Lady Grace’s Revels by Theodore Irvin Silar
Book Description:
It is Michaelmas in rural Renaissance England, and Thomas Smith and William Philpott, scriveners, cannot believe their luck. They have been invited to revel at the manor house of Lady Grace Atwater, Countess of Burnham.
Book Review:
Like a quill dipped in fresh ink, “Lady Grace’s Revels” promises to leave delicious marks on the parchment of historical fiction with its tantalizing glimpse into Renaissance England’s social tapestry.
Let me tell you, dear readers, there’s something absolutely scrumptious about this setup. Two scriveners – essentially the Renaissance equivalent of notaries – getting invited to hobnob with nobility? As someone who devours historical fiction, this premise makes my literary taste buds tingle. It’s like being invited backstage at a Shakespeare play, but better, because we’re getting the perspective of working professionals rather than the usual noble-born protagonists.
What particularly intrigues me is the specific mention of Michaelmas – a time of harvest, celebration, and settling of accounts in Tudor England. The choice of this particular festival suggests layers of potential storytelling: social obligations being balanced, debts being paid (both literal and metaphorical), and perhaps secrets being revealed as the year draws to its close. The fact that our protagonists “cannot believe their luck” hints at the exceptional nature of this invitation, making me wonder what exactly Lady Grace has planned for these humble scribes.
