“The Illuminator” by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

I like to consider myself an avid reader. While my preferred genres are Sci-Fi and Fantasy, I also read a lot of books for my art historical research and for The Wandering Art Historian book club. For a whole host of reasons, not all books I read make the final book club cut and yet, I typically still enjoy reading them. Then, every once in a while, a book comes along that is not quite right for book club, but is so spectacular that I just have to share it with everyone

Such is the case of The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease.

This book was so shockingly good that I absolutely could not put it down. To say I was engrossed is putting it mildly. I was completely invested in the characters and desperate for them to make good choices and personally devastated when they did not.

This novel is the best of historical fiction – it takes place during very specific historical events and includes quite a few actual historical figures. However, author Brenda Rickman Vantrease excels at maneuvering through that literary space between fact and fiction to tell an incredible story of love, artistic inspiration and the battle between The Church and The Crown. The novel is set in England in 1379, but one does not need to be an expert of British history to understand the events taking place. In the opening pages, the reader is quickly absorbed into the lives of the characters and their hardships and triumphs and must hold on for dear life as the story unfolds at breakneck speed.

If I could compare this book to a classic, I would have to say it most closely resembles The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. It is epic in scope and compelling in its handling of the pre-Reformation church and the conflicts felt by all levels of society coping with a world that believes in Divine Order. Personally, what sets this book apart and makes it that much more exceptional, is that it tells the story from the points of view of a variety of female characters from every level of society, from the noblewoman to the peasant. The author gives voice to these women who are often ignored, not just in the classics, but in history itself. This is the spark that leads to illumination for us all.

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.