Gutenberg's Apprentice
By Alix Christie
Harper September 2014
416 pages
Received for review from TLC Book Tours and the publisher
Received for review from TLC Book Tours and the publisher
Peter Schoeffer is angry when his foster father pulls him away from a growing career as a scribe in Paris. Back in his hometown, Johann Fust shows his son the new project he has invested in. The reclusive Johann Gutenberg is crafting a revolutionary new method for creating books. Peter has the unique opportunity to be a part of the team that builds and operates the first printing press. But the tension between Peter's two father figures over the creation of art and the necessities of commerce threaten to tear the entire operation apart.
In Gutenberg's Apprentice, author Alix Christie shows a love for printing on every page. Readers will not be surprised to learn that she was an apprentice like Peter and now operates her own letterpress. The history and practice of making text is obviously important to Christie. It permeates every aspect of this book, including the actual pages which are decorated with illuminated letters.
In Gutenberg's Apprentice, author Alix Christie shows a love for printing on every page. Readers will not be surprised to learn that she was an apprentice like Peter and now operates her own letterpress. The history and practice of making text is obviously important to Christie. It permeates every aspect of this book, including the actual pages which are decorated with illuminated letters.
Peter, his family, and Gutenberg lived through one of the most turbulent times in history. The people of the city of Mainz, Germany are indebted to the various guilds, depending on what kind of work they do. The church is divided between the pious and the power-hungry. The Protestant Reformation is on its way and the choices that they make about business, art, faith, and the printing press will impact the future of the church and the world.
Historical fiction at its best mixes big events that impact nations and the day to day lives of individuals. While Gutenberg's Apprentice is about a world on the precipice of big changes in the church and in communication, it is also about Peter and his relationships. We see his pain when Fust and Gutenberg use him as a pawn instead of appreciating him as a son. We meet the love of his life and watch him lose her. The joy and pain of loving other people creates the base of this interesting story.
In spite of this, the book reads slowly. It's not one of those books where you put things off to read a few more pages. I think this is because of a lot of technical talk and because we don't truly get to know anyone other than Peter. While we see the impact of their choices, both Fust and Gutenberg remain enigmas to Peter and to the readers.
Gutenberg's Apprentice is a book that celebrates the importance of faith and the written word in the midst of one of the most turbulent and important times in history.
You can read more reviews of Gutenberg's Apprentice over at TLC Book Tours!
I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to be a part of such an amazing innovation!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour.
It's so easy to take books and the ability to read for granted, but it wasn't so long ago that those were privileges for the wealthy!
DeleteThanks so much for having me on the tour. :)
I'm finding myself liking historical fiction more and more these days. Books like these get me intrigued, and next thing I know, I've fallen down the historical fiction rabbit hole!
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand that! It's so easy to become fascinated by certain periods in history.
DeleteSounds so interesting, but I think I will pass on this one. Thanks for showcasing it though and glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rita!
Delete"Historical fiction at its best mixes big events that impact nations and the day to day lives of individuals." <---All of this is how I feel about historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteI've got a copy of this book languishing around my house somewhere. I was hoping that my husband would read it first and then give me the highlights. He's a printer & typographer and I figured this book would be up his alley. The technical details would enhance his reading, not bog it down.
How cool! I bet your hubby would have some unique insight into this story. :)
DeleteI'm with you on this one! The layout of the book is beautiful and creative. Like Emily, I love historical fiction for the mix of global events and personal events. It was a bit slow, but I ended up enjoying it anyway :)
ReplyDeleteI like it too and I am wondering if there isn't value in reading books of different paces. I think it makes you a better reader to have some books that fly by and some you have to invest in.
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