Company of Liars by Karen Maitland Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Company of Liars
Book Review: An Interesting Ensemble of Characters...
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Touted as a "dazzling reinterpretation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales", this book does not live up to that hype. It does, however, present an interesting ensemble tale of characters who are thrown together by circumstances and need each other to survive. Each one has a secret to hide; each one eventually is forced to reveal that secret - sometimes with dire consequences. The story is narrated by an individual, Camelot, who ties all the threads of the tale together. Each travelers' tale is sufficiently memorable; even though there are nine main characters, the reader will remember each as an individual.
The book is well written, although not particularly compelling. The language is picturesque and intelligent. The narrative moves well, and there is enough intrigue to keep one interested and wanting to continue reading. Nevertheless, the book does not inspire an emotional response in the reader, which is one of the primary reasons I rated the book 4 stars.
Additionally, the final chapters which deal with the character, Camelot, seem to be out of context and at odds with the ensemble nature of the story. Throughout the book, Camelot acts as the narrator, but is rarely the reader's focal point. Highlighting Camelot at the book's conclusion feels disingenuous. The twist, if it can be called that, is distracting and disappointing.
This book is worth reading, but don't expect it to be great literature. Canterbury Tales, it isn't...
Book Review: An engrossing mind game! A Highly Recommended Read.
Summary: 5 Stars
Now I am a great fan of historical fiction but have been a bit averse to the genre because most tell the stories of kings, princesses, and prostitutes with very campy romantic plots that have been recycled and overused to the point of it being absolutely unbearable to those who are looking for a bit more variety in their historical fictions.
Well with Karen Maitland's Company of Liars, I've at last found a book that I simply cannot recommend highly enough.
This novel is completely driven by enigmatic and likable characters (enough with the prostitute with the heart of gold bit!). Needless to say, nobody gets embroiled in a passionate and forbidden love affair, nor are there prostitutes to be delivered into the arms of merry monarchs after a life of misery and suffering. Instead, readers are transported to 14th century England to the time of the Black Plague as nine desperate strangers attempt to escape death as it inexorably surrounds them. We follow this group of strangers across their travels throughout countrysides and villages as the readers truly get a sense of the time and period as lived by people gripped by the plague (Ain't that refreshing? A historical period not described through the eyes of a princess or prostitute but just ordinary, simple folk). Truly, what made this book a true gem are the characters. We have nine strangers with distinct and believable personas (yes there is a young girl who can seemingly predict the future but this trait only adds to the unexpected 'creepy' factor in this novel as she is not your average 'helpless, young, blonde peasant') and the mix of the bunch as the plot twists and turns is what makes this a real page-turner.
Additionally, it was hard to say where the story was gonna go. All we are given at the beginning is that this rag-tag group is trying to escape the plague.... and as you read on you genuinely do start to care about each character (even the horrid, nasty one(s)). As one gets absorbed with the struggles that the group of travellers face, readers also become familiar with each character bit by bit. A process that I truly relished and enjoyed as Maitland writes ever so vividly but without exaggeration. The dialogue between characters and description of settings are very readable- Maitland is very straight-forward with her words without feeling the need to romanticize every paragraph. If you read the first chapter of the book here on Amazon, the voice and pace of the story stays true throughout the book (I cannot tell you how many novels I have bought because I loved the opening chapter- only to have the author's narrative voice and pace sag after the 3rd or 4th chapter). However you do have to ask yourself why you would want to read a book set in this time period? Is it to learn more about the plague? Or is it to get absorbed in a wonderful fictional story contained in such a setting. Some reviewers did not like this book because of a historical factual slip or two but really it is the characters and their story within the backdrop of the plague that makes this book a winner. Who cares if one little event mentioned in passing by the author didn't actually happen when the author said it did? It had zero consequences on the plot and lives of the characters. There are more exciting and unsettling things going on with the story to be bothered by an inconsequential slip.
