There Came a Contagion
by Doug Ingold
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Pub Date Jul 01 2021 | Archive Date Sep 01 2021
Wolfenden | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
Inspired by events that took place near Trier, Germany late in the sixteenth century, this novel tells the story of the Helgen family, three brothers respected in their village as skilled and resourceful farmers. With their widowed mother, their wives and children, they build a stable if difficult life together raising rye, barley and swine. But when the weather turns erratic and harvests begin to fail, a scapegoat is sought. Jews are banished from the territory as are the followers of Luther and Calvin. The Archbishop then discovers a pestilence of witches: people believed to have forsaken God and sworn allegiance to the Devil. Elsebett Helgen, a midwife and herbal healer, is twenty when the Archbishop’s men arrive in the village.
A Note From the Publisher
eBook: 9780997351323
Advance Praise
"Doug Ingold's novels are masterpieces of time, place and sensibility. The saga of the Helgen family, their friends, relatives and village, