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Canticle
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
5 posts | 3 read | 8 to read
A masterful debut novel following a spirited young woman's explorations of faith, agency, and love in thirteenth-century Bruges. Aleys is sixteen years old and unusual: stubborn, bright, and prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, Finn, a young scholar, have been learning Latin together in secret--but just as she thinks their connection might become something more, everything unravels. When her father promises her in marriage to a merchant she doesn't love, she runs away from home, finding shelter among the beguines, a fiercely independent community of religious women who refuse to answer to the Church. Among these hardworking and strong-willed women, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of belonging: a life of song, meaning, and friendship in the markets and along the canals of Bruges. But forces both mystical and political are afoot. Illegal translations of scripture, the women's independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop--and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger, a danger that will push Aleys to a new understanding of love and sacrifice. Grounded in the little-told stories of medieval women--mystics, saints, anchoresses, and beguines--and introducing a major new talent, Canticle is a luminous work of historical fiction, vividly evoking a world on the verge of transformation.
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Texreader
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
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I‘ve reviewed the #auldlangspine booklist from @LeafingThroughLife

These are the top six, from which I will choose at least one & hopefully more to read in January & 2026. Turns out I own the ebook of Indifferent Stars so it may be first. I‘ve put library holds on Canticle and Phoenix Pencil because they‘re weeks out. The rest of the books I have sort of ranked in my order of interest because so many sound so good. It was a good match for me!!

monalyisha Okay, okay. I'm adding Canticle, too. 😅🙈 The description is right up my alley and that cover is gorgeous! My list grows exponentially during this event... 3d
vivastory I selected Canticle as my December Aardvark 3d
Texreader @LeafingThroughLife Wolf by Wolf and Landfall were the next two on my list. Such interesting books! 3d
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JamieArc @vivastory I selected Canticle too. When I read the description, I thought of you @monalyisha 3d
monalyisha @TexReader I love that you're interested in so many of @LeafingThroughLife's titles. I think her partner last year was more of a “silent partner,“ so I'm thrilled that she'll have more engagement this time around. Thank you! 3d
Texreader @vivastory What is this Aardvark of which you speak? 🙂 3d
monalyisha @JamieArc She's got a type! (She is me.) 3d
Texreader @monalyisha 😊👍🏻 3d
vivastory Aardvark is a monthly book box..a bit like book of the month but much more interesting in their selections IMO. 3d
LeafingThroughLife Yay! I‘m so excited to see what you think of these! I‘m super stoked about your list too but my week has descended into chaos so it might be a day or two til I can properly mull over my reading plan and post about it. Soon! 🤞🏻😊 2d
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Texreader
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
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This is my reading list from @LeafingThroughLife for #auldlangspine

@monalyisha did a marvelous job matching the pairs! I‘ve not read any of these books but I just recently added the tagged book to my tbr list and it‘s no. 1 on the list. So I know for sure I‘ll be reading that one! I‘ve put it on hold with the library. 14-16 week wait! But sometimes it goes faster. 🤞🏻

I‘ll be exploring the rest of the books. Looking forward to it!

monalyisha Oh my gosh! Maybe plan to start with a different one? Can‘t believe the wait is so long and that researching your list was the first I‘d heard of it. That‘ll show me for thinking I know things! 😅 3d
TheKidUpstairs I love seeing everyone's lists! I hadn't heard about Canticle until a few days ago, and now I feel like I'm seeing it everywhere! Maybe the reading gods are trying to tell me something... 3d
TheBookHippie Number 8 I think my daughter has read 10 times at least. 🙃 3d
KT1432 I‘m really excited about Canticle! This is a great list! 2d
39 likes4 comments
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BookishTrish
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
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Pickpick

An unexpectedly amazing debut that I heard of thanks to #netgalley. Aleys lives in 13th century Belgium and is called to a religious life. She unwittingly finds herself a pawn in two brothers‘ desires for greatness.

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LeafingThroughLife
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
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Pickpick

In Medieval Bruges, a ruling elite battles to keep the scriptures from being understood by commoners, butt Aleys longs to truly experience the living God for herself. Eschewing her arranged marriage to become the a Franciscan nun, she finds companionship and service alongside a group of Beguines who secretly study a forbidden translated scripture. When miracles begin to occur, Aleys finds herself walking a line between saint and heretic. (1/2)

LeafingThroughLife Aleys‘s longing, confusion, fear and joy are palpable as she travels her path to sainthood. In a world where faith is obscured by the will of men who would corrupt it for their own ends, Edward dares to imagine the lives of bold women who hungered to draw near to God and created their own way to worship him. Deeply spiritual but also skeptical of the traditional interpretation of scripture, Canticle is a rich and thought-provoking debut. (2/2) 6d
LeafingThroughLife Side note: Litsy‘s character limits fill me with hate. This is one of my favorite books of the year and it pains me to have been forced to be so…concise in my praise. All the stars!! 6d
AlaMich This sounds very interesting! 6d
24 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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vlwelser
Canticle | Janet Rich Edwards
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Pickpick

This one was really well done. I'm a sucker for historical fiction set in cities where I have been. This is set in medieval Bruges.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 12/2/25
#ARC #Netgalley

kspenmoll This sounds intriguing! 4mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful cover ❤️ 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4mo
32 likes3 comments