However a word of caution: As one settles into the story, the reader must not forget what this book is called: COMPANY OF LIARS.... yes, and when a story is this good with characters so well written- I almost forgot that there is plenty of deception going on, but what about and why? For the most part we have the leader of the group doing most of the narration- a very likable central figure... and as he tells the story and others in the group tell theirs as well, it is a little bit unnerving and quite the psychological delight to try and guess what the lies being told are and for what purpose? As soon as you decide which characters you like and which you don't.... and the creepy little girl starts to give hints as to what may be going on.... and a single sentence gives you a hint that a character you adore may not be what he seems.... it's this VERY SUBTLE and yet ensnaring mind-game that makes this book a must-read and a page-turner in every sense of the word.
Book Review: An engrossing read
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
"Company of Liars" concerns a dangerous voyage and a group of mysterious strangers bound together by foes seen and unseen, superstition, and fear. It is an absolutely gripping read, right up to the satisfyingly chilling ending, and leaves you wanting more.
A peddler of faux religious artifacts carries a secret across the English countryside, running from fearsome pestilence and disease as The Black Death invades the land. In short order the peddler takes up with a motley crew of other displaced persons, including a strange child and her nursemaid, a magician, a storyteller, a young couple, an apprentice musician and his master. Each and every one of them carries a secret, each more terrible than the last. As they travel towards an uncertain future, their secrets are slowly revealed to us, sometimes with disastrous consequences. And as they travel, they all have stories to tell.
I enjoyed the multiple layers of intertwined mysteries. While some are obvious, others are more surprising. The stories of the individual characters are all fairly well-developed, and all have distinct, individual voices. In at least one case, the character's secret is foreshadowed by the manner of speaking the author uses. It's extremely subtle but quite recognizable.
The tale has a fantastic sense of place and time. The damp and cold, the decaying houses and roads, the noise, the filth, and the fear are all tangible. There is an appendix discussing some of the ancient words used in the book, but it's not really necessary, as their meanings are generally clear from context.
Karen Maitland has a new fan!
Book Review: An interesting story with compelling and mysterious characters
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This novel takes place in 1348 England, when the Black Plague is just starting to spread through the country. An elder camelot (peddler), accustomed to travelling alone, is joined by other travellers trying to escape the Plague (or to otherwise escape). And so it is that a company of nine travel together and work together to catch or buy food and avoid the hazards of the road (thieves, sickness, etc.) together.
Each traveler has a huge secret and, as the company come to know and trust one another more, the secrets eventually come out. How will each person's secret affect how the other travellers will see him or her?
These characters are, for the most part, richly drawn and the story told very well. Since historical fiction and, in particular, medieval England are not my usual cup of tea, I will admit to being just slightly annoyed by the language. There is, thankfully, a glossary at the back, which helps with most of the unfamiliar words used in the story. There are also an interesting few pages of historical notes at the back.
When I read the first several pages, I thought "Oh no, I've made a mistake." But, as I kept reading, I was absolutely captured by the story, the characters and the deadly time in which it all takes place. The story is a bit of everything--dark and sad, playful and sweet, even a bit romantic--but it is all so richly woven into the story that I found it to be a good balance.
Definitely recommended.
Book Review: Band On The Run
Summary: 4 Stars
I've never thought of myself as a Medievalist per se, but I'm having to rethink that. I've always been and always will be intrigued by stories that take place in Europe during the plague. So when I caught glimpse of a press release announcing the publication of "Company of Liars" by Karen Maitland my interest was definitely <em>piqued.</em> That means I ran out and bought it immediately. I'm serious, two hours after reading the press release I was curled up on the sofa with the book in my hands, and I wasn't disappointed.
As other reviewers have explained the story well, I won't re-hash it. I did enjoy the concept of this (sometimes) unwilling group of strangers banding together to try and outrun the plague. The History Channel refers to the Dark Ages as "600 years of degenerate, godless, inhuman behavior" (best definition ever!) and after enjoying "Company of Liars" I'm inclined to agree. I liked Ms. Maitland's writing style, her storytelling skills did a great job transporting me to the bleak and dank countryside where it rains day and night, mystery rules, and modern medicine is a long way off.