The Oblate's Confession

By William Peak

The Dark Ages, England: a warrior gives his son to a monastery that rides the border between two rival Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Growing up in a land wracked by war and plague, the child learns of the oath that binds him to the church and forces a cruel choice upon him. To love one father, he must betray another. The decision he makes shatters his world and haunts him forever. This quietly exotic novel places us compellingly in another time, another place, where chieftains fear holy men, holy men fear the world, and prayer has the primal force of fire. While entirely a work of fiction, the novel's background is historically accurate. In the midst of a tale that touches the human in all of us, readers will find themselves treated to a history of the Dark Ages unlike anything available today outside of textbooks and original source material.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9780990460893

Reviews for The Oblate's Confession

[thetruebookaddict · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm so conflicted about this book. On one hand, I have to admit to being fascinated by monastic life. Those who choose that way of life have always been deeply interesting to me. To have that much devotion to your faith is amazing to me. However, an oblate is donated to the church by his family so, in a sense, did not choose that life. It is from this knowledge that much of Winwaed's behavior is understood. And yet, he is still so devoted to his faith in the end that he feels the deep need to confess a sin that the less religiously devout would probably not bat an eyelash at. So this is what I liked about the book. These realizations about faith and the motivations of God's monastic servants.

Unfortunately, I did find the reading a bit slow. Winwaed tended to go on and on about a lot that didn't seem relevant and his internal monologue could be droning at times. I feel like the book could have benefited from having more prominently present characters. I realize that the story is largely about how Winwaed finds in The Hermit (Gwynedd) a father figure and mentor and that was an aspect of the book I found touching. But I just found myself wishing for a little more action, I guess.

This is the author's debut novel and by no means do I dissuade anyone from reading it. It is definitely worth a read. Just be warned that if you're looking for a lot of action, you won't find it. This book is meant to be a more sober, contemplative read which, in itself, is not always a bad thing.

[cdvicarage · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I expected - and wanted - to like this book: it's set in a period of history and a place that interests me, and the book itself as a physical object is lovely - well printed and designed and easy to hold as you read, but...The writing is beautiful and lyrical but I found I couldn't see beyond it - it got in the way of the story, which went on far too long and I didn't really finish it but gave up and skipped to the last few chapters.

[lschwarzman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The accolades were well deserved. I found myself reading The Oblate’s Confession very slowly, not because it is a difficult book to read, but because it is so beautifully written and so lush with details I had to savor it. The book is filled with lessons that Winwaed learned throughout his life. Among my favorites were the story of the chestnut that AElfhelm wore around his neck, and Gwynedd’s lesson on how to pray. Both of these, among others, I found myself re-reading because they were so touching, I wanted to be sure I didn’t miss any of the nuances. Needless to say, if you are a fan of historical fiction with a religious or church theme, you will love this book. If you just like to read a good story, you will love this book. I highly recommend it. Be ready to be lost in beautiful prose that will arouse a multitude of emotions before you reach the end.

[medievalgirl-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Alright, I admit I am slightly obsessed with the early Anglo-Saxon period, and any book in the Christian Fiction genre set in seventh century England is likely stir up a childish excitement and delight upon discovery.
On seeing this book mentioned amongst others in an article that demonstrated how the medieval period is becoming an increasingly popular setting in said genre, I decided it was time to read.

I expected- well I’m not sure- maybe not a sweeping epic- I did read the synopsis after all. There were many positives- the realistic account of life in the early period of monasticism, the struggles of Bishops and senior clerics involved trying to play the political game. Beautiful and evocative descriptions of the landscape and watching the young Winwead grow to manhood. Readers may appreciate the descriptions of the monastic lifestyle from the perspective of a bright boy who was given no choice over his vocation, and sometimes struggles with its strictures, and the impact wrought upon the only home he knows by the actions of others.

However, for a book that derives its title from the sinful act that the protagonist is supposed to have committed, it just seemed to take a long time to get around to mentioning and exploring it, and seemed to drag in places, with whole chapters devoted to relatively minor incidents, or occurrences that seemed to have little significance and lead nowhere. Thus the impression is given of the story jumping around rather a lot – I’m not sure whether maybe this was meant to be symptomatic of the child’s perspective of the world- quickly losing interest, and following curiosity. Also, though generally well-researched there seemed to be a few lapses into overly modern speech- though maybe this was intended- and I’m not sure all the details were entirely accurate.

