A Perilous Journey of Self-Discovery in
17-Century England
Madge,
the seventeen-year-old protagonist of With
Face Aflame, lived in humiliation, ashamed of the red birthmark that
covered one side of her face. Working in
her father’s inn in 17-century England, she received little to shape her
self-image beyond the stares, the gasps, and in some cases, the ridicule of
their customers. But when circumstances
forced her hand, she joins a minstrel she just met and his crass friend, tagging
along in search of a miracle. The rest of
the tale is one of discovery…and danger.
The
story is told from Madge’s perspective, a large portion of it being her inner
thoughts. Walnofer uses the technique
well, as the reader hears Madge’s inner voice as she debates some of life’s
greatest mysteries, as well as the meaning of even the simplest of acts – the
look of a stranger, the feel of a hand on her back, the kiss of a child. Those inner struggles and reversals perhaps become
a bit overused toward the end, but overall, we come to know Madge quite well. And she’s a worthwhile person to know –
intelligent, caring, funny, growing.
Much
of the book involves the daily life of an inn keeper or that of a minstrel,
traveling town to town, singing for supper.
And while that may sound slow, the pacing of events and the novelty of the
lifestyles easily held my interest.
Additionally, there is an underling tension to her story. Her world is one built on superstition and
religious intolerance, where women are wenches, little more than a man’s possession. Would her father’s warnings about the ways of
men and some simple self-defense see her through?
Overall,
With Face Aflame boasts a heroine
well worth knowing in a finely crafted story of self-discovery. It’s well worth the read.
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