Reviews of Plague of a Green Man by Readers
Review by Bishop Ed Little (Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana)
I’ve just finished Plague of a Green Man. What a delightful book! The characters are well-drawn – good guys and bad guys alike; Edmund and Brandon suitably odious, for example, and Friar Francis and Eric wonderfully positive – and the plot quite engaging. Of course it was great fun to meet the younger Lady Apollonia and her household, and to get the “back story” that was hinted at in the earlier book. The plot kept me wondering what’s next and who was really to blame, so the book succeeded as a mystery as well as a description of life in the 14th Century.
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Review by Kitty Clark
I read Plague of a Green Man with absolute delight! I am awed by the characterizations — each important person stands out so clearly in his or her own self, and the ability to reproduce the dialect is an important part of who the person is. This is truly a gift! The plot has so many dimensions, each of which feeds into and makes stronger the on-going story of Lady Apollonia and her affinity! Of course I particularly enjoyed the construction of the family chapel. Even the architect stands out for the person he is. I loved his interactions with the Lady Apollonia – a devoted and knowledgeable patron he couldn’t help trusting and admiring. They were the perfect team!
But what was so satisfying was how each of the subplots worked out with its own justice, each death the consequence of the choices that had gone before. I liked the glimpse you gave of ecclesiastical justice as it worked out in the Chapter, with the Dean and Canons and local Sheriff all in cooperation — and yet ecclesiastical law overruling in the matter of sanctuary, even for the guilty. And of course, romantic that I am, I enjoyed getting to know Apollonia’s husband, Edward, and seeing how good their marriage was. Their love and delight, each in the other and in their lives lived consciously in God’s own grace — a blessing for them, and for their household!
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Comments by Nancy Becker
I enjoyed this as much as the first one. Great characters, great narrative, and I learned much about the 14th century!
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Comments by Joan Walter
I just finished “Plague of a Green Man”, and enjoyed it so much. A great tale–and I’m looking forward to the next one. I love Lady Apollonia!!
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Excerpts from review by the Rev. Jim Mitchell in the Hoosier Parson, Vol. 5, No. 2:
Plague of a Green Man is the second of Foster’s novels tracing the adventures of a redoubtable 14th century woman, Lady Apollonia, a member of the minor nobility, and an accomplished business woman. She and her husband have moved from the village of Aust on the border of Wales to the cathedral town of Exeter where they find themselves threatened by a plot against the cathedral and its clergy. As the story unfolds we meet a grave digger, a Pardoner, members of the weaving trade and members of the clergy working at the cathedral. We get an honest but sympathetic look at life in medieval England.
Foster doesn’t romanticize her characters. She has done extensive historical research much of which focused on Exeter and the cathedral where she served for several years as a docent.
Like all mysteries, Plague of a Green Man must be judged on its capacity to involve our sympathies and hold our attention: it passes those tests with flying colors. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.