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The Owl Killers Karen Maitland 9780718153205 Books

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The Owl Killers Karen Maitland 9780718153205 Books

Something did, because kept checking to see how much longer I had to read. I really don't want to give a negative review, because I enjoyed the story. I loved the history, the fact that the author did a ton of research shows, and I greatly appreciated the addenda.
I think what may have bothered me was the ambiguity throughout the novel. Is the Owlman human or demon? There were a few superstitions, including teachings of the Roman Catholic Church from the era, that were major building blocks in the story which came crashing together by the end of the novel in a way that left me feeling a little bereft. I wanted to know more about what happened to the women at the end even though I felt the book a little draggy. An unsatisfactory ending, perhaps?


Tags : The Owl Killers [Karen Maitland] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. 1st UK ed. The cover is white rather than blue. No dust Jacket as issued,Karen Maitland,The Owl Killers,Michael Joseph: an imprint of Penguin Books,0718153200

The Owl Killers Karen Maitland 9780718153205 Books Reviews

I really enjoyed the author's skill at weaving together elements of history, myth, psychology and mystery into a novel that not only portrays challenges of the time period, but addresses issues pertinent to our own era. The story is told from a number of voices, and until I caught the connections, I was thankful the author provided a cast of characters at the beginning. I especially liked her exploration of the meaning of Christianity. Another reviewer thought the ending left too many loose ends, but I thought the ending suited the book, and was not disappointing at all. Riveting read!
The owl killers is a very interesting story. In a 13th century village an order of nuns have set up a nunnery called a "Beguinery". All the nuns are called Martha (gate Martha, cooking Martha etc)These are set up to help the village rather than take money from them. There is a strong Paegan tradition in the village existing with the very superstitious Christian traditions. The Owl Killers are a scary group of men who perform their own harsh justice. The story is told from the point of view of several different characters in turn throughout the book. This works well. The story is well researched and uses lots of old fashioned words. A good read.
In the early 1300's, a group of women arrive at the small village of Ulewic and set up a beguinage, where the women work together to support themselves and provide aid and comfort those around them. While they are members of the beguinage, the women are celibate, but they are free to leave, if they so choose. The leaders of the group are Marthas and each has a title Healer Martha, Servant Martha (the primary leader), etc., designating her responsibilities. While nominally a Christian community, the pagan beliefs still run strong, with the Owl Killer's secret rituals still occurring in the woods. When the one of the daughter's of the local lord spies on the ritual, she is attacked, raped, and then thrown out by her father. Osmanna is accepted at the beguinage, and struggles to fit in. Other key players are the priest, who has a secret lover, and the local witch woman and her daughter. As bad weather and illness hit the villagers, they begin to look for someone to blame. Despite their goodwill to the villagers, the beguinage becomes a target for the Owl Killers and the women must face terrible difficulties both from within as well as without in order to survive. The author does a great drop in her descriptions, making you understand the harsh conditions of life at that time.
I had a personal rule that I would never pay more than $9.99 for a edition of any book. But I had downloaded and enjoyed the sample of "The Owl Killers," and only when I went to order did I realize the book (at the time of this review) was over the set limit.

But I was already hooked. THAT'S how they gitcha! Fortunately, it was worth it.

This book centers around a group of women ("Beguines") who aren't nuns, but who live a spiritual life devoted to service. It is the early 1300s. They had traveled to England from Belgium before the story begins, a time when a crossroads between pagan tradition, the Catholic church, fear and "modern" spiritual thinking collide. Modern for the Middle Ages, anyway.

Various characters advance the story from their personal viewpoints, including a child from town, a landowner's daughter cast out from her home, the village priest and women from the Beguinage.

Layered with minutiae detail of life at the time adds delicious and frightening texture to what otherwise might have been a basic ghostly story of greed and horror. Fans of "Pillars Of The Earth" and "World Without End," maybe also those with an abiding interest in the Salem witch trials, should enjoy this book very much.

It was interesting to read how each character saw the other. The Servant Martha (the leader of the communal group) presents a kind, thoughtful manner, while others in the group complain that she's cold and unyielding. We all think we know who we are. If we could look into the minds of those around us, they might disagree.

The writer, Karen Maitland, shares a fascinating look at history from an unusual vantage point. The brutality back in the day is shocking. Through this aspect, she also puts a microscope on brutal conditions that still exist in parts of the world today. She did a masterful job.

A final note if some think that Maitland couldn't latch on to whether the "Owl Masters" were real or myth within the story, I would argue that the characters themselves didn't know. This character believed, that character didn't; it's part of what made the book such a non-stop read. Enjoy!
Something did, because kept checking to see how much longer I had to read. I really don't want to give a negative review, because I enjoyed the story. I loved the history, the fact that the author did a ton of research shows, and I greatly appreciated the addenda.
I think what may have bothered me was the ambiguity throughout the novel. Is the Owlman human or demon? There were a few superstitions, including teachings of the Roman Catholic Church from the era, that were major building blocks in the story which came crashing together by the end of the novel in a way that left me feeling a little bereft. I wanted to know more about what happened to the women at the end even though I felt the book a little draggy. An unsatisfactory ending, perhaps?