THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS
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"There are unexpected twists and turns throughout the novel, resulting in a gripping and absorbing read."
THE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY |
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PLOT
It is 1490, and northern Europe is in the grip of sweeping plagues and religious inquisitions, and in daily terror of the Day of Judgement. In the town of Den Bosch, the artist Jerome (Hieronymus Bosch) paints his visionary denunciation of sin and folly, ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ while his neglected wife Aleyt strays into sin herself. But Jerome is not immune from the world he portrays. A rival artist and a corrupt Abbess together concoct a hellish plot that threatens to destroy him... Or, if you're in the USA...
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REVIEWS
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"There are unexpected twists and turns throughout the novel, resulting in a gripping and absorbing read."
See the full review by Historical Novel Society "The use of the historic present tense certainly engages the reader, but above all the images, stenches, and the stark emotions are writ large on every page. This powerful portrayal of medieval life stays with the reader throughout the book." monthlybookgroup.com "...the characterisation is excellent and I really cared what happened to the main characters..." SUSAN PATCHETT, Amazon reviewer |
"There is tension in the air from the very first paragraph and it continues to escalate as the story progresses."
onlinebookclub.org "A thoroughly enjoyable and exciting page turner, this historical fiction plunges the reader into the toxic corruption of the medieval church and keeps us hooked until the plot is resolved." JON C, Amazon reviewer "This novel contains as much detail and character as any of Bosch’s own paintings: teeming with life it paints a picture of human failings, guilt, passion and interwoven intrigue." ELIZABETH, Amazon reviewer |
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WHAT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE IT?
My objective was to create a compelling and fast-moving story of good and evil set in a world whose moral compass was very different from that of our own times.
Hieronymus Bosch is a historical figure, an extraordinary and bizarre artist of the late fifteenth century whose paintings first caught my interest in my early teens. But sources of information about the details of his life are scarce. This left me free rein to explore issues of the day through a fictionalized account. I was interested in portraying a world in which moral decisions were influenced by the fear of damnation, and where scant medical knowledge left the sick and dying with only prayer and quackery to turn to. There are six main characters, and they consist of three men and three women. I have tried to get equally into the consciousness of each of them, and in particular was interested in creating a compelling female ‘villain’ to set against the innocent protagonist.
The novel's title comes from the painting of the same name by the Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch
There are some details from the painting on this page, but you can find out much more at Wikipedia: The Garden of Earthly Delights
My objective was to create a compelling and fast-moving story of good and evil set in a world whose moral compass was very different from that of our own times.
Hieronymus Bosch is a historical figure, an extraordinary and bizarre artist of the late fifteenth century whose paintings first caught my interest in my early teens. But sources of information about the details of his life are scarce. This left me free rein to explore issues of the day through a fictionalized account. I was interested in portraying a world in which moral decisions were influenced by the fear of damnation, and where scant medical knowledge left the sick and dying with only prayer and quackery to turn to. There are six main characters, and they consist of three men and three women. I have tried to get equally into the consciousness of each of them, and in particular was interested in creating a compelling female ‘villain’ to set against the innocent protagonist.
The novel's title comes from the painting of the same name by the Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch
There are some details from the painting on this page, but you can find out much more at Wikipedia: The Garden of Earthly Delights