Rating: 
Summary: Another good mystery story from Ellis Peters
Review: "The Virgin in the Ice" is one in a series of books about the monk Brother Cadfael. Based in Shrewsbury, this intelligent, shrewd and often resourceful monk sets about solving murders in 13th century England. "The Virgin in the Ice" follows the murder of a nun, the seeming guilt of a lovesick young monk, and the arrival of a strange young man seeking out two fugitive children. Add to this a band of outlaws, a nobleman with a horrific secret, and you have the trappings for another good Brother Cadfael mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page. There is also a subplot that reveals a surprising secret about Brother Cadfael's Crusade past. If you want a series of books that are easy and enjoyable to read, then you can't go far wrong with Brother Cadfael.
Rating:
Summary: Another good mystery story from Ellis Peters
Review: "The Virgin in the Ice" is one in a series of books about the monk Brother Cadfael. Based in Shrewsbury, this intelligent, shrewd and often resourceful monk sets about solving murders in 13th century England. "The Virgin in the Ice" follows the murder of a nun, the seeming guilt of a lovesick young monk, and the arrival of a strange young man seeking out two fugitive children. Add to this a band of outlaws, a nobleman with a horrific secret, and you have the trappings for another good Brother Cadfael mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page. There is also a subplot that reveals a surprising secret about Brother Cadfael's Crusade past. If you want a series of books that are easy and enjoyable to read, then you can't go far wrong with Brother Cadfael.
Rating:
Summary: Another good mystery story from Ellis Peters
Review: "The Virgin in the Ice" is one in a series of books about the monk Brother Cadfael. Based in Shrewsbury, this intelligent, shrewd and often resourceful monk sets about solving murders in 13th century England. "The Virgin in the Ice" follows the murder of a nun, the seeming guilt of a lovesick young monk, and the arrival of a strange young man seeking out two fugitive children. Add to this a band of outlaws, a nobleman with a horrific secret, and you have the trappings for another good Brother Cadfael mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page. There is also a subplot that reveals a surprising secret about Brother Cadfael's Crusade past. If you want a series of books that are easy and enjoyable to read, then you can't go far wrong with Brother Cadfael.
Rating: 
Summary: Not my cup of tea
Review: A lovely book. I, however, was not all that interested in it. I have never really cared for the history mystery genre. The ending was a nice touch though.
Rating:
Summary: Not my cup of tea
Review: A lovely book. I, however, was not all that interested in it. I have never really cared for the history mystery genre. The ending was a nice touch though.
Rating:
Summary: entertaining
Review: as usual, I found ellis peters' tale of brother Cadfael and his adventures enjoyable. she gives us a glimpse into medieval life and her love for her main character has given him all the dimensions of a real person. this book was in particular enjoyable due to the introduction of Olivier, Cadfaels son.
Rating:
Summary: One of the strongest Cadfael mysteries.
Review: First be warned that you have to like historical mysteries, particularly those that take place in medieval times - life was slower back then, and news travelled even slower (depending on the weather, the method of transport, the level of political strife, the condition of roads etc). All of these conditions are brilliantly evoked in THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE, which contains several surprising subplots, including revelations about Cadfael's past. Now to the review proper. If this is the first Cadfael you are reading, you might find understanding some expressions and the society he lives and works in somewhat hard to follow. Basically, the story is set in the middle of a bitter English civil war between two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. Cadfael is a Welsh soldier turned monk. His chosen specialization in herbs and gardening is combined with his knowledge about warfare (and wounds inflicted by men on each other) and the real world to make him a formidable medieval detective. Furthermore, as a monk, he is relatively protected (as far as one could be protected) from physical harm on either side. Cadfael's duties keep him mostly in one town - Shrewsbury and its immediate environs, but he has been known to travel. While most of the Cadfael mysteries are set close to Shrewsbury (a real town near the Welsh border), in this particular book Cadfael will travel closer to Ludlow, a major castle to the south of Shrewsbury. During his sojourn, he will have to solve several mysteries, such as the identity of the young woman he finds dead and encased in ice (hence the title), the name of her murderer and his motive, the whereabouts of two noble orphans whose uncle belongs to the opposing side in the war, and the whereabouts of a band of robbers terrorizing the countryside. Oh, and find out what exactly happened to a badly injured young monk. If you have read Cadfael before, you will still find this book enthralling because of the deft way it weaves politics, religion, petty (and not-so-petty) crimes against a sharply delineated local backdrop. Some readers find Ellis Peters's endless descriptions of the countryside boring. I find them enthralling and only wish her publishers would get the maps right in the paperback versions (I have discovered the map for one book in another). One of the charms of the Cadfael series is the discovery of the Shropshire geography in medieval times, made all the stronger by the fact that the now deceased author was a local. Geography in virtually every Cadfael story is crucial to the plot, and not just backdrop as it is in so much historical fiction. And yes, geography - notably the topography and the weather - was very important to medieval people. It mattered which path you chose in the face of an approaching storm - one choice led you safely (if rather cold) to a place of refuge such as an abbey or a cottager's farm, while another could lead you straight to bandits. Virtually every Cadfael book has young lovers in it, and this is no exception. Here the young lovers are crucial however to the mystery, and their romance comes about as part of the plot, not incidental to it nor preceding it. If you don't like any romance in your mystery, I don't think this particular title offends very much - the relationship is hinted at, and is not a major part of the story. This particular title, along with ONE CORPSE TOO MANY, is strongly recommended to lovers of historical mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: entertaining
Review: I love brother Cadfael, but this one really was slow and I really found it boring. I lent the book to a friend and she did not want to finish it!
Rating: 
Summary: Yaaawwwn!
Review: I love brother Cadfael, but this one really was slow and I really found it boring. I lent the book to a friend and she did not want to finish it!
Rating:
Summary: Cadfael at his best
Review: In Ellis Peters sixth Brother Cadfael chronicle a headstrong young woman, Ermina Hugonin, her younger brother, Yves and a nun flee Worcester and head towards Shrubbery as Maude's forces overpower Stephens in the 12th century. They never arrive, concerning Cadfael and the local Sheriff. After being called to Bromfield to nurse a fellow monk to health Cadfael begins to discover the mystery of their disappearance. As is her usual style Ellis Peters makes quick work of capturing the readers interest and deftly furnishes the setting with appropriate details of twelfth century life. In this chronicle especially we learn of the dangers and uncertainties created by the great civil war between Maude and Stephen. With each book I grow fonder of Brother Cadfael, the former warrior who has become a monk. Cadfael, because of his early life experiences has a great understanding of human nature and is slow to condemn those who fail to achieve perfection. He is constantly nurturing and makes an effort to safeguard those younger and weaker than he. In The Virgin in the Ice, Cadfael truly excels and comes into his own. We see him as both an active participant in the events and one who is able to analyze and understand human nature and thus is able to unwind the mystery. For anyone who is fond of Medieval Mystery the Brother Cadfael Chronicles shouldn't be missed and this is one of the better.
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