Diana Norman
Hardcover | Pages: 284 pages Rating: 4.22 | 55 Users | 8 Reviews
List Books Supposing Fitzempress' Law
| Original Title: | Fitzempress' Law |
| ISBN: | 0312294190 (ISBN13: 9780312294199) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Chronicle As Books Fitzempress' Law
FITZEMPRESS’ LAW (Hist/Mys/TT-Len, Pete, Sal-England-Cont/1100s) – G+Norman, Diana (aka Ariana Franklin) – 1st novel
St. Martin’s Press, 1980, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312294190
First Sentence: “Whassat?”
Three contemporary teens set upon an elderly woman who curses them that they must use the law to save their souls. An accident results with their bodies lying in a coma in hospital while their souls have been transported back to the time of Henry II (Fitzempress).
Len, an orphan, is now Aluric, a peasant with an eccentric mother, finds himself drawn to education and wanting to become a monk. Pete, always the follower, is now Sr. Roger of Mardleybury, a knight who has been cheated out of his father’s land. Sal, forgotten in her divorced parents moving on with their lives, is Hawise, whose betrothal broken and is being forced, against her will, to take the vows of a nun.
While this book involves both time travel and a mystery, it is primarily a novel about the challenges of living during the 12th Century during the time of Henry II. At that aspect of the story, Norman/Franklin excels.
The author’s descriptions are vivid and real. This is a time when superstition, paganism and the Church rule the lives of the people and murder of Beckett is laid at Henry’s feet as the reason for anything going wrong. The injustices against the poor, the Jews and, in fact, anyone who has less power and/or money than someone else are starkly depicted, but not without humor and humanity.
The characters, in their past lives, are fully-dimensional with the backstories of those characters. We learn more about Len and Pete than we do Sal, but each is interesting and involving.
What does not work as well, for me, is the time-travel from the aspect that the characters have no transitional issues acclimating to the medieval time or language or that they give very little thought to their past. The biggest issue I have, however, is with the very end of the book, which is abrupt and, in some ways, makes no sense with the rest of the story.
I enjoyed the book; I loved the realism, the history and that Henry is shown for all the innovations he made in law that have impacted our lives today. This was her first book and she certainly has come a long way from here to “Mistress of the Art of Death,” and “The Serpent’s Tale” so perhaps I shouldn’t be too harsh. If you can overlook the weaknesses, it is well worth reading.
Be Specific About About Books Fitzempress' Law
| Title | : | Fitzempress' Law |
| Author | : | Diana Norman |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 284 pages |
| Published | : | January 1st 1980 by St. Martin's Press |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Fantasy. Mystery. European Literature. British Literature |
Rating About Books Fitzempress' Law
Ratings: 4.22 From 55 Users | 8 ReviewsCriticism About Books Fitzempress' Law
FITZEMPRESS LAW (Hist/Mys/TT-Len, Pete, Sal-England-Cont/1100s) G+Norman, Diana (aka Ariana Franklin) 1st novelSt. Martins Press, 1980, US Hardcover ISBN: 0312294190First Sentence: Whassat?Three contemporary teens set upon an elderly woman who curses them that they must use the law to save their souls. An accident results with their bodies lying in a coma in hospital while their souls have been transported back to the time of Henry II (Fitzempress). Len, an orphan, is now Aluric, a peasantI really enjoyed this! Will have to find more of her books.One of the things that I thought was quietly funny was how the knights when talking together sounded like Bertie Wooster or Lord Peter Wimsey.
A book that transports 3 young reprobates back to the time of Henry II in order to make amends using his law.An unusual book that I very much enjoyed. I like a bit of time travel and so this book didn't disappoint. The detail in the book about living in the 12th century was excellent, and although it was detailed it wasn't too much. It covered from living as a lowly serf right up to the day to day life of a king. This book makes history come alive.I will add that this book is very difficult to
This book is mainly historical fiction--about life in the medieval world and about the changes and outright reforms that King Henry II of England instituted in the 1200s--with only the teeniest possible bit of fantasy thrown in to get three modern teenagers sent back to the thirteenth century. They each end up in very different situations which teach them something about themselves and the world, one an impoverished peasant, one a wealthy knight, and one a young lady struggling to have some
I found this book in a public library in a city I was staying in for a couple of months. I read it a couple of times, and never ran into it again, but have always remembered it. Recently I found it in the local public library system -- and found that the author has written many more books, and even more under another name, oh joy!I finished Fitzempress's Law today. I've always loved history, and good historical fiction has been my gateway to many of my favorite periods. Len, Sally, and Pete
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.British journalist Diana Norman also writes as Ariana Franklin.Born Mary Diana Narracott, she grew up first in London and then in Devon, where her mother took her to escape the blitz. At the age of 15, she left school, but with journalism in her background (her father hadFITZEMPRESS LAW (Hist/Mys/TT-Len, Pete, Sal-England-Cont/1100s) G+Norman, Diana (aka Ariana Franklin) 1st novelSt. Martins Press, 1980, US Hardcover ISBN: 0312294190First Sentence: Whassat?Three contemporary teens set upon an elderly woman who curses them that they must use the law to save their souls. An accident results with their bodies lying in a coma in hospital while their souls have been transported back to the time of Henry II (Fitzempress). Len, an orphan, is now Aluric, a peasant
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