Illuminations

A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen

De: Mary Sharratt

Narrado por: Tavia Gilbert

Audie Award Finalist, Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction, 2014

Skillfully interweaving historical fact with psychological insight and vivid imagination, Sharratt's redemptive novel, Illuminations, brings to life one of the most extraordinary women of the Middle Ages: Hildegard von Bingen, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Offered to the Church at the age of eight, Hildegard was entombed in a small room where she was expected to live out her days in silent submission as the handmaiden of a renowned but disturbed young nun, Jutta von Sponheim.

Instead, Hildegard rejected Jutta's masochistic piety and found comfort and grace in studying books, growing herbs, and rejoicing in her own secret visions of the divine. When Jutta died some thirty years later, Hildegard broke out of her prison with the heavenly calling to speak and write about her visions and to liberate her sisters and herself from the soul-destroying anchorage.

Riveting and utterly unforgettable, Illuminations is a deeply moving portrayal of a woman willing to risk everything for what she believed.

©2012 Mary Sharratt (P)2012 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"[A] gripping story." ( Publishers Weekly)

Very long and predictable.

I didn't care for the singing, thankfully it was blessedly infrequent. The plot was fairly predictable, but I was in forced Catholic schools.

Couldn't stop listening

If you could sum up Illuminations in three words, what would they be?

The author brings to light the life of a fascinating and amazing historical character. Worth listening to.

A must-read for anyone who loves her music

What made the experience of listening to Illuminations the most enjoyable?

After the strength of the story, itself, it was Tavia Gilbert's surprising ability to sing Hildegard's music that made this memorable as an audiobook.

What about Tavia Gilbert’s performance did you like?

See above.

Any additional comments?

The lovely nature of good historical fiction, of which this is an example, is the ability to humanize the people who made history.

Awesome

So loved hearing Hildegard tell her own story!! I've read so much about her ....but now I feel like I really know her!

Wonderful, didn't want it to end.

At first, the elderly voice Tavia used was kind of comical and off-putting (it sounded like a female Deckard Cain from the Diablo game series) but that voice subsides. I was fully intrigued by Hildegard's journey. The story of Jutta and Hildegard's isolation was absolutely haunting. Everything was neatly presented, enthralling, heart-aching, and wrapped nicely. I will definitely read more of her work. Tavia did a wonderful job narrating also.

Beautifully performed, but revisionism takes over at the 3/4 Mark

TLDR: The novel focuses so much on the “female gaze” and the plight of women that it sometimes misses the historical women themselves.

I struggled with this more as it went on. First of all, however, this is one of the best voice performances I’ve heard in an audiobook. But troubling and overtaking that is the author’s treatment of the real people at the heart of this story. Though I believe Sharratt was fair to both the vision and the foibles of Hildegard, the condemnation of Jutta (who was too morbid and not feminist enough to be given the pass, I suppose) felt increasingly judgmental. Even though this woman struggled with asceticism, she was still canonized and the church doesn’t consider her less than Hildegard. The story went out of the way to make her a rival to Hildegard when it wasn’t needed. Brother Volmar was sexualized, not in a tasteless way, but, given how seriously he took his vows, if there was no historical record of him being led astray, it felt wrong that he was given that storyline. I’ve tried to find evidence of Jutta’s brother’s abuse as well. If that abuse did not transpire, than he was demonized simply to make Jutta seem helpless rather than an agent with her own mind. Women do not need other women or men to hurt/rival/seduce them in order to be considered interesting or relevant! Then there was the fan fiction treatment of the friendship between Richardis and Hildegard. Hildegard, like Emily Dickinson, was capable of deeply romantic friendships that were not tinged with homoeroticism. You would not know that from this telling. Apparently Richardus, who was first described as like a daughter to Hildegard, is later little better than the object-of-transfer for Hildegard’s “stunted” sexuality (comparing the young girl to a young Volmarat some point), which I felt was the lesser choice. The author’s goal is to “write women into history,” but Hildegard’s piece in the tapestry is unmistakable. She does not need to be written in, though I’d love some more novels of her. They did not need to put down one woman (Jutta) and eroticize another (Richardis and her “breath on the nose of my neck” was where I got off the wagon) to do that. But I don’t regret the novel simply because the source material is rich, they did not water down the visions, and the performance is top notch.

Very interesting and different

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Already loaned my Kindle to a friend going on a cruise, so she could listen to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Illuminations?

The inhumanity of the Catholic Church and the attitudes of all people in that era.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Hildegard finally was set free.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend to anyone who likes historical stories.

Beautiful!

Where does Illuminations rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Illuminations is one of the books I would highly recommend to those who love historical novels and stories that bring important historical figures like Hildegard von Bingen to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hildegard von Bingen is shown in a very human light rather than a super saint. Furthermore, We observer her development as a child with a spiritual gift to a strong moral woman whose faith is unshakable. Her character was believable and inspiring.

Which character – as performed by Tavia Gilbert – was your favorite?

Tavia Gilbert does an excellent performance in portraying Hildegard as a young girl and then changing her voice to match the aged Hildegard. In addition, Gilbert flawlessly changed and modified voices to match other characters in the audio book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I looked forward to listening to this book every time I had to drive anywhere or when I could take time to listen to it. I was entranced by the storytelling.

Any additional comments?

I would love to listen/read more stories by this author!

Interesting

Amazing subject matter. Such unbelievable horrors for young girls. Good ending but at what cost to the women.

Absolutely illuminating!

Transported back in time to a place where women were subordinate to men and without a voice. St. Hildegard became that voice, a powerful yet humble vessel and many miracles ensued! The tragedies that befell her, and others moved me to tears, but with the great triumphs, great joy!
Yes, be prepared for being transported back in time, feeling as a sister with her, in spirit. What a life, so much courage, what a great woman, truly a Saint!

In the audio book, Tavia Gilbert does and excellent job with her voice of many colours and range. Capturing the beauty of song, wide array of emotions, whether melancholy, passionate, fervourous, to painting landscapes so eloquently. I would have never guessed that she was the singular voice for all of the characters!