The other issue was some of the religious content. Now I appreciate that the man who became Winwead’s mentor Gwynedd (pronounced Gwyn-eth) was an ascetic and something of a mystic- but I’m pretty sure Jesus never told his followers to empty their minds when they pray, and the book seemed to be drawing rather too much on the works of much later contemplatives.
For the conservative Protestant reader, some of the religious ideas put across would seem to verge on heterodoxy- and the scene in which Gwynedd starts levitating was just plain- freaky- the almost matter of fact way in which it is reported adding to the general oddness.

For those of the above religious tradition, this novel may not appeal. For this who like stories set in monasteries, or a decent coming of age tale I would recommend. I just seem to prefer my Anglo-Saxon fiction to be focused on the movers and shakers of history and the wider world, but although sometimes plodding, I would say The Oblate’s Confession is worth reading once.

I recieved an electronic version of this book free from Netgalley for review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are ny own.

[berndm-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I love historic novels. But the language of this book didn´t took me back in time. As for me it seems that the author has transplated a person from our century back in Anglo-Saxon times. I don´t mind this if it is novel about action and suspense, but I am afraid that this wasn´t the intention of Mr. Peak. I assume he wanted to show the inner conflict of a human being in those days. But for me this didn´t work in this book.I received it as an early reviewer copy and my sense of duty let me finish the book. Next I will start a book by Bernard Cornwell, an author who knows to tell a story that fascinates the reader.I give this book two stars because the author did a good research on historical facts.

[eheinlen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was well-written, but not my type of book.

[mishker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young boy is given to Redestone monastery in 7th century England. Winwaed's father has made a promise during the war that his next born son would go to God, so Winwaed is donated at a young age. As the country encounters wars, plagues and political upheaval, Winwaed watches from the confines of the monastery grounds. As he grown Winwaed earns the position as the one to climb a nearby mountain to deliver supplies to a monk who has decided to live as a hermit. The hermit becomes a father figure to Winwaed, teaching him about nature and deep prayer. Winwaed begins to enjoy his trips up the mountain. When Winwaed's biological father arrives at the monastery, Winwaed becomes torn. His father delights him with stories of war and his mother; then he asks Winwaed to pray for the fall of another at the monastery. Winwaed becomes confused and begins to question his life. Written as a confession from the perspective of a young boy, Winwaed's perspective becomes a window into life in the Dark Ages, written with a simplistic beauty that brought to life the everyday workings of a monastery. Through Winwaed's sin of questioning his religion, he is forced to write his confession, which becomes an autobiography of his time at Redestone. Since Winwaed is looking back on his childhood, the writing has a wonderful sense of nostalgia. One of the first scenes, when Winwaed is first dropped off at the monastery and a Brother makes a snowman with Winwaed to comfort him, drew me in with. His time spent with the hermit was also endearing and provided some of my favorite parts of the story. Through his time at the monastery, Winwaed lives through many events, written with historical accuracy, Winwaed recounts surviving a plague, the rise and fall of Kings and Queens and the impacts of the political upheaval on the monastery and the nearby town. Though this story takes place in a monastery, there is actually not an overbearing religious tone, which I am glad for. Also, since the writing is from Winwaed's perspective, simply recounting the facets of his life, there is no huge climax or large mystery, but rather just the examination of his life and what has caused Winwaed to question his teachings.This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

