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Title:
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By Her Hand |
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Authors:
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Taffe, Marion |
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Genre:
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Fiction |
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Pages:
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385 |
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Year:
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2025 |
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Publisher:
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Harper Collins |
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Language:
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English |
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Description:
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Peak District, Mercia, AD 910: a young girl, Freda works hard to avoid her father's temper, while longing for his approval. She loves foraging in the woods and hearthside stories of heroes. Secretly she thinks in poetry and dreams of one day being able to write; her quills are grass stalks and sticks, her parchment the sky, the earth, her skin. But Freda's world is at war, and when her village is decimated in a savage raid and her father goes missing, Freda must find the strength to survive.
Taken in by the church, her only options are a life of servitude or prayer. But the cunning bishop sees an opportunity. As well as teaching Freda to write, he uses her survival as evidence of a miracle so as to attract pilgrims who bring wealth. As Freda chafes against the bishop's increasing control, she develops a friendship with the Mercian leader Ethelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, who shows her what it is to lead as a woman in a world that worships warrior kings.
Soon Freda must choose. Does she remain the powerless, subservient quill whose fate lies in the hands of another, or does she fight for the right to create - and write - her own story? Harper Collins. Taken from book cover.
Comments from BDS Reviewers:"This is an extraordinary novel for a debut. This is an historical era that I don't know much about,and it drew me in right from the start."
" It's not an easy read, there is a lot of depth and detail that needs to be savoured, and it's a story I'd almost like to read again to benefit from the nuances on a second reading."
"When I first saw this book, I was sceptical as to whether it would be 'my cup of tea'. After page 1, I was hooked and cannot speak highly enough of it."
" Freda's story is one of female empowerment against the odds."
"On one hand it's an interesting story of a young woman finding her place in the world, but it also gives insight into Old English and its differences and similarities to Modern English."
"The author's research is meticulous - you learn a lot about the history of the time, the role of women,the role of the church, and the threatening invasions of Mercia by Norsemen. I couldn't put it it down."
"Lots to discuss and I suspect it would be a book that would appeal to those who like a more engrossing/ literary style read."
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Categories:
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Fiction, Staff Pick, Just Added, 2027 Titles |
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