Author: Penelope Wilcock
Published: September 27, 2015
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction
One year after book 3 ends, the monks at St. Alcuin's are waiting for their new Abbott, Father John, to arrive. While they wait, they busily work to prepare for the upcoming Easter season, which will bring hundreds of guests to the monastery.
John's arrival starts a period of adjustment for everyone within the walls of St. Alcuin's, especially for John himself. Formerly the infirmary man of the monastery, he finds himself struggling with the transition from healer to his new position of authority.
Just as things are beginning to settle down, an old enemy from the priory's past, Prior William of St. Dunstan's, knocks at the door in need of help. The wounds from his feud with their former leader, Father Peregrine, still sting. Can the monks inside set aside their feelings of hatred and help a fellow brother in need?
I was not at all familiar with The Hawk and The Dove Series before I opened this novel, so I didn't have much to form an initial opinion on. Based on the description on the back cover, I assumed that this was going to be another medieval story featuring monks, knights, and pretty women in distress. I was surprised to find that was not the case in The Hardest Thing to Do. The novel chronicles the daily lives of the monks who live within the wall of St. Alcuin's Monastery. While this aspect was charming, it was also one of the novel's downfalls for me. First, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. Thankfully, Ms. Wilcock includes a guide with the names of all the characters throughout the series. I did, however, find myself checking in the front of the book to remember which character does what. Second, the daily actions of the various brothers sometimes distracted from the main plot. The central plot itself was great, but I found myself getting bored in places, because the story kept sidetracking. I will concede, that these subplots were probably necessary, because in each case the monks share what they find to be the hardest thing to do in life, adding to the overall theme.
My favorite part of the novel was the message of forgiveness and love. Unfortunately,our sinful natures make this very hard for us to do. However, the Bible is very clear on the matter. Jesus says in Matthew 18:21-22, "Then Peter came and said to him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'" This means that there should be no limit to the amount of times that we forgive someone for wronging us. The Bible is also clear on the matter of showing love to those around us. Matthew 22:39 says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." I think this passage is pretty clear. Show love to others. Be kind and compassionate. It was nice to be reminded of these important points alongside the monks of St. Alcuin's. Forgiveness and showing love aren't always on the forefront of my thinking, but reading this novel brought them back into focus for me, and I hope it will for you who choose to read it too.
Kaylee says:
One year after book 3 ends, the monks at St. Alcuin's are waiting for their new Abbott, Father John, to arrive. While they wait, they busily work to prepare for the upcoming Easter season, which will bring hundreds of guests to the monastery.
John's arrival starts a period of adjustment for everyone within the walls of St. Alcuin's, especially for John himself. Formerly the infirmary man of the monastery, he finds himself struggling with the transition from healer to his new position of authority.
Just as things are beginning to settle down, an old enemy from the priory's past, Prior William of St. Dunstan's, knocks at the door in need of help. The wounds from his feud with their former leader, Father Peregrine, still sting. Can the monks inside set aside their feelings of hatred and help a fellow brother in need?
I was not at all familiar with The Hawk and The Dove Series before I opened this novel, so I didn't have much to form an initial opinion on. Based on the description on the back cover, I assumed that this was going to be another medieval story featuring monks, knights, and pretty women in distress. I was surprised to find that was not the case in The Hardest Thing to Do. The novel chronicles the daily lives of the monks who live within the wall of St. Alcuin's Monastery. While this aspect was charming, it was also one of the novel's downfalls for me. First, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. Thankfully, Ms. Wilcock includes a guide with the names of all the characters throughout the series. I did, however, find myself checking in the front of the book to remember which character does what. Second, the daily actions of the various brothers sometimes distracted from the main plot. The central plot itself was great, but I found myself getting bored in places, because the story kept sidetracking. I will concede, that these subplots were probably necessary, because in each case the monks share what they find to be the hardest thing to do in life, adding to the overall theme.
My favorite part of the novel was the message of forgiveness and love. Unfortunately,our sinful natures make this very hard for us to do. However, the Bible is very clear on the matter. Jesus says in Matthew 18:21-22, "Then Peter came and said to him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'" This means that there should be no limit to the amount of times that we forgive someone for wronging us. The Bible is also clear on the matter of showing love to those around us. Matthew 22:39 says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." I think this passage is pretty clear. Show love to others. Be kind and compassionate. It was nice to be reminded of these important points alongside the monks of St. Alcuin's. Forgiveness and showing love aren't always on the forefront of my thinking, but reading this novel brought them back into focus for me, and I hope it will for you who choose to read it too.
Kaylee says:
If you're looking for outstanding monk fiction, also try The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Or at least watch the Sean Connery film version. :-)
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