My second time to read an Antonia Fraser (born 1932) book. My first by her was a biography, Marie Antoinette: The Journey (4 stars). Lady Antonia Fraser is the widow of Harold Pinter (1930-2008), the 2005 Nobel for Literature winner. Although I liked this book, I thought that Lady Fraser was a better biographer than a detective/thriller novelist.This book gave birth to Fraser's investigative lady journalist, Jemima Shore whose childhood friend Rosabelle Powerstock is found dead inside the tower inside her convent. Already a nun and called Sister Miriam, her friend locked and starved herself to death. Shore is contacted by the head of the nunnery, Reverend Mother Ancilla to find out the truth about the death. Prior to her death, Sister Miriam wrote some notes reaffirming her desire to relinquish the riches that she is supposed to inherit from his rich parents including the very land where the convent and the adjacent school are located. Sister Miriam wanted to give all the properties that she will inherit to the charitable institutions instead of the nunnery. The title of the book comes from the poem of Wordsworth:It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, The holy time is quiet as a Nun Breathless with adoration...There is actually an irony in the title because even if the nuns are quiet while praying, the politics and secrets inside the convent are disquieting. I've read novels about those controversial events inside the house of God, e.g., altars, seminaries and convents. Reading something as old as this book, originally published in 1977, gives one a feeling that time has not really changed even many decades or centuries ago.However, I think what makes this book different from the usual whodunnit thrillers is that the character of Jemima Shore parallels that of her friend, Sister Miriam. They are both feminists in the 70's when most women were still expected to be domestic homemakers. If Sister Miriam, wanted to assert her own personality instead of to be just one of the "nuns dressed in black," Shore wanted to grow as a journalist and be her own person. Both did not want to suffer in silence, i.e., quiet as a nun but rather air their voices out.In short, this is not just a thriller. This is also a feminist book. That's the reason why I liked this. This is also the reason, I think, why it is included in the 501 Must-Read Books.
68. Quiet As A Nun by Antonia Fraser. Jemima Shore spent many school years as a student at the Blessed Eleanor's Convent. There she became good friends with fellow student Rosabelle, the daughter of the wealthy family who owned the land the convent stood on. When the two girls graduated their paths diverged, with Jemima becoming a famous television investigator and Rosa becoming a nun. Years later, Jemima finds herself back at the convent to try and discover what drove her friend to lock herself in the convent tower and starve herself to death, and if the stories of the ghostly Black Nun of the convent are true.This is part of a series of Jemima Shore books written by Fraser, but this is the only one I've read so far. It was turned into an episode of the old "Armchair Thriller" t.v. series in the U.K. and I'd really love to see this. The character of Jemima is interestingly flawed- she's in love with a self-absorbed married man and admits that a previous affair led to her success. Yet she's likeable and always looks for the reasonable explanation, even when she's creeped out.
What do You think about Quiet As A Nun (1998)?
Jemima Shore is a pop star reporter for the London telly station. She considers herself Protestant, which is odd since 1) she doesn't believe in a kind and loving God and never will and 2) the Catholics need her help, and she's basically anti-Catholic as well. A close friend of hers, a nun, has died in the cloister under mysterious circumstances and Jemima is asked to investigate. A good report as well as succesful solving of the case will be good street cred for the Catholic church. There's more on the way. A Catholic schoolgirl is kidnapped and locked away in a hidden dungeon, and now Jemima has to rescue her before time runs out. Well-plotted mystery, BUUUT...It's so sad when Jemima makes the choice of not believing in God even when the door is wiiiiide open for her. This is both bogus and sad (to quote Mike Myers) and it would have more meaning if she accepted the miracle of God's Love in her life. Buuuuut, this being from Antonia Fraser, I don't see that happening. Hopefully it'll change as the series goes on, but I'm not holdin my breath. Read this one and you may find yourself "nun the worse for wear". (LOL)
—Edward Creter
A very lame mysteryFar-fetched, contrived, weak plot, boring characters, insipid dialogues, corny suspense (dark crypt, coffins, etc.) The famous TV investigator heroine doesn't have one interesting thought throughout the book - even her messages to her (married - is that what is supposed to make her interesting ?) boyfriend are unimaginative.Also, one would have expected better writing from a famous historian. The style is very basic and full of blunders like : "they were exactly similar", "I was profoundly horrified", etc. etc.
—Christiane
So here's the deal. I like Antonia Fraser's biographies, and when I saw this book at a library sale bag-o-books-for-a-buck day and realized that she had written a mystery of all things, I had to see it.It was basically okay, but I could sort of tell this was a rookie mystery. She telegraphs the location of the will so heavily that I realized where it was the second Tessa said anything. I knew who the Black Nun was almost the first time it was mentioned. And there is a tremendous amount of talkin
—Meltha
