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Illuminations A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen Mary Sharratt Books

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Illuminations A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen Mary Sharratt Books

I recognized a very talented writer after recently reading an earlier book by Mary Sharratt, The Real Minerva. Now I am stunned by how adeptly she has switched gears, leaving rural life in 1923 Minnesota and taken us to monastic life in the Middle Ages. Like The Real Minerva, the focus is on strong, resilient women, which Mary seems to have a deep and abiding understanding of, but that is where the similarity ends. Most successful writers do not venture out of their comfort zones; they give us successive entertaining but equivalent plots, site locations, characters, etc. I have never read an author who could vary their storytelling so adroitly and wonderfully as to tranverse time, continents and the intricacies of day-to-day life wherever she chooses to go.

This book opened my eyes to a world I now realize I knew next to nothing about. I could not have even told you what an anchorite was. This novel, like all good historical fiction, made me want to learn much more, and I researched anchorites of the church and was stunned to read of their solitary lives and view pictures of their cells, and ruins of cells, that still remain throughout Europe. Many of these young women oblates and anchorites were completely and physically walled into these cells, as the nun, Jutta, and Hildegard were in Illuminations, and spent their lives as pious prisoners, sometimes self-imposed, but often not of their own choosing. Hildegard was one of the latter, who was given as an oblate to the church by her mother at the unbelievably young age of eight. Families did this for various reasons - sometimes to gain approbation with the church, but more often, it seemed, to have other wealthy, noble citizens provide them with favors and monetary gifts to ease the burdens of the families of those who handed over their daughters. Hildegard existed for decades in a two room cell with a small, enclosed, courtyard with the disturbed Jutta, who she was required to serve as a handmaiden. She both loved Jutta and and abhored the fact that she was the sole reason for Hildegard's own penitential life. She longs throughout these years for just a glimpse of beautiful forests and wildlife and her childhood freedom. She has had visions from the time she was three years old, but is not believed and she is feared and accused of being a heretic. Jutta is thought to be the true favored child of God. Hildegard hides her visions for many years, but in time, they cannot be denied. Eventually, she does secure her freedom, but it is hard-fought, and powerful enemies block her path for a small measure of mercy at every attempt. Hildegard, though persecuted by many, manages, late in life, to preach and widely teach her ideas of church doctrine. She was canonized long after her death.

I have an affinity for good historical fiction where I can learn while being educated and entertained. With Illuminations, I had a phenomenal guide in Mary Sharratt. She writes Hildegard's story with a freshness and exhilaration that makes it seem brand new.


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Illuminations A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen Mary Sharratt Books Reviews

Illuminations by Mary Sharratt is a historical fiction novel based around the life of Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179). Hildegard was given to the church by her mother and is walled into the church expected to spend her life in silent submission as the handmaiden of a renowned, yet disturbed, young nun named Jutta von Sponheim. Hildegard resists this life and, nearly thirty years later, finally breaks away to pursue her own interests and attempt to liberate other women from the anchorage.

For the most part I enjoyed Illuminations and, being very unfamiliar with the life and story of Hildegard von Bingen, found the story of her life fascinating. It is important to remember that this is a fictional telling and therefore not entirely historically accurate however I still found it to be a pleasurable journey. Connecting with Hildegard was easy as I would have felt the same way that she did if I had been sent off to an anchorage to be a handmaiden to an overly devoted, and possibly psychologically damaged, nun. Hildegard wanted to be free to live, and experience, her own life. I could understand her frustration while she was young but as her character aged I did feel my connection with her struggling. She began to be resentful toward others, her visions seemed to be less authentic and I questioned her morality. The love interests and sexual references in the novel seemed oddly out of place as well.

The majority of the novel is well-written although it does open awkwardly. Illuminations is a nested story and begins with Hildegard as an elderly woman who is preparing to tell her story. It then flashes back to Hildegard as a young girl and the true storytelling begins. While writing about Hildegard and her visions the writing is beautiful. The story flows and the imagery is beautiful however at other times Sharratt has the tendency to be repetitive with certain phrases and descriptions (for example every time the nuns are singing it is describes as their voices rising). The large majority of the novel is eloquent but there are segments that feel forced and contrived.

