Wednesday 19 June 2019

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden




This book was published in the late 60's.  I was reminded of it by Carol of Journey –and-Destination who contributed her post about it to Books You Loved: March.

I had a feeling that I had read it but I'm so glad I got it from the library.  The writing was just so good.  It is a story about a widow who joins an enclosed order of nuns – Benedictines.

I've always been fascinated about how contemplative orders work and this novel satisfies that curiosity while being interesting on many other levels.

You don't need to be religious to enjoy this book.  The characters are well drawn and the challenges they face are realistic – they just happen to be in a monastery (not a convent).

Give it a go.  I'm now ordering some of her other books from the library.  She wrote more than 60!

3 comments:

  1. I read this many, many years ago - I guess around the time it came out - and I remember it with pleasure. It is one that I would like to read again, also, but then there's that lengthy TBR list waiting for me.

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  2. Hi Carole, good to hear you enjoyed re-reading it. I really liked the fact that all her characters had to struggle with challenges common to people in everyday life even though they were cloistered. In fact, being in a monastery amplified their problems.

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  3. Years ago someone put this novel in my hands and told me I had to read it. I did and loved it too. I plan to read more!

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