The monk Medardus was brought up in a monastery, but that doesn't stop him from succumbing to a life of sin. Tempted by a local relic- a bottle of wine supposedly holding the devil's elixir- he drinks and enjoys fame but falls deeply to pride and lust, commits horrible crimes, and is psychologically tortured as he tries to escape. But there's more to the situation than meets the eye- a mysterious past, doppelganger, generational curse, and surprising connections to people he encounters confuse matters. Is hope lost, or is redemption still possible, even for the vilest of sinners?
I like gothic fiction (see a list of works here), so I enjoyed this. It featured typical elements of the genre, and was a nice 'spooky read' around Halloween. Some themes were good to reflect on- the reality of pride and its damage, the frailty of man, the horror of sin, and so on. It was confusing in places- the plot was complex and the connections difficult to follow- but good overall.
Rating: A-
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