The Needle in the Blood [Paperback]

"Love changes, that is all, it is a shape shifter. The challenge lies in continuing to recognize it." - from THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD

In January 1066, the English King, Edward the Confessor, died childless. This prompted a scuffle for the throne. Harold Godwinson was elected King (Harold II). However, Duke William of Normandy claimed that Edward had promised the kingship to him and, furthermore, that Harold had previously sworn to him fealty and support of his claim. William invaded England and defeated Harold's army at the Battle of Senlac outside Hastings, during which fight Harold was killed. William assumed the throne as William I, thus permanently bringing Saxon England into the Norman French sphere of influence.

Accompanying William's army at Senlac was his half-brother Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux. Following the victory and William's assumption of the crown, Odo was granted the earldom of Kent.

The events surrounding the disputed succession, from Edward's choice of successor to William's crowning, and including the battle near Hastings, are depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry - actually an embroidered cloth, not a tapestry - that measures one-half meter by seventy meters and which is on permanent exhibit in Bayeux, Normandy, France. It's thought to have been commissioned by Odo, created in Canterbury, and hung in the Bayeux Cathedral at its dedication in 1077.

There's one particular embroidered scene problematic for historians, which depicts a cleric striking the face, or, alternatively, caressing the cheek, of a woman named Aelfgyva. It's captioned "Ubi unis clericus et Aelfgyva", translated as "Where a certain cleric and Aelfgyva". (See Image 8 at the website "Bayeux Tapestry.") The author of THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD, Sarah Bower, has woven her tale around this enigma.

Bower's historical novel begins on October 14, 1066 with Harold's defeat and death, and ends in September 1077. The male protagonist is Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent. The heroine, and the one on whom the storyline is centered, is the fictional Aelfgytha ("elf gift"), formerly a lady-in-waiting to King Harold's beloved mistress, Edith Swanneck. Gytha was with Lady Edith when the latter identified Harold's corpse on the battlefield. Gytha, an expert seamstress, is subsequently one of several employed by Odo's (fictional) sister, the nun Sister Agatha, to create the formidable embroidery that he's commissioned; Gytha has an ulterior motive.

THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD is a medieval love story constructed around the passionate relationship between Odo and Gytha - a pairing that begins with her attempt to cut the bishop's throat. (OK, so what's unusual about that considering the natural male-female tensions?)

This is shameless ChickLit. However, as my testosterone level has decreased with age, I can appreciate the story, mostly because of the author's characterization of Odo. While not a cleric with even a modicum of holiness, and one even capable of brutal actions, the worldly bishop is perhaps a good and honorable man - especially as a secular leader - when measured against the times and circumstance. Here, Odo certainly comes out looking better than history portrays. A popular on-line encyclopedia has this to say about him:

"Little good is recorded of Odo. It was recorded that his vast wealth was gained by extortion and robbery. His ambitions were boundless and his morals lax."

Also interesting is Bower's treatment of Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1070 to 1089. While history regards him more or less favorably as an administrator, statesman, and promoter of clerical eduaction and discipline, the author paints him as the closest thing to the villain of the piece. Indeed, he comes across as a conniving weasel you love to hate. Bower herself acknowledges this literary license in the Afterword and even serves up an apology for the liberty she took with his reputation. Actually, I liked her version better.

It's not that THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD is without shortcomings. Odo has an extreme aversion to a character named "Sebastian", apparently stemming from an incident at the Battle of Senlac, an explanation for which is never given. And Sister Agatha has issues which make her one of the more intriguing and sympathetic personae of the story. Yet, in the end, the evolution of the plot bundles her off to obscurity without the readers' attention that I think she was due.

The book cries out for a sequel. Since the historical Odo lived until 1097, one is certainly possible if the author wishes to expend the time and effort.

I haven't read any historical fiction for a while, nothing has really appealed, but the headline on the beautiful cover of The Needle in the Blood offered a tale of sex, lies and embroidery so I thought I would give it a go. The book grips from the first chapter; you are thrown into the middle of the Battle of Hastings, with Odo, brother to William the Conqueror, rallying the Norman troops, fearing his brother has died on the battlefield. We soon learn that the battle is won and the history of England changes forever. In the aftermath of the battle the rumour is that Harold has been killed by an arrow in the eye; it's the first lie, the reality is that his body has been hacked to pieces and mutilated but the arrow in the eye story will be recorded for posterity in the Bayeux tapestry.

Amongst the Saxon women who come to claim his body is Gytha, handmaid to the mistress of the fallen king and a talented embroiderer. She returns to Winchester with the women, only to witness the pillaging of her mistress's home and to submit to rape to save a Saxon soldier about to be put to death. When the unconventional Bishop Odo decides to commission a wall hanging to commemorate the battle, Gytha is among the women recruited to work on the embroidery. Forced to work as a prostitute to survive, she reluctantly agrees to work for the Norman court; she sees an opportunity for revenge and when she meets Odo again she is armed with a sharp knife and a thirst for vengeance. But in this book nothing is as it seems and as she falls in love with him and so the lies and intrigue begin, with as many lies stitched into the tapestry as are told among the wonderfully full and vibrant cast of characters that people this book.

This is a must read for anyone looking for a strong and intense story, beautifully told by someone with the skill to bring this extraordinary period in our history so colourfully to life - and is a must read for anyone visiting Bayeux to see the tapestry.

To celebrate William the Conqueror's conquest of Britain, Bishop of Bayeux, Odo, commissions a wall hanging. This embroidered cloth, on permanent exhibition in Bayeux, Normandy, became known as the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most well-known and enigmatic medieval artifacts.

Armed with Sarah Bower's wonderfully descriptive language, The Needle in the Blood gripped me from the beginning. I felt as if I'd been hurled into the midst of the Battle of Hastings, as Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror, fears his brother has died on the battlefield and rallies the Norman troops. We soon learn that the battle is won and King Harold has been killed.

Gytha, the fictional Aelfgytha, former handmaid to the mistress of the fallen king, and a talented embroiderer, is amongst the Saxon women who come to claim Harold's body. Witnessing her mistress's home pillaged, and suffering rape to save a Saxon soldier about to be put to death, when Gytha is among the women recruited to work on Odo's embroidery, she sees an opportunity for revenge.

Odo's life becomes entangled with those of the women embroiderers, and, against their wills, Gytha and he fall in love, bringing Odo into conflict with his king and his God. The lies, treachery and intrigue begin, with as many lies embroidered into the tapestry as are passed between the vibrant cast of characters, as the author brilliantly portrays how nothing in life, or in the wall hanging, is what it seems.

At times, I felt a touch confused as to point of view or whether the narrative was in flashback, but felt the story was generally very well-plotted and full of action. I would highly recommend The Needle in the Blood to readers looking for a powerful, intense story, beautifully told by an author with the skill to evoke this period in history. It is also a must-read for anyone visiting the Bayeux Tapestry in Normandy.