The Clerkenwell Tales

Book by Peter Ackroyd

The Clerkenwell Tales

First edition

Author| Peter Ackroyd
Language| English
Publisher| Chatto & Windus

Publication date

| 2003
Publication place| United Kingdom
Media type| Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages| 213 pp
ISBN| 1856197069
Preceded by| Dickens: Public Life and Private Passion
Followed by| The Lambs of London

The Clerkenwell Tales is an historical novel by English writer Peter Ackroyd, first published in 2003.[1]

The novel is set in the late 1390s. It focuses on the Lollardy and on a conspiracy against Richard II of England.

## Plot summary

[edit]

The novel is set in London in the year 1399, a year of revolt, revolution and religious conspiracy.[2] As Henry Bolingbroke challenges Richard II for the throne of England, the reader's attention is focused on Dominus, a secret society of religious fundamentalists, known to history as Lollards. The story is oriented similar to Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales and makes use of some of the characters from The Canterbury Tales as well. It turns on the conspiracies of a religious sect, led by the mad nun and making use of the prophecies of the mad Clerkenwell nun to foment panic and hysteria to bring forth the dethroning of Richard II. The result is a gothic novel which effortlessly merges fact and fiction into an almost recognizable alternate history.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Explore the British Library".
2. ^ "Observer review: The Clerkenwell Tales by Peter Ackroyd". the Guardian. 10 August 2003.
3. ^ Pye, Michael (31 October 2004). "'The Clerkenwell Tales': A Mad Nun's Tale". The New York Times.

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