Summary | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Reviews | Beyond the book | Read-Alikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
From the book jacket: In the year 1605, a young widow, pregnant and alone, seeks sanctuary at the small Abbey of Sainte Marie-de-la-mer on the island of Noirs Moustiers off the Brittany coast. After the birth of her daughter, she takes up the veil, and a new name, Soeur Auguste. However, her peace is shattered when five years later a new abbess arrives with her 'personal confessor and spiritual guide', a man Soeur Auguste fears more than any other. To protect herself and her beloved child she'll have to perform one last act of dazzling daring more audacious than any she has previously attempted.
"Harris adds spicy characterizations, tart dark humor and seductively pungent prose, and poses some provocative questions...Readers looking for another Chocolat will be disappointed, but those who appreciate Harris's storytelling skills and enjoy fiction with a gothic twist will love this. - Publishers Weekly.
'A cleverly structured drama populated with timelessly colorful characters, this is sure to be a hit with the author's wide community of readers. Highly recommended.' - Library Journal.
This review first ran in the May 18, 2005 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.
This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For full access become a member today.If you liked Holy Fools, try these:
For fans of Kate Morton and Sarah Waters, here's a magnetic debut novel of wrenching family secrets, forbidden love, and heartbreaking loss housed within the grand gothic manor of Black Rabbit Hall.
With the breakneck pace and dizzying action of a thriller and the timelessness and romance of an Arthurian legend, The Jester is a pulse-pounding and enchanting novel.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.