Review -- The Errant Flock

The Errant Flock by Jana Petken

I stumbled upon this book by chance after seeing it advertised on Twitter and, boy, am I glad I did! 

To start with, I was immediately drawn to the amazing cover and the fact that the story is set during the Spanish Inquisition under Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. 

Furthermore, I had never read any book by this author before, which was a definite bonus for me as I am always on the lookout for new writers to discover.

What to say? If you are an aficionado of historical fiction and especially this time period, then you are in for a real treat.

Petken's writing is impeccable and it is apparent that the story has been well researched, with extreme attention to detail. The quality of the language used and the descriptions really bring authenticity to these historical events. As a result, I was entirely captivated by the narrative and felt like I had travelled back in time to 1491 Spain.

The main characters themselves (David Sanz, the militiaman; Luis Peráto, the Duke of Sagrat; Sergio Garcia, the Lord Treasurer; and Gaspar de Amo, the Inquisitor) are equally well researched and developed by the author. They are consumed by their own demons, racked with guilt or facing moral dilemmas. Petken has managed to portray them with all their flaws, thereby adding another layer of authenticity to the story. For instance, the main character of David Sanz is not your typical squeaky clean hero: he is rather walking a fine line between good and evil. 

Politics, religion and greed take centre stage here and make this a fantastic tale, which has left me wanting for more. I hope that a sequel is in the works, especially since there are open questions about the fate of some of the secondary characters. 

Highly recommended. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