My review of the Heretic's Wife by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

The Heretic’s Wife by Brenda Rickman Vantrease
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Like most people these days, I am looking at my phone more and holding an actual book less often, but I want to change that habit and knock out some of the books I own. This book was a pleasure to read. I found the characterization to be well done and I identified with the main character. While this was a mainstream title and not inspirational fiction, I found it to be tastefully written and historically based, which is my preference when reading a book. The heroine was married to one of William Tyndale's peers and included the perspectives (on occasion) of Anne Boleyn and Thomas Moore, both on opposing sides of the religious spectrum of the day. There were a few other perspectives as well such as the husband and a ship captain. I liked how the author included historical quotes or writings at the beginning of each chapter to establish the fact from where she derived her fiction.

The trials endured in by the characters in this book were well executed and realistically portrayed. I am always more grateful for minor struggles when I read stories that include true hardships. Since I am an avid fan of Tudor era fiction, and I read a lot of it, I have to say I felt like I was living in that time period while reading this novel. I sensed the anxiety the characters had over the possibility of being burned at the stake for their beliefs. Even though this is not classified as Christian fiction, the author inserted a faith element that was spot-on in regards to how protestants viewed the bible and its interpretation. The author inspired me whenever I read the parts where the characters' faith was tested. Bottom line, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. And that's a good thing.


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