...a treasure! 'a bright place full of color' even in the darkest hour!Set during 7th Century England when Christianity is finding a foothold in England. When different groups of monks hold differing attitudes. A world where Christianity and ancient beliefs clash. A small boy, Winwaed, is given to a Monastery straddling two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.A world where the power of spirits and prayer is primal, unfettered by the rationalism of today. We begin with the oblate as an old man retelling his story, giving his confession. We never know to whom. We don't know the oblates name until sometime into the story. That's all part of the mystery.We see the world through his eyes as a small child. This is fascinating and powerful stuff. We see first hand life in the Monastery; we see the confusion of learning to live and work in silence, Winwaed's growing relationship with the hermit , his meeting a young girl. All heady interactions.Later we see Winwaed's understanding of the world influenced by the revelations of his father. This brings conflict for Winwaed. Whom should he believe, his natural father or his monastic fathers? After all he has known and trusted the latter for longer than the fleeting moments he is given with his real father. And yet the serpent of uncertainty enters Winwaed's garden of Redetone.The story is littered with precious moments of contact with the hermit. Moments that we see through the child Winwaeds's eyes and, and moments when the dialogue shifts so that we see Winwaed seeing himself as a child and then as the adult recounting theses experiences through the medium of his confession. Moments like viewing Redestone from above and understanding what that encompasses. Moments when he and through him, we, can smell the dankness of the Forest and hear the buzz of the bees or the yip of the fox, or feel the warmth of the sun. That special experience of looking as directed by the hermit at prayer as part of the river Meolch's flow, a focusing meditative coming into being. We see that. At that time the child cannot.This is an amazing recounting of monastic life that delves into the nature of God and of prayer and of our very human responses to both. The story pulls you in and captures life in such a telling way that you the reader seamlessly become part and parcel of the life reflected.The Oblate's Confession is an unexpected gift.A NetGalley ARC

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a very different type of book and it’s one of those books you are either going to love or hate. I happened to love it. This period in history fascinates me – there is not much known so I have a world of respect for an author who can build a rich story out of little snippets. It was a time when Christianity is just starting to take hold in England and its tenets are sometimes at odds with the “old ways.”Young Winwaed has been donated to the Monastery by his father in a burst of enthusiasm in a run up to a battle. It was apparently the thing to do. But Winwaed has no idea of why he came to be an oblate only that it is his life. He only learns it when his father comes to visit him; the only time he will have a memory of the man. His father tells him his history, the history of the land and a somewhat different history of the monastery than what Winwaed has been taught. It leaves him in a bit of a dither as his whole world has been turned upside down. No one seems to care that he is just a child.The repercussions of this visit are long lasting and in some ways unrealized until much later in Winwaed’s life. He goes back to his normal but with many questions that he cannot ask, nor would he receive the answers he needs. His only solace is the Hermit he serves – a monk who lives on the mountain. He teaches Winwaed about life in ways that will serve himI will admit it took me a little to get used to the rhythm of the book. It is written in a somewhat literary style and we all know I am not the most introspective reader. But once I found my balance I was hooked. I found myself quite involved in the monk’s lives as they tried to survive in times of plague, poor harvest and other difficulties. I struggled with Winwaed as he tried to understand his world and I wanted to protect him when I felt that he was being treated unfairly. I can’t say I would want to live in this Dark Ages world but I’m certainly happy I visited it through the talented pen of Mr. Peak.

[barlow304 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Although I tried, I could not finish this book. It is beautifully written and captures its time and place very well: Anglo-Saxon Britain during the clash between Irish and Roman Christianity. But the plot drags. Nothing much happens. Although I understand the time and place, I cannot get past the plodding plot. For those of you who would like to spend some time in Anglo-Saxon Britain, I can recommend the book--provided you are more patient than me.

[greatbookescapes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My Review:
A written confession of a monk of his sin; a child’s view of living his life in a monastery, his view of all those around him, and his surroundings as far as he could see. His religious instruction, his questioning, his learnt understanding of human behaviour clearly shows Peak is a master of introspection, but to me the novel felt disjointed in time and flow.

What I found GREAT about the book?

I loved the idea of an adult recounting his childhood with the understand that as he grew his memories could change. There is a real tenderness in which Peak talks about the relationships within the Redestone.

I found this to be a wonderful philosophical book that is an instruction into deconstructing held beliefs, examining them and reconstructing them with a greater understanding, and this is the part of the book that was a real pleasure to read. In this William Peak excites me in his writing.

The opening chapter gives us the start in mime, simple pleasures of making a snowman with a small boy to indicate that the monks do not speak but use sign language, so using sign language Peak starts his tale. Brilliant!

There are some lovely lines from a child perspective, simple memories: A childs thinking, with an adult understanding:
I thought about the place at table where I sat. I thought about my bed. I thought about the spot along the church wall that on sunny mornings grew warn and rosy in the light.

Simple pleasures in a childs world.

