Genre
Audience
11th grade and Up
Author’s Worldview
Catholic
Year Published
2011
Themes
Reviewed by
A.R.K. Watson
This novella is comprised of a collection of fictional letters sent by a man in England to his friend in Europe at the start of the 20th century. The first few letters mostly revolve around descriptions of Miss Magdalen Montague, for whom the writer carries a deep romantic admiration. But let’s be frank here: the writer is a stalker, and not the innocent, awkward kind. It is clear that he is the sort of rebellious person who takes pride in debauchery and irreverence, and who bears a superstitious level of animosity toward anything holy or pure.
His overblown grief and outrage when his object of obsession enters a Catholic convent is, therefore, difficult not to enjoy.
It will be clear to the Catholic reader that Magdalen’s prayers and intercession continue to haunt this man for the rest of his life. Just when his despair leads him to a state that hints at demonic oppression, he miraculously finds his way into the arms of the Church he once despised. The letters between him and his still stubbornly heretical friend become more spaced out as his conversion strains their friendship. Still, these letters trace the two men’s paths as they encounter one, then two, world wars. Much like in her novel, A Bloody Habit, Nicholson starts out making us laugh at her protagonists, but by the end we are instead moved to grief for their sufferings. The whole story is a beautiful meditation on the lies and temptations of modernity, and how we as Christians and Catholics encounter the world and keep faith when it feels as though the world is going to end. Reading this on the heels of a global pandemic was oddly comforting. If you need something short and entertaining to refill your cup with hope, this little novella is an excellent choice.
Having read her book, A Bloody Habit, I was already familiar with Nicholson’s talent for the tone and style of writing common in pre-20th century England, and I was not disappointed. If you are a fan of Victorian literature, Chesterton, or any of the Inklings, you will find this an enjoyable story, with prose on par with the quality of Lewis or Tolkien. Protestant Christian readers may find this just as beneficial if they have no aversion to loving descriptions of Mary. However, this is probably not the best book to give to a secular friend who hasn’t yet clued into the pitiable comedy of many modern heresies. But for Catholics, Nicholson is the very voice of ironic and cathartic humor.
Join Here for FREE to Never Miss a Deal
Find new favorites & Support Catholic Authors
Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard
Aliens on pilgrimage from across the stars, throw the world’s delicate balance into chaos.
I, Claudia By Lin Wilder
Will the extraordinary events lead the wife of Pontius Pilate, Claudia Procula, to the Son of God?
Worth Dying For By Marie C. Keiser
In the shady corporate-ruled galaxy, a man can acknowledge no god. Yet having nothing worth dying for frightens Mark more than death itself.
Anna Lucia: Book 2, The Casa Bella Chronicles By Liz Galvano
Can Lucinda heal from her past and learn to love again?
The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas
Would you die for a flower? Would you kill for one? Providence, romance, and danger rule in this tense, heart-warming prison romance.
I am Margaret by Corinna Turner
A dystopian nightmare that asks what you really believe and how far will you go to defend it.
The Haunted Cathedral by Antony Barone Kolenc                       Â
Xan is finally bringing his parent’s killer to justice, yet his guardian monk insists he must forgive the murderer
The Wistful and the Good by G. M. Baker
Two weeks after the sacking of Lindisfarne, Norse traders aren’t welcome in Northumbria. But they’re here. Does a Viking really have a chance with an English noblewoman?
The Wanderer and the Way By G. M. Baker
When a man meets his irresistible woman, does his virtue improve if she loves him in return?
Jesus By Paul Johnson
A biography of Jesus written by a noted Catholic journalist and historian.
Doctors, Assassins, and Other Tyrants by Katherine Campbell
Kidnapped princes, delusional assassins, and a dim-witted unicorn. What could possibly go wrong?
Outlaws of Ravenhurst, by Sr. M. Imelda Wallace, S.L.
The 10-year-old heir of a noble Scottish family must choose between his inheritance and his Catholic faith.
Officers and Gentlemen by Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh’s brilliant examination of the moral fatigue of men at war.
A Life Such As Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer
A chance encounter with an amnesiac soldier leads Brigid to discover the realities of the Civil War.
The Wrecker’s Daughter By G.M. Baker
When Hannah learns that the Bible verse she has lived by is not found anywhere in Scripture, she realizes that the culture that has formed her is completely corrupt.
Do Carpenters Dream of Wooden Sheep? by Corinna Turner
A poignant retelling of the Holy Family in a cyberpunk universe.
August & September New Book Releases
Step into Fall with a Good Book
The Fisherman’s Bride by Catherine Magia
The wife of Peter takes up her pen to tell her side of the story, and forces us to examine our ideas of perfection and holiness.
St. Agnes and the Selkie by G. M. Baker
Cast up by the sea. Courted by the king. Followed by danger.
The Tale of Patrick Peyton
How a humble, Irish immigrant brought Mary to Hollywood and then the World.



