Robyn Cadwallader brings a deep scholarly interest in medieval literature to her creative work, exploring themes of female agency and sexuality. Her writing often draws inspiration from historical and mythical figures, examining their struggles and triumphs within societal constraints. She delves into the power of narrative and the construction of female identity, utilizing innovative literary techniques. Cadwallader's prose is known for its insightful analysis and compelling portrayals of characters who challenge convention.
From Robyn Cadwallader, author of the internationally acclaimed novel The Anchoress, comes a deeply profound and moving novel of the importance of creativity and the power of connection, told through the story of the commissioning of a gorgeously decorated medieval manuscript, a Book of Hours.
"England, 1255. Sarah is only seventeen when she chooses to become an anchoress, a holy woman much like Saint Hildegard of Bingen, shut away in a small cell, measuring seven by nine paces, at the side of the village church. Fleeing the grief of losing a much-loved sister in childbirth and the pressure to marry, she decides to renounce the world, with all its dangers, desires, and temptations, and to commit herself to a life of prayer. But it soon becomes clear that even the thick, unforgiving walls of her cell cannot keep the outside world away, and Sarah's body and soul are still in great danger"--