When Winwæd is instructing the younger oblate Oftfor about who is who in the abbey, listing the heirachy of Fathers Oftfor asks “Are there any mothers?” What a sad line. Peak shows a deep understanding of the scale of someones compact world - our world can be only what we see, but when we venture further past that distant view, we discover that a picture in our mind is only a picture and the reality can be terrifyingly magnificent. This is conveyed whilst Winwæd is high up on a crag looking down on Redestone. I enjoyed how this book is focussed around one small place as if there was nothing outside of it, even in their imagination.

In a complex way he shows that although the monks appear to blindly follow a man (Bishop Wilfred) who stole Winwæd’s fathers lands and makes demands of them, each monk has their own story and personal secrets. They keep something for themselves, they do things considered wrong by their rules, but is really part of natural curiosity. I also love the way Peak has a wonderful manner of digging down the deepest level of questioning, forcing the reader to really think about held beliefs, showing all sides of blind faith and no faith.

Instruction for young oblates includes the history of Cumbrogi monks who also felt they were doing God’s will in their heathen ways, and invites thoughts about how religion has been shaped by powerful men and followed blindly because of being taught that there is only one path to God.
I enjoyed how Peak challenges with suggestions how memories can be shaped and false. As he is writing, Winwaed reminds himself that his memory may not be correct.

The questioning is brutal - What if religion is nonsense?
What if suffering is just suffering? What if the one who suffered finds neither nobility nor reason in his pain? What if there is only confusion, hurt, loss? We do not expect a horse to learn from its suffering, a cow….

There is also offered a solution to the oblate, that God does not exist but you can create a peace within yourself which you can call God eventually, and that is God (I think!).

What for me was not great?

Now I will qualify this part of my review to my Britishness!

The main problem for me was that the language style of this book did not take me back in time. I felt like I was reading about modern day when I really wanted to be transported to the 7th Century. I expect this is because I am in love with historical language!

The overuse of modern words (e.g. Truism, lunacy, explosion, recondite, antiphone), many of which the origin stems back to the 17th Century spoilt the enjoyment for me, turning into irritation which I have to admit that is a particular bugbear of mine!

Then there is the line “You take care of yourself” - which seems spoken in such a modern way that it shouted out - wrong to me!

Throughout the book history is told in such a way to the child oblate who appeared not to entirely understand.
“You haven’t any idea what I’m talking about, have you?” I shook my head
I shook my head, I had to agree, I also found it difficult to follow the lesson. The history feels like it has been superficially added to tell a background to the novel, without weaving it into the story.

I found it a bit hard to follow the timeline of the memories and marry the events being recounted and the ages of the young oblate. At the end of the book I was no nearer understanding what prompted it or when the confession was being written. No matter though the journey was good.

Would I recommend it? - Yes definitely, especially if you are one of those people who like history told in a modern way.
Is it worth reading? - Yes without hesitation - I love a good challenge
This is William Peak’s debut novel, and I really look forward to him growing as an author of novels.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many thanks to the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

9th October 2014

I originally gave this 3 but change it. However, on reflection my honest opinion is that it warrants 3 stars. I did like the book and my review above stands.

[sharrona_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was beautifully written. Many times I reread a sentence or paragraph, just to enjoy the wordsmithing again. The text gives a strong sense of place, of the physical surroundings, almost as if the reader can see, taste, smell, and hear it firsthand. But the characters were rather flat and bland: bad people weren't very bad, good people weren't outstanding, and no one was very complex. As a result, I can't think of a single person to whom I would recommend this book, even among those friends who enjoy, as I do, other historical fiction set in a similar era (by Ken Follett, Ellis Peters, Bernard Cornwell).Note: I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Review program.

