The Author
Ellis Peters is the pen name of Edith Pargeter. Pargeter was already a prolific and award winning author by the time she started writing the Cadfael stories.
She was of Welsh descent, and took a great interest in the history of the land. She uses this in A Morbid Taste for Bones, and describes the way people in Wales used to live — their religious beliefs, traditions and way of life in general.
You may have heard of Cadfael back in the 1990s, when a television series was made of the books, starring Derek Jacobi as the 12th century monk.
The Book
A Morbid Taste for Bones is the first of the Cadfael Chronicles, of which Pargeter wrote 20 novels and three short stories.
Cadfael is a Welsh monk who joined the order in his later years. His skill of herbal medicine, which he learned in the Middle East, is used to help all around him. He had been a soldier and a sailor, and, once upon a time, had quite a number of romantic interests. His worldly background sets him apart from the rest of his brethren, and he uses this knowledge as another way to help people.
This story is based on the true event of the translation of the remains of St Winifred, from Wales to Shrewsbury Abbey, England, in the 12th century. After arriving in Wales to take the remains to their abbey, the monks become the object of suspicion when a local lord, who opposed the removal, is found murdered. Cadfael, the only Welsh monk there, takes it upon himself to discover the murderer.
Review
A Morbid Taste for Bones is a seemingly slow story, emulating how life was back then. It is an acquired taste, and some may need to read the book more than once in order to get a feel for the flow of the story (I did). Pargeter balances the storyline with marvellous characterisations and descriptions, which can be both poignant and humorous. There is a thread of a dry sense of humour that runs through the book.
The way the crime is solved may leave the reader wondering if it is plausible enough. But the narrative, and presentation of the many different characters, shapes this book well enough to forgive a questionable conclusion.
One thing that is most observable is Cadfael himself. He is the everyman who is friend to everyone. To put it in his own words:
Meet every man as you find him, for we’re all made the same under habit, robe or rags. Some better made than others, and some better cared for, but on the same pattern, all.
I’ve been listening to the audiobook read by Stephen Thorne. I have to say that he is a brilliant reader who really makes the characters come alive. I am in awe of how he did so many Welsh voices, and yet make them each have that slightly individual touch. Sadly, Thorne died in 2019, but we still have his wonderful readings to listen to.
This article was originally published on Medium.
Charlotte Clark 