Sara's Reviews > A Morbid Taste for Bones

The first of the Brother Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters, which I have just discovered is a pseudonym for Edith Pargeter, a Welsh woman by birth and a historian by nature. I would not have suspected that these stories were written by a woman because she captures the brothers of the Shrewsbury Abbey, a Medieval enclave of male figures, perfectly,

From the stuffy, overblown Prior Robert to Brother Cadfael himself, every character is believable and interesting. You soon realize that it takes all kinds of make a religious, just as it takes all kinds to make a secular, world. Cadfael is a late-comer to the calling, a sort of retirement job for him, and that I think is his primary strength. He can see both inside and outside the religious community very clearly, and he brings enough of the worldly with him to recognize the emotions and failings of men, even those who claim spirituality.

Back years ago, when PBS aired its take on the good brother, with Derek Jacobi in the starring role, I watched religiously (pun intended). Of course, in reading this, I felt I already knew Cadfael and had his face set in my mind. I loved the character then, and find he is just as comfortable, level-headed, unassuming, and easy to admire in the book version. I am looking forward to reading the entire series eventually. I suspect I am in for a treat with each one.