Morality Play

Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read, but not for the mystery...
Review: While I agree for the most part with the more prestigious reviews already posted, in the end, this book falls flat. Unsworth impressively whisks the reader back to medieval England, presenting characters who are sympathetic to a 20th century audience, and the story progresses in an interesting and thoughtful way. However, the final answer to the whodunit is much less impressive than the portrayal of the acting process, especially the interactions and improvisations that are part of every stage production

Rating:
Summary: A wayward monk in 14th century England joins an acting group
Review: Written in a style comfortable for late 20th Century readers, Morality Play describes the adventures of a wayward monk in 14th Century England

Rating:
Summary: An engrossing and intriguing mystery.
Review: _Morality Play_ really caught me by surprise. Several people had recommended the book to me, but I have to admit I was put off by the "literary" connections that Mr. Unsworth brings to his work. Well, don't let that stop you. This is a great, first-rate mystery, which does a great job of putting the reader into the shoes of this medieval theater company, as it attempts to solve a puzzling local mystery by acting it out, in the form of a morality play. The characters are interesting, individual creations, with Unsworth's narrator, the failed priest, someone I'd like to read more about. On the basis of this work, I've gone on to try a couple of Unsworth's other books and have yet to be disappointed.