I read Ellis Peters when I want to be reminded of goodness and kindness, of intelligence and commitment. These are strange things to say about a medieval mystery, but true. This does not mean that all of the characters in Sanctuary Sparrow are kind and gentle, but the center of this story is peopled by those with a moral core (both secular and religious people, powerful and not).

The two of them were unlikely to agree on any subject under the sun, but for all that they respected each other. Even this avaricious, formidable old woman, tyrant of her family and terror of her servants, had certain virtues of courage, spirit and honesty that were not to be despised. (p. 42)

I haven't looked systematically at Peters' themes, but she seems to address many gendered problems. A woman's place in this world can be a powerful one, but it can also be precarious. Ellis views these situations compassionately, but recognizes the irony embedded in them. Who is good and who is evil? Unfortunately, good is too often identified as powerful – unless Brother Cadfael has something to say about this: “Whatever she did of worst,” said Cadfael soberly, “came of that in her that might have been best, if it had not been maimed. She was much wronged” (p. 278).

I also love Peters' language, which stays on my tongue, requiring that I think, consider. Peters is not a writer who I skim looking only for plot. Her metaphors should be savored as much as her recognition of her characters' humanity.

Her long life, longer than any woman should be called upon to sustain, trailed behind her like a heavy bridal train dragging at the shoulders of a child bride, holding her back, weighing her down, making every step a burden. (pp. 176-177)

Peters' mysteries are comfort food, but not like Quaker Quick Oats, but like Bob's Red Mill's Thick Oats: tasty, complex, filling.

(I swear, I'm not hungry, although perhaps because Sanctuary Sparrow still lingers.)

A series in which you know what you will get - a murder/mystery for the wise Brother Cadfael to solve, all well contained and to be neatly tied up within a couple of hundred pages. There's little character development in the series (indeed, many characters are er...drawn with broad strokes), but there's always something enjoyable and well, nice about reading these. This one, about a murder at a wedding (...) in which a travelling acrobat is blamed, and who receives sanctuary from the mob at the Cathedral. Enter Cadfael to uncover what was really happening. It follows its own logic and medieval world well enough, without challenging or particularly surprising. Easy escapism.

This is my fourth Brother Cadfael and I enjoyed this one very much. I thought the descriptions and characters were easy to visualize, the characters were well drawn and I liked the mystery's resolution. While I didn't completely understand the motivations of one character, it made sufficient enough sense for me to appreciate the overall story.

The Sanctuary Sparrow was another one of the Cadfael stories for which the TV adaptation followed the book. Almost exactly, in fact. The Sanctuary Sparrow was never one of my favourite Cadfael stories, I admit but I did enjoy it.

My main problem was Cadfael himself. Although I adore this series, and always will, although I am the proud owner of the boxset of the TV series and all of the novels- there's always been something slightly "off" about Cadfael himself for me.

I think I've recently put my finger on what it is. Cadfael is willing to condone any action, no matter how immoral if done in the name of "love". In this book, its a young couple having sex in a small alcove behind of the altars in the Abbey.
I think he would take this to the point of letting murderers off, there's an implication he has done this before (spoiler alert for Monk's Hood). Not only is this this mean Cadfael's character is not "of his time", it just comes over as kind of contrary to other aspsects of his character and the plot.

The Brother Cadfael books are always enjoyable! The characters are great, and her descriptions of scenes make everything real and bring you back to 12th Century England. In this book, a young jongleur has managed to make his way to sanctuary just in time to avoid being lynched by a mob of villagers who are certain he murdered and robbed his employer. As always, there are so many more underlying stories, and Brother Cadfael is instrumental in solving the mystery and bringing peace to the lives of all involved. It's always a pleasure to visit with Brother Cadfael!

I love the Brother Cadfael mysteries, and somehow missed this one when I read all of the others years ago. The medieval setting is great, and the characters are even better. In this one, a young man seeks sanctuary at the monastery as he is being pursued by a violent crowd who are accusing him of theft and murder even though he is innocent of both and has done nothing wrong. They believe he committed those crimes and want to kill him but the abbot grants him sanctuary for 40 days, as was customary in that time period. Fortunately,that is enough time for Brother Cadfael to find the true culprit, but not without a life-or-death stand-off near the end.

At the midnight services of Matins on a lovely May night, a boy speeds into the Abbey church just ahead of mob after him for theft and murder. Abbot Radulfus stops the mob, grants the victim's request for sanctuary and successfully orders the mob to return in quiet the next morning to discuss their charges. Liliwin is a wandering jongleur and entertainer, evicted from the goldsmith's wedding reception earlier for breaking a wine jug during his routine.

The home that he entertained at was the Aurifaber house, where Daniel was celebrating his marriage to Margery. During the festivities someone hit his father over his head and made off with the family treasury. While everyone is convinced it is Liliwin, Cadfael is not. As always, he doesn't intend to get himself wrapped up in the mystery, but somehow the clues keep falling his way.

I really liked how this one was done and Liliwin didn't seem smart. I know that sounds weird, but Peter's had a bad habit of making all of her characters level headed and mentally equal no matter what their schooling or history. Liliwin is the first who seems honestly normal with a few bouts of impulsivity and bad planning.

The real villain is revealed a little sooner then expected, but that's because we get a chase scene! I liked how Ellis was branching out and trying new things.

As always, it was a wonderful read. The end of this one was truly a nail biter. I love also that Shrewsbury is right next to Wales and even has a "Welsh gate" near Shrewsbury Castle. I am a bit Welsh and enjoy all the stories.
They are my "comfort reads" and just 6 left to read..What will I do then?

