I think the writing of Ariana Franklin was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading this story. All of these things figure extremely prominently in this novel and I enjoyed reading how a man who was already a legend at this time was still having an effect on political and personal lives throughout this country.Īfter becoming acquainted with the characters in this novel I will actively look for the other books in the series. The story also weaves in the legend of King Arthur and how he might have died, where he might be buried and what happened to his magic sword, Excalibur. By the end of the story Henry II was instituting sweeping changes by introducing judges, juries, and traveling courts to hear cases from the lowliest peasant to the loftiest nobleman. The champion remaining alive after the battle represents the winner of the legal case. We begin with legal rights being determined by mortal combat.
I especially enjoyed this novel from the standpoint of watching the legal system of England undergo significant changes through the forward thinking of this monarch. And besides, how else were we as readers supposed to feel sympathy for this woman while also remaining interested in the perils she was encountering? Perhaps her character was written with just a touch too much "modern" woman for me, but I do understand that she could not possibly perform the functions of the novel's main character without stepping outside her time period in many situations. Then let them believe that, Adelia would just work around that problem. People wanted to believe that Mansur was the doctor simply because of his gender. Even having to hide her abilities because she was a woman did not slow her down for very long and she was adept at turning situations to her favor with her insight into human nature. I enjoyed Adelia with her passion for using science and truth to solve mysteries. Although the king wanted the truth to be found, he certainly would have been pleased to have the truth become a weapon for his political use.
Was it possible that King Arthur and Guinevere had been buried at Glastonbury Abbey? Henry needed for these bones to belong to Arthur and Quinevere to help quiet the Welsh uprisings he was having to fight. Fortunately for Adelia the King had already accepted her knowledge and her vocation and had no problems with calling her in to help solve the mystery of two skeletons found buried in the same coffin. Consequently Adelia Aguilar kept up the pretense that her Arab attendant, Mansur, was the doctor and she was his translator. This book was also published with the title "Relics of the Dead".Įngland of 1176 under the rule of King Henry II was not a time when a woman was accepted as a doctor.
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