Jack Gaioni is guest posting again to introduce us to Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards, and I include my own review of this excellent book.
Over to Jack for his recommendation:
Full Disclosure: I am not a book reviewer – far from it. Nor were book reports my forte in school assignments. But much like Denzil’s Discovering Belgium, I too am fascinated by all things Belgian.
When not doing business or visiting family and friends in Belgium I seek out literature that is Belgian specific. The list includes Hugo Claus’s The Sorrow of Belgium – considered to be the most important Belgian novel of the 20th century. The Guns of August by Barabara Tuchman is perhaps the most vivid account of World War I in Belgium. Other books like Tintin by Herge and Villette by Charlotte Bronte will also leave you with some measurement of Belgian culture.
But this past December, American Janet Rich Edwards made her literary debut with her novel Canticle – historical fiction that is 100% Belgian centric.
As intriguing as the book is, her reason for writing it is even more so. Let me explain.
Janet Rich Edwards is a Harvard University professor and epidemiologist (epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes and effects of disease), at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, U.S.A. She has written over 300 scientific articles that focus on women’s health. A prolific body of work to be sure, but scientific journals are not exactly easy reading (personal opinion).
Reading a scientific journal is “information dense” – data driven and meant to be read by other specialists. Important research yes, but not exactly pleasant storytelling. When asked in a Q &A why she, an esteemed epidemiologist, would turn to fiction, Ms. Edwards gave some personal background that helps explain.
In her early 20’s, before her tenure as a professor, she spent some time in the Peace Corps in Niger – a country in the midst of a famine. She admits that she grew up “sheltered” but in Niger “death was everywhere.” She recalled an instance in which she held a dying baby boy. “I felt that I was looking into the eyes of someone who had already seen ahead and I knew that something in him would live on…”
This profound experience has stayed with her throughout her entire life. After a career of deep research, she was left wondering if she “could convey more truths, or at least different truths (beyond science) through story telling.” This paradox compelled her to write Canticle. She chose to set the novel in 13th Century Bruges. It is the story about a precocious young girl with mystical visions who joins a Beguinage – a sisterhood of independent women that flourished for 500 years in the Low Countries.
If I continue with a description of the plot line, it would start to become a book report. I will spare you. Suffice it to say that if you’d like to read a meticulously researched, inspirational, Belgian-specific novel, Canticle fits the bill. More importantly, if you too have wondered if there are truths, or at least different truths, beyond science, give the novel strong consideration.
Enjoy!
Note: Although Canticle has only been available for a few months it is no stranger to some very favorable reviews: It is the New York Times’ Editors’ Choice, People Magazine December’s Book of the Week, and Amazon’s Best Book of December.
My review of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
Thank you Jack. Inspired by your recommendation, I read Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards myself and can attest to its brilliance. Here’s my short review:
Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards is a powerful and immersive novel that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. It’s about a 16-year-old girl who is prone to religious visions and who runs away from home and finds shelter among the Beguines of medieval Bruges. It weaves together themes of strength, devotion, faith, desire, community, and power into a gripping and deeply human story.
What struck me most was how vividly the world is brought to life. The author’s rich, evocative prose makes it easy to step back into a time when literacy was rare and the Church held immense control over both knowledge and belief. The depiction of daily life in Bruges is fascinating.
The novel doesn’t shy away from showing the darker side of institutional power, particularly the way the medieval Catholic Church could act as a gatekeeper between ordinary people and their faith – at times suppressing access to scripture and reinforcing inequality.
At once heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, Canticle is also beautifully written and emotionally compelling. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that not only tells a great story but also challenges you to reflect on the past – and its echoes in the present.
Let me know how you get on with the book, either below in the comments or via email. And if you want to read Jack’s other guest post on Discovering Belgium, it’s in this fascinating personal article “My Father’s Belgian World War Two Experiences.”
For more information on the beguines, check out my article on The Beguines of Belgium.
I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.
Thanks for the reviews, Denzil. Sounds like a great read.