Another VERY good one in this excellent cozy mysteries series set in Medieval England, in Shrewsbury near the border to Wales. My next one will be Monk's Hood. It feels repetitive to write another review, please see instead these two reviews:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44... for "The Leper of Saint Giles" and
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... for St. Peter's Fair

I highly recommend the series. They do NOT have to be read in order, except 6 and 10 have to be read before 20, say my friends. The first one is not one of the best, so beware. Don't be put off if you insist on starting there. You get delightful writing and a clear mystery that is fun to follow and filled with action. The monks are great characters, each with their own particular idiosyncrasies. They become real people because in all the books their character doesn't change; so the more you read, the more you enjoy going back to meet them again. Some are nicer than others, so don't think this is totally unrealistic. These characters are more than nice versus bad, they are unique individuals: one LOVES anything to do with music, another has a good heart but always breaks things and makes messes, and then of course there is Brother Cadfael (pronounced Cad-file). He is Welsh, worldly, has fought in wars, been to the Holy Lands and now has returned and fills out his monastical duties working in the Abby's herbarium and solving crimes. Oh, I forgot. I was going to keep this very short.

My advice, don't start with book one. Start with my favorite so far, "The Leper of St. Giles". "The Sanctuary Sparrow" is almost as good but the mystery was a teeny bit harder to follow. As usual, all the threads tie up nicely. As usual, Brother Cadfael explains how he thinks for us, the Deputy Sheriff, Hugh Beringar, and the Abbot. As usual, the writing is NOT salacious, but lovely. As usual the crime gets solved and each get their fair due, in one way or another. You recognize a lovely constancy to how the stories unfold and are resolved. Lovely series. I just couldn't keep my mouth shut, could I?!

The narration of the audiobook by Vanessa Benjamin was absolutely wonderful. No complaints whatsoever.

ttCharacter List

Characters

The Sanctuary Sparrow (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #7)
four weeks past Easter of the year of Our Lord 1140,

Brother Anselm the precentor, wholly absorbed into his chanting of the office, was past fifty, a vague, slender, shortsighted person

Liliwin all gangling limbs, large of elbow and knee, and very low in flesh to cover them. 20, has Sanctuary, a vagabond player, very young and solitary and poor,


Brother Oswin Brother Cadfael’s apprentice

Walter Aurifaber’s house his son’s wedding-feast.”, paddling palms, and probably more, with mistress Cecily Corde, whose wool-merchant husband collected fleeces
Daniel Aurifaber too well aware of a handsome face,was very elegant in festival finery, groom
Margery bride, Edred Bele’s girl
Dame Juliana Aurifaber 80's, was given to ulcers of the leg
Susanna daughter,30's had a cool dignity, mistress of this household, quiet and calm, no scold and no tyrant.
Rannilt, little maidservant
Iestyn, journeyman, weighing small tablets of silver. A sturdy, compact person,

Baldwin Peche the locksmith a middle-aged widower without children, smiling, sneaking toady of a man to your face, and back-biting
tJohn Boneth minds the shop
tGriffin,13 the locksmith’s boy who slept in the shop as a watchman, contented nature and good with his hands, but he was a simpleton.
t
Master Ailwin Corde, the wool-merchant, and his wife, Cecily,

Madog of the Dead-Boat was as Welsh as Cadfael himself,t

Geoffrey Corviser the provost,

I always enjoy a trip to Shrewsbury to spend time with Cadfael, and this audiobook reread was even more enjoyable, thanks to the wonderful narration by Patrick Tull.

This one opens with a bang, as a Springtime evening Mass is disrupted by a young man bursting into the abbey church - he is hounded by a crowd baying for his blood, and wants to claim sanctuary. Lilliwin is a young traveling performer, hired to entertain at the wedding of the local goldsmith’s spoiled son and heir. The crowd claims Lilliwin has killed the goldsmith and stolen his treasure; Abbot Radulfus immediately takes charge, granting sanctuary and ordering the crowd to disburse, and return in the morning when the law can officially investigate.

The morning brings an official from the sheriff (Hugh Beringar is away, but returning soon), and news that the goldsmith was knocked unconscious, but still lives. Cadfael gets involved to help vindicate Lilliwin, but also because he is the only medical advice the goldsmith’s mother will accept - she’s a greedy old battle axe who donates to the abbey for the good of her soul, and considers Cadfael’s care as her due. There is family drama aplenty, and two romances come to light - one sweet and loving, involving Lilliwin and a young servant girl, the other hopeless and doomed, but nonetheless passionate for the tragedy of the exciting ending.

Yet another Cadfael book imported from Shelfari with no review, and it didn't make it to LibraryThing, either, so whatever I thought when I first read this, other than I gave it 4 stars, is gone. I can't have been the March 31, 2016 date listed on GR since it was imported to LibraryThing with my initial export in January of that year.

A young minstrel races into the sanctuary and grabs the cloth on the altar to escape the mob chasing him, certain without proof that he has committed murder and theft. The abbot stops the mob from beating him to death and gets them to leave. A rather action packed start to a Brother Cadfael book, but rest assured, it's another gem in this series. He has a legal right to 40 days of sanctuary before he has to be handed over to the authorities, providing he doesn't leave the compound, and--I know you'll be shocked--Brother Cadfael investigates, along with Hugh Beringer with the help of others. Yes, of course there is a romance as a side part of this, or it wouldn't belong in this series, would it?