The Muse of Freedom by Jules Larimore
Larimore leads us to clandestine religious gatherings in the remote Cevennes hills of the south of France at the tail end of the seventeenth century. Jean BonDurant, a rich aristocrat who is training as an apothecary, joins open-spirited Amelia and her wolf-dog Romulus in ministering to the medical needs of the impoverished victims of persecution.
But other things are happening in secret in these Cevennes hills, revealed as Jean travels between his townhouse in Genoüillac, the family Château de Cougoussac, to the towns and villages of the region, and through bleak and dangerous mountains.
Motifs
Why was seven-year-old Jean abandoned by his parents and consigned to be brought up in a Dominican prieuré? Is his uncle a secret Huguenot, making his family potential targets of the maniac Intendant Basville? Who is that lizard-like character in bright green velvet who keeps popping up unexpectedly?
What help can Prieur Chabert and Jean Giraud, the renowned seller of banned Protestant books provide for Jean BonDurant when things get desperate?
And, above all, what strange vibes are budding between Jean and Amelia?
Who are the real Occitànie people and what are their roots? How were they influenced by Mary Magdalene, the Moors, Jews, Roma…?
This book’s underlying scenario – persecution of Huguenot believers under King Louis XIV – is similar to that addressed in City of Tears by Kate Mosse, The Huguenot Chronicles by Paul C.R. Monk, The Refugees by Arthur Conan Doyle, Psaumes interdits by Marjolaine Chevallier and True to Her Faith by Harriet Gabourel. It is also the background theme of Vince Rockston’s soon to be published book, Greet Suzon for me.
Appraisal
The Muse of Freedom is an exciting book, delving into historical tensions as well as spiritual intrigues. Larimore has undertaken meticulous research, introducing the reader to fascinating political, religious and geographical detail of the period, as well as insight into a wide range of herbal remedies.
The prose is rich, almost poetic at times, but would have benefitted from additional line editing.