Today's #HistFicThursdays blog comes from Judith, who is reviewing Tom Palmer 's fabulous book, Angel of Grasmere . Read on, to see what she thought... Picture from Tom's website, here: https://tompalmer.co.uk/angel-of-grasmere/ The Angel of Grasmere: From Dunkirk to Grasmere is a middle-grade novel by Tom Palmer. I came to read this book in a surprising sort of way. Having just taken up a post as an English teacher at the local High School, I was informed that each class has a session in the library every three weeks. The kind but terrifyingly organised librarian told me that my third-years had missed their last library session, so she had kindly slotted on into my first week with them. This was an absolute godsend as, last thing on a Thursday, it was lovely for me and the rest of the class to just sit with a book. It being November, there was a Book Week Scotland display up in the library, full of books which involved the theme of Hope. One of them, The Angel of Grasm...
There is an unwritten rule in archaeology that, if there is an exciting find which you have no idea what it is, you speculate that it had a ritual purpose. As a non-archaeologist I don't know how true this is, but both my siblings who are archaeologist have told me this is the case. I think this is always at the back of my mind when I look through my research as a historian.
So, when I was flicking through unsolved mysterious deaths and came across the circumstances surrounding the Bocksten Man, I had in my head the idea that the unsolved details were due to ritualistic behaviour. And, to be honest, he did meet a rather unusually brutal death.
Allow me to introduce him...
The Bocksten Man was unearthed in 1936, still with the oak stave which had been used to impale him into the bottom of the lake. He was fully clothed, supposedly wearing wool from head to toe which denoted a certain amount of wealth. Unlike most of the bog bodies from the area, the Bocksten Man had not been killed that long ago, only in the 14th Century.
All in, the facts point to an impromptu execution, with a substantial argument that the Bocksten Man was involved in witchcraft or some form of criminal activity. But if he had been innocent, what would have led to him ending his life pinned face-down in the boggy lake? Why was he hidden with such great care that he should never resurface? It was time someone wrote the possibility of him as the victim (which he certainly was, one way or another). The Ignoble Defence was the result of my take on this possible scenario.
It is a story of a fear-induced crime and a knee-jerk punishment.
If you'd like to know more about the Bocksten Man, check out Hallands Kulturhistoriska Museum's page about him here.
The Ignoble Defence is included in the Historical Writers Forum's anthology To Wear a Heart So White...
A cost for every action, and a price for every deed.
The Historical Writers’ Forum proudly presents seven stories of Crime and Punishment, from across the ages. From an anchoress to a war hero; from Italy to Missouri; this anthology has a story for everyone.
Included stories are:
The Ignoble Defence - Virginia Crow
Agatha’s Eyes - Rachel Aanstad
A Pact Fulfilled - Eleanor Swift-Hook
Carte de Viste - Ronan Beckman
A Dish Served Cold - Brenda W. Clough
Shadows of the Adriatic - Tessa Floreano
A Dangerous Road - D. Apple
To Wear a Heart So White is available here on #KindleUnlimited
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