Leigh Network Book Review: The Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom
I absolutely this series! It follows the main character, Shardlake, a 16th century lawyer, as he fights for justice, battles with murderers and meets a host of characters- from flamboyantly regal royals, to the impoverished and often starving poor and real people of King Henry XIII’s time.
The books follow Henry’s reign with each of his wives, and his maddening mental state of paranoia and deteriorating health. Each novel has its own plot yet ties in brilliantly with the others (seven in total).
Sansom captures the atmosphere- the sights, sounds and smells of the time, in beautiful detail. Some of the scenes stay with you long after the book has closed. As it is set in Tudor times, an era of no human rights, religious upheaval and when having freedom of thought could land you on the rack being stretched out of joint, things like burnings, beheadings, hangings, being hung, drawn and quartered, happen without much thought.
The book depicts characters who have various disabilities and health conditions, including Shardlake himself, and the prejudice faced.
I highly recommend this fast paced, action packed, thoroughly researched historical novel series, aspects of which are both recognisable and relatable to today's world.