Ultimately Mary Sharratt infused historical research with fictional storytelling to write a fascinating perspective on a courageous woman. There are most likely many readers, like myself, who are not very familiar with Hildegard von Bingen who may find that this book provides interesting insight into a very unique life.

Review by Ashley LaMar
Closed the Cover
As someone who may be discovering that I'm more of a mystic or contemplative follower of Jesus than I am a traditional cultural evangelical; this book was a real help. Hildegard is very much portrayed as an overcoming, Holy Spirit inspired, visionary who is also a kept woman under scapegoating and narrow minded medieval German catholic shackles.

The book can be a bit jarring to consider the real conditions and cultural practices of her times. What makes people in her era of the 1100's take pilgrimages to see "holy people of the church" are things that make me cringe and wonder about how things could have ever been like that. Mostly I am referring to the practice of being an "anchorite." This was largely unknown to me before this book; but what an eye opening tragedy it was to hear about. Yet despite that, in her own way, Hildegard and portrayed as surviving and somehow at times even thriving in the midst of wildly adverse circumstances.

My only complaint was that I think I was looking for a bit more technical and musical heft to the character as Hildegard of Bingen was a true polymath who was gifted by God to create enormous value in music, botany, literary and visual arts, preaching, rhetoric, linguistics, prophetic imagery, ethics, counseling (really think author should have included more detail on the latter half of her life during her preaching tours and requests of her to counsel and pray for both secular and church leaders as an intercessor and a sybil or woman of wisdom who walked with God).

Great book if you enjoy gritty realist historical fiction with a catholic mystic twist. This woman truly was a saint. I was so glad to see she was sainted and declared only the 4th of 35 doctors of the church by Pope Benedict in 2012.
I recognized a very talented writer after recently reading an earlier book by Mary Sharratt, The Real Minerva. Now I am stunned by how adeptly she has switched gears, leaving rural life in 1923 Minnesota and taken us to monastic life in the Middle Ages. Like The Real Minerva, the focus is on strong, resilient women, which Mary seems to have a deep and abiding understanding of, but that is where the similarity ends. Most successful writers do not venture out of their comfort zones; they give us successive entertaining but equivalent plots, site locations, characters, etc. I have never read an author who could vary their storytelling so adroitly and wonderfully as to tranverse time, continents and the intricacies of day-to-day life wherever she chooses to go.

This book opened my eyes to a world I now realize I knew next to nothing about. I could not have even told you what an anchorite was. This novel, like all good historical fiction, made me want to learn much more, and I researched anchorites of the church and was stunned to read of their solitary lives and view pictures of their cells, and ruins of cells, that still remain throughout Europe. Many of these young women oblates and anchorites were completely and physically walled into these cells, as the nun, Jutta, and Hildegard were in Illuminations, and spent their lives as pious prisoners, sometimes self-imposed, but often not of their own choosing. Hildegard was one of the latter, who was given as an oblate to the church by her mother at the unbelievably young age of eight. Families did this for various reasons - sometimes to gain approbation with the church, but more often, it seemed, to have other wealthy, noble citizens provide them with favors and monetary gifts to ease the burdens of the families of those who handed over their daughters. Hildegard existed for decades in a two room cell with a small, enclosed, courtyard with the disturbed Jutta, who she was required to serve as a handmaiden. She both loved Jutta and and abhored the fact that she was the sole reason for Hildegard's own penitential life. She longs throughout these years for just a glimpse of beautiful forests and wildlife and her childhood freedom. She has had visions from the time she was three years old, but is not believed and she is feared and accused of being a heretic. Jutta is thought to be the true favored child of God. Hildegard hides her visions for many years, but in time, they cannot be denied. Eventually, she does secure her freedom, but it is hard-fought, and powerful enemies block her path for a small measure of mercy at every attempt. Hildegard, though persecuted by many, manages, late in life, to preach and widely teach her ideas of church doctrine. She was canonized long after her death.

I have an affinity for good historical fiction where I can learn while being educated and entertained. With Illuminations, I had a phenomenal guide in Mary Sharratt. She writes Hildegard's story with a freshness and exhilaration that makes it seem brand new.