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Chargement... Crossed: A Tale of the Fourth Crusadepar Nicole Galland
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Inscrivez-vous à LibraryThing pour découvrir si vous aimerez ce livre Actuellement, il n'y a pas de discussions au sujet de ce livre. This book is one of the best researched novels I have ever read, but that was not enough to make me enjoy the story. The characters (and their motivations) all felt a bit too modern when cast against the period setting of the novel. Still, I learned a lot of background information, and I found the quotes at the beginning of every chapter both clever and appropriate. It is quite clear that Galland had done her homework and that she knew events and customs inside and out while writing the book. Still, I would almost hesitate to call the book historical fiction. It almost seems to be more modern fiction set against an historical backdrop. The Briton, in particular, has extremely modern sensibilities and voice. Having recently read Sharon Kay Penman’s “Devil’s Brood,” set in England in roughly the same period, the difference in period feel is striking. That being said, I still felt as if I learned much about this absurd ‘crusade’ of which I was quite ignorant. Although the book dragged a bit in the middle, I thought this was a very good read overall, just don’t go into it expecting period feel, or you will be disappointed. aucune critique | ajouter une critique
In the year 1202, tens of thousands of crusaders gather in Venice, preparing to embark for Jerusalem to free the Holy City from Muslim rule. Among them is a lowly vagabond Briton, rescued from damnation by a pious knight who burns with zealous fire for their sacred undertaking. And so they set sail, along with dedicated companions--and with a beautiful, mysterious Arab "princess" whom the vagabond liberates from a brutish merchant. But the divine light guiding their "righteous" campaign soon darkens as the mission sinks ever deeper into catastrophe, disgrace, and moral turpitude--as Christians murder Christians in the Adriatic port city of Zara, tragic events are set in motion that will ultimately lead to the shocking and shameful fall of Constantinople. Impeccably researched and beautifully told, Nicole Galland's Crossed is a stunning tale of the disastrous Fourth Crusade--and of the hopeful, brave, and driven who were caught up in and irrevocably changed by a corrupted cause and a furious battle beyond their comprehension or control. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999Classification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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It probably isn’t normal for most readers of this book to know all about the catastrophic Fourth Crusade. Catastrophic in hindsight, that is; this one was remarkably successful in terms of victories but horrid in terms of killing other Christians and not even coming close to achieving its goal of retaking Jerusalem. For the record, all the crusades were wrong and are actually appalling to think about, but this one is even so in medieval terms, which is quite impressive. So on approaching Crossed, I generally had down the politics, the outline of events, and the crazy people who were at the head of this insanity. If I hadn’t, I think the politics would have irritated me, but the history is great. No one can make this stuff up. It’s just too unreal for words, but it happened, and at a comfortable 800 year distance, we can even find it horrific in an amusing way.
Such is what Galland accomplishes with Crossed. She doesn’t really go for a medieval mindset with these characters. The closest is probably Gregor, who adheres to medieval standards very rigidly, but the rest of the characters are often used to play with the absurdities of medieval life rather than being approximations of the people who might have lived 800 years ago. I got used to this idea in Galland’s first book and it hasn’t really bothered me since now that I know what she’s doing. The Briton is mainly the character that she uses for this purpose, employing hindsight to fuel his clever retorts and lamentations on fate, such as in response to the glory of battle,
“Is Christ smiling down at you for this? Do you become more Christian if you smear yourself in Christian gore?” (302)
At all times, we’re fully aware that this crusade is horrible and what the knights are being told to do is completely wrong. It’s terrible, but it’s also showing us the absurdity of the entire idea by poking at its ridiculousness.
Not all of the book is great, though. Parts do drag. The history is fascinating, but the politics less so, and after a point the relationship between the Briton and Jamila has more or less been exhausted. The book is lengthy because it manages to cover almost the entire crusade, but it also covers a great deal more. I enjoyed it, but I’m not sure how much of that was remembering my favorite old history professor teaching in my head as opposed to how much I was genuinely enjoying the book. I think this is certainly worth a try for historical fiction readers and history buffs, taken with a grain of salt. It’s perhaps not Galland’s best book but I’ll still be eagerly awaiting her fourth novel. ( )