[liz1564 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Oblate's Confession, set in 7th century Northumbria, is the story of a child given to the monastery at Redestone by his father in grateful thanks for a victory in battle. Winwaed is a happy child in the enclosed community, dispite being separated from his family. In fact, he has no memory of his former life; his first memory is of Prior Dagan welcoming him and easing his fear by building a snowman in the cloister! The four little boys who are oblates know the best place to sit where the sun warms the stones in the church, the place by the wall where they can peek into the outside world, and when to cajole the kitchen for possibe treats. Considering the perils in the outside world, the children do not seem to have a bad existence.For the outside world is indeed dangerous. The fate of the Northumbrian chuch is balanced on a knife-edge. The recent Council at Whitby rejected Celtic Christianity in favor of Roman Christianity, but not all noblemen and churchmen are pleased with the choice. Battles are fought and the future of the church is still in doubt. The pagans who live in the hills are waiting to see if the Christians will be sufficiently weakened by infighting to allow a return to the Old Religion. The plague periodically sweeps through communities, killing half the population.But inside the walls, Winwaed is safe and one day he is given the opportunity to expand his life. Years earlier, one of the monks had been given permission to withdraw from the enclosed community and live as a hermit on the mountains. Once a week he is furnished with supplies and when the monk assigned for the task can no longer carry it out, Winwaed is the replacement. So begins the relationship which between the oblate and Gwynned which shapes the boy's life.On the mountain he is allowed to become a wondering child. Gtynned teaches him how to read the signs of nature, how to track animals and study the stars. He also teaches the child how to pray, to empty his mind so that he can become a conduit between the spiritual and the temporal world. As he grows toward adolescence, Winwaed is apprenticed to the "furnace" monk and learns the craft of iron-making. He even speaks to a pretty village girl and experiences a pang of innocent love.The author narrates a well-rounded picture of monastic life in the 7th century before religious politics bring the walls of Redestone crashing down The innocent Winward is an appealing character and I enjoyed seeing this world through his eyes.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this book to be quite interesting and very descriptive. I finished the book with a knowledge that I didn't have previously of a Dark Ages monastery. I love reading books where I learn something, books that prompt me to read and research further, and that's what The Oblate's Confession did for me. I enjoyed the wonderful descriptive writing, but I also enjoyed the story of a young boy raised in a monastery, a story that tied so much together. I appreciated that the political aspects were handled through the eyes of the boy and not focused on in detail; I would have gotten lost then, I am sure. The plot does move slowly in places, but the knowledge gained and the pictures painted with words are worth it.

[grammargoddess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a coming-of-age story set in a long-ago society when Christianity was just taking hold in Anglo-Saxon and Celtic England--very different than our modern-day one. It took me a while to figure out some vocabulary and cultural references and to keep all the old-time names of individuals straight, and that bogged me down as a reader so that it was slow going to get through certain sections of the book. The characterizations of the narrator and the individuals closest to him were very well developed, and I really saw the world through the main character's boyish perceptions (although the story is framed around him telling of his youth in his elder years). The relationship between him and his spiritual Father was very touching, as was that between him and the monk Victricius, to whom he was assigned as an assistant. This book may appeal, as it did to me, to those who have enjoyed other novels about the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages, such as Eco’s The Name of the Rose, Ellis Peters’s Cadfael series, and Mary Stewart’s Crystal Cave series.

[gilbertine_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A book that beautifully realizes the world and atmosphere of a remote 7th century British monastery. For me, however, the plot dragged slowly and the novel ultimately lost my interest. Many things happen; plague, betrayal, love, conflict yet in the end it feels as though nothing happened. I have no doubt that William Peak thoroughly researched the time and place, leaning, I suspect heavily on the Venerable Bede's writings, and this scholarship shines through as does his talent. I just wish the same attention had been paid to plot and character.

[thecrow2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A young boy's life in a 7th Century monastery. Although the basic idea is an interesting one and the book is well written, the whole storyline and the characters are so not, it makes the book very boring. Not because it's slow (I like slow books) but the whole story is so uninteresting.

[larxol_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Oblate’s Confession is a fine first novel. It’s a bildungsroman in a unique setting, a Northumberland monastery around the end of the 7th Century. Author William Peak seems to have done meticulous research into the period, but his story unfolds naturally and without pretense. The reader never gets the feeling that it’s an academic treatise. The plot itself is a simple history of a likeable boy who finds himself growing up in the monastery, his relationships to his brothers, particularly one who has chosen the life of a hermit and another who runs the community’s forge. Events do lead the boy to commit a grievous sin, and the whole book is a written confession set down later in his life.The publicity material notes that Peak spent 10 years researching and writing this book. I hope it’s not just a one-time labor of love. Perhaps he’ll capitalize on the research with more stories of the so-called Dark Ages.

[tcarter_77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think that what you make of this book will depend on what you expect from it. If you are expecting a Brother Cadfael mystery or a Pillars of the Earth soap opera you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you are looking for a historically rooted exploration of mediaeval Christian monasticism and mysticism as experienced by characters that are engaging and real then you are in for a treat. I was particularly impressed by the way in which the author changed the voice of the narrator as he grew older, each stage of childhood, adolescence and maturity was captured as the recollections progressed.All in all an interesting read, and one I enjoyed, subject to the caveat below.*Spoiler alert*My biggest disappointment with the book is that I never really worked out why the confession was necessary. I kept waiting for a big reveal, that for me, never really came. The book just petered out.

[tedwitham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A novel set in a monastery in 7th Century Northumbria? Certainly the promise of the historical religious setting drew me to it. I was pre-disposed to enjoy the tale of Winwæd, given to the monastery at Redestone as a boy – the oblate of the title – and living through changes brought to that enclosed world by disease and by impinging politics. William Peak’s first novel is beautifully told. Winwæd luxuriates in language, in seeing things aright. His tale is both textured and layered. The details, both of daily life in 7th Century England and in the shifting power of kings and warriors – all lovingly researched and presented – create Winwæd’s world convincingly. The guilt Winwæd carries, and which he expresses in his confession, creates the tension in the story as his understanding of his actions grows, and ours with it. We experience the changes as he grows in the different friendships Winwæd establishes, from Prior Dagan, who takes him on as a very young boy, to the friendship with the hermit living in the mountain, and to the Brother who runs the furnace, are well drawn. As Winwæd learns to pray from the hermit, so we too learn mystical prayer from him. The hermit’s story of the young child lost in the forest who runs here, there and everywhere, looking to find his way, is pertinent. The child eventually exhausts himself just at the moment of spying a light coming from a cleared field. He collapses before a thick hedge, unable to find a way or to move forward. At the bottom of the hedge is a small space, just big enough to wriggle through, and thus he finds his way home: such is prayer. Redestone monastery stands for a Christianity not quite settled in its environment, just as Roman Christianity was returning to Britain, but still remembering its Celtic roots. It may be this sense of being at odds with its society that makes this work of fiction speak so clearly to the reader.I thoroughly enjoyed Winwæd’s confession. He kept me wondering until the end.

[chive_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book. I particularly found two aspects of it fascinating. First of all I enjoyed reading about the day to day life of an early monastic existence - the division of the days by prayer, the work, the silence and the relationships. Secondly I enjoyed the developing relationship between the young oblate and the hermit. I enjoyed the mysticism apparent in the hermit's relationship with the divine and how this contrasted with that of the monks in the monastery below. I also enjoyed how he seemed to live life more fully.The only part of the book I found unconvincing was the visit by the oblate's natural father. Although this created some sort of premise for the storyline, I felt it was unnecessary and the book could have done without it.

[janerawoof · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At a 7th century Northumbrian monastery an oblate, Winwæd, is writing down his remembrances through the years-- "I write under obedience: Father Abbot has ordered me to give an account of the events that led up to my sin." Upon his arrival one snowy winter day, the shy child together with a priest build a snowman together. Season follows season, each with its *ora et labora*. Winwæd becomes the servant of a hermit, living on a nearby mountain. They become friends; the hermit, Father Gwynedd, teaches him about the woodland creatures and how to track them. One day the boy's father arrives with a terrible story and request for him: to pray *against* their bishop who has done awful things. The novel brings out the unfortunate dissention between the Celtic and Roman Christians. Winwæd is torn--what should take precedence: loyalty towards his birth father or towards his bishop? His father gave him to the monastery, destined him for the coenobitic life, and has never visited him up to now, when all he wants is something from the boy. The monks are closer to him than his biological father.Lyrically and beautifully written, with vivid sketches of the monastery, monks, surrounding area, and the hermit. Outstanding were a severe snowstorm, a cherry orchard, and the discovery of a vixen and her kits on the mountain. Winwæd's deep but wordy introspection brought him closer to me, but he was too hard on himself. Many unexpected events in the novel took it in directions I would never have imagined. The passages on how to pray in Chapters 18 and 21 that the hermit taught Winwæd, bear much reflection. I can't get them out of my mind. Highly recommended for those wanting a slow, thoughtful novel and for those wishing to learn something about 7th-century Benedictines. LibraryThing sent me this novel as an ARC.