THE REBEL ROSE

A girl learns to make her voice heard in Campbell’s historical novel.

In early 1500s England (in a slightly more magical version of the real world), a talented young poet named Mathilde dreams of being a writer and sharing her verses—but she lives at the Convent of the Blessed Comfort, and the sisters there have plans for her to marry. After the sisters attempt to “rid the evil” inside her by using physical punishment, she runs away to a cathedral in Exeter and disguises herself as a boy to seek shelter among the monks. There, she befriends the kind Roberto, an Italian missionary with a love of orchards. But after Roberto falls ill, Mathilde’s true identity as a woman is revealed to the monks and she is cast out. This starts her on a journey of friendship, love, and heartbreak, all conveyed in short scenes that sometimes feel like vignettes. Mathilde forms a sweet bond with Hamlyn Clemens, the cart driver who originally took her to Exeter, and his eccentric niece Isca, who is obsessed with the magical fairy folk (who may or may not be real). In the background, a group of women called the rogue mistresses fight against the nascent forces of capitalism as Mathilde spins sonnets and falls for the enchanting, green-eyed Jack Straw. The narration is lyrical and flows nicely: “The winter makes war with everyone’s vanity, but mine is like one hundred hits to the head.” However, Campbell occasionally drops readers into scenes already underway, and the lack of description leading into them can make it hard to understand what’s happening. The story works best when it’s focused on Mathilde’s relationships, which feel raw, grounded, and charmingly relatable.

A beautifully written but sometimes rocky read.