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Historical fiction is not really my thing & I come from long lines of religious non conformists with no sympathy for the Catholic Church, but I was fascinated by this story of a C9th girl who disguises herself as a Benedictine monk in order to feed her voracious intelligence & desire to learn. The place & condition of women in at that time is a major theme, as is corruption within the church. Captivating stuff! #ozfiction

This was brilliant. A girl in the 9th century becomes a monk and ascends to the high ranks of the Catholic Church. It sounds esoteric but is propulsive and Agnes is so engaging I was invested and wanted to see how she would confront each new challenge. Strong writing with some of the earthy poetry of Hannah Kent. Makes you think about sexism & privilege in a new way. A beautiful look at spirituality vs the excesses of the church. Recommended.

It‘s like a biblical Slumdog Millionaire, with a more reluctant (and regretfully horny) heroine. My trust in Maguire was well placed, as I found myself fascinated and eager to read more all the way through Rapture. So, even if it doesn‘t sound like your type of book, I encourage you to give it a go regardless. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/rapture-emily-maguire/