Ackroyd, Peter. The Clerksenwell Tales

ACKROYD, Peter. The Clerksenwell Tales. Random House, Anchor. 213p. c2004. 1-4000-75955. $13.95. A

Peter Ackroyd's splendid novel uses Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as the frame for an erudite tale of 14th-century political and religious intrigues in England. Using many of Chaucer's pilgrims as characters, with a few others thrown in to make it all even more convoluted and interesting, Ackroyd adroitly weaves an intricate plot. With each chapter, he offers readers the perspective of yet another character. Through these characters we learn that conspiracies of unimaginable complexity and profound implications abound in merry old England. King Richard II, his supporters, and supporters of the Church are gravely endangered by any number of clandestine, mysterious powers moving through the darkly dangerous medieval streets of London.

Full of wonderful imagery--pungently, disturbingly, and staggeringly vivid--The Clerkenwell Tales is a suspense-filled tale overflowing with amazing details and provocative themes. In preparing his narrative, Ackroyd obviously relied upon a meticulously researched, extensive array of sources (although the unfortunately meager endnotes and the absence of a bibliography will leave many readers--myself included--frustrated with so many unexplained arcane details and allusions). The most advanced and motivated students--as well as educated medievalists and adventurous adult readers--should thoroughly enjoy reading this fascinating book. Paradoxically, The Clerkenwell Tales is entertaining and informative, but it is also rather difficult because of the profusion of cultural and historical details, and readers--if at all like me--will constantly get distracted by the need to seek out explanations from other research sources. Tim Davis, Dept. of English & Foreign Languages, UWF, Pensacola, FL

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