Only a minority of modern Christians seem aware of or are willing to examine the blending and synthesis of the newer religion with the “pagan”, that took place historically, and continues to occur to the present day. In this first volume of her Merlin series, Ann Chamberlin makes this fact the “weft” into which she weaves the story of Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years War. Yann le Drapier and Gilles de Rais, the two central characters, form opposite sides of the same coin. Their adventures, always challenging, dangerous and exciting, always have the good of France as their purpose. While working wholeheartedly toward the same goal, their paths diverge and the two young men develop in very different ways. This is a thoughtful retelling of an old story, an effective attempt at presenting familiar events from the perspective of the medieval mind. The legends surrounding Joan of Arc, who was not canonized until the 20th century, are full of misconceptions. The Merlin of St Gilles Well, although Joan is still a peripheral character at this stage, places her more firmly in her own time and place. For me, this makes her more human and more real. In a similar fashion, the legend of Bluebeard arose from the actions of Gilles de Rais, and it is also interesting to trace that legend from its source and discover how it was transformed over time. The Merlin of St. Gilles’ Well can be read on several levels, all of them intriguing.
Link to review of the sequel, The Merlin of the Oak Wood:
http://yourehistory.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/historical-novels-the-merlin-of-the-oak-wood/
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