Queen, to a warriors wife, then Abbess at a time when christianity was just gaining a foot hold in Britain. It's a fascinating red on so many levels, but what was most inedible was the influence Hild had in the early church, teaching men who would become monks and priests, advising Kings as well as supervising a religious community. At the end of the novel Hild witnesses the start of the divide between those like Wilfred who use faith to court wealth and influence, and those who see faith as a simpler more human endevour. I highly recommend this novel, and I am going to look for other books about HIld.

I enjoyed this book and appreciate the imagination that went into it. I found the 'family tree' useful as I couldn't always keep track of who was who and the indication of fictional characters (in italics) was helpful. For some reason I thought that Hild and Cuthbert were more closely linked than this book seems to suggest, but my knowledge of the specifics of history is not great. All in all, an enjoyable and informative read,

Gave it as Christmas present tomy wife.

This 'novel' can't make up its mind whether it's a history book or a novel and ends up being neither, much. Too many minor characters, all 2-dimensional at best, a lot of conjecture, it's really pretty useless. I found it unreadable.

Very interesting novel deffo worth a read