A Book A Week

"She will suffer, but suffering is the lot of humanity, and every moment of suffering brings the earthly body closer to the heavenly throne."

Marie de France is not satisfied with her situation. Since her mother's death, she has dutifully run the family estate, keeping the house and everything in it moving along. Marie dreams of her future within the royal family, living in relative luxury, and maybe even marrying a man to further her status in the world. Alas, this future is not to be, especially for the illegitimate daughter of a royal. With her mother out of the picture, the family no longer needs Marie. Instead, she's relegated to the role of prioress at the nunnery. 

As she arrives, seventeen-year-old Marie is shocked at the state of things. The decrepit facility is inhabited by impoverished women on the brink of starvation. As she observes the state of things, Marie can't help but think that much of their suffering is their own. The ritualistic approach to life, daily prayer, daily chores, etc., are the impetus for their downfall. Marie begrudgingly participates in these routines but can't help but think that there must be a better way of doing things. Indeed suffering for the sake of suffering isn't a good thing. 

"All they bend their bodies to is prayer; the daily office is prayer, the hard work of the body is prayer also. The silence of the nuns is prayer, the readings they listen to prayer, their humility prayer. And prayer of course is love."

The longer she stays there, the more Marie falls into the nuns' lifestyle. No, she still doesn't think they are living to their fullest potential, but she sees the beauty in the community they have created for themselves. Almost despite herself, Marie sees the holiness in the work they do. She has visions, divine or imagined, of what the nunnery can become, a sanctuary for the women who inhabit it. She rallies her sisters together, inspiring the group to build the infrastructure for a better life. Their life improves as the world outside their walls changes in terrifying new ways. Will the sisterhood that Marie has fostered stand against the pressures of the outside world?

I wasn't sure what to make of Matrix when I first borrowed it from my library. I knew Lauren Groff as an author, but I hadn't read any of her writing. I remember this book being popular when it was published two years ago. Still, the subject matter seemed outside of my wheelhouse. It isn't every day I pick up a book about medieval nuns.  I read and enjoyed Emma Donoghue's Haven about a group of monks building a sanctuary, so I should have been more confident in picking this one up. It took me a moment to adjust to the writing, but I couldn't put this down once I was in. 

Lauren Groff bases her novel around the very real historical figure of Marie de France. Rather than bog her novel down with historical detail, Groff presents a paired-down story that is as efficiently packaged as it is impactful. Much of the history of Marie de France is unknown, so Groff can take the license with the character and create a riveting story about the power of women, faith, and love. So many petty politics and rules based on gender roles ring true with more modern sensibilities. The book spans over fifty years, but Groff's writing prowess makes the story flow easily. Matrix is a powerful work from an author who is in top form. Groff has a new novel releasing next month, and I'll be eager to read that one too. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 43)