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Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake 1)

Author: C.j. Sansom
Publisher: Pan Books
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

59 reviews
Sales Rank: 72

Media: Paperback
Pages: 463
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.9 x 1.4

ISBN: 0330450794
EAN: 9780330450799
ASIN: 0330450794

Publication Date: May 18, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new, in stock. Shipped from the UK by First Class Royal Mail service in eco-friendly packaging.

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 16-20 of 59

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A great series opener! January 12, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

"Dissolution" is the first in a series by C.J. Sansom and it features Matthew Shardlake, commissioner/lawyer in the employ of Henry VIII's vicar-general, Thomas Cromwell. It is the debut of a promising series, a police procedural, if you will, set in the 16th century, amidst the turbulence of this pre-Elizabethan time. Henry, obsessed with clearing out all the papists (those who still put their allegiance with the pope rather than with their king), at all Machiavellian costs, is surrounded by sycophants (what else is new?) who zealously follow his demands, at all costs. This was not a good time for the English.

One of Lord Cromwell's officials has been brutally murdered (beheaded, in keeping with the times) at a monastery he is investigating in Scarnsea and Shardlake is dispatched not only to find the killer but to finish up the commissioner's business, basically securing the surrender and final capitulation of this wealthy church. Saddled with his trusty aid, Mark Poer, Shardlake sets off in the dead of winter and what he finds merely multiplies the original crime: religious fanaticism, fraud, duplicity, crimes against nature, cruelty, you name it. In the 390 pages, Sansom treats us to full fare of 16th century England, warts (and there are lots of them) and all.

Shardlake is no ordinary king's man, of course. A brilliant man, he too is crippled by the times. He a hunchback who frequently suffers "the slings and arrows of outrageous" mockery and abuse, in spite of his brilliant successes. Sansom is adept in giving us the lessons of Job.

The author, too, gives us more than a murder mystery. During the chase, he weaves cleverly and adroitly into his narrative some of the more ingenuous aspects of Christian England. It is the time of the English Reformation, based upon more than one ideal. Since Ethelbert was converted by Augustine in the 4th century, corruption seemed to have been a common characteristic of the Church in England and when Henry finds the only way to get his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, he convinces, by hook, crook, bell and candle, the citizens that Catholicism is bad, evil, corrupt, you name it. And, as students of history know, he succeeds in having himself established as head of his own church and, of course, history, there, has not been the same.

In Scarnsea, however, Shardlake is baffled. It seems everyone is a suspect in the monastery, yet no one seems to fit the bill as "guilty" of the crime. Through diligence and quick wit, he and Mark begin to unearth a plethora of irregularities and as each is revealed, the killer (or killers) become more dangerous. Before a week's over, more bodies, all pointing to murder, murder that eventually involves court intrigue and participation. "Reform," Shardlake thinks, "was being built on an edifice of lies and monstrous brutality." How little he was to know. "This new world," he commiserates, " was no Christian commonwealth; it never would be. It was in truth no better than the old, no less ruled by power and vanity." Sansom strongly (and without a doubt) nurtures this theme throughout.

Sansom's narrative is fascinating, at times even mesmerizing, and the story moves at a fast pace. The author's history-lesson background does not impede the story and even if the reader is not well versed in this period of history, the storyline stands on its own. Possibly the strongest point of the novel is the character of Shardlake: a devoted man to the king's cause, even idealistic at time despite the reader's abhorrence at some of his blind actions in the name of the king. Before the story ends, however, Sansom reigns in his character, thus setting him up beautifully for the series. Sansom seems true to his characterization of Cromwell, who, of course, eventually comes to a dead end with Henry, although not in this series, at least not yet. The "creatures" Henry promoted (Cromwell, Richard Rich, Cardinal Wolsey, et al.) eventually are toppled and that knowledge helps the reader tolerate their cruelty as the story evolves. The evil and cruel practices, of course, were not limited to the 16th century, but the reminder is still relevant.

4 out of 5 stars

Interesting from a historical perspective January 11, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I enjoyed this but it wasn't brilliant. The history was great and very educational. The writing was good too. The plot and suspense could have been better though as I thought it was really obvious whodunnit!

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent January 2, 2008
I read this in one sitting. An excellent book; well plotted, and the author manages to get a feel for the period. The main character is a man of his time, and certainly not without flaws. The first book of a series, this stands well on its own but also leaves the reader with the desire to learn what happens to Matthew Shardlake next.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book December 15, 2007
This is a really fascinating book that evokes well the period and gives insight into the mind of a Commissioner tasked with the dissolution of a particular monastery. We are caught between a reformers zeal and the conscience of a man, who over time, begins to lose his original beliefs in the integrity of his master,Lord Cromwell and the whole reform movement. I found the characters very believable and like a good book, felt a slight loss when I had come to the end, having become fond of the main character. The end is not at all disappointing and gave me a sense of mourning for the loss of England's great monasteries and the spiritual ideal which they sought to attain. At one point, one of the characters comments on the long-term effect the loss of the monastic life will have in the future - an obsession with materialism and little else. Interesting--not only for its historical interest but also as a crime novel that leads you guessing until the end!!! I would also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet...that is!

5 out of 5 stars

Best book I've read in a long time! December 11, 2007
I heard about this book through my boss and couldn't stop myself buying it! The story follows a lawyer named Matthew Shardlake through a murder mystery set in the time England was ruled by Henry VIII. Besides the gripping story and the twists along the way the very soul of the book for me lay with the main character. I couldn't help but fall in love with Shardlake within the first few chapters and am looking forward to following him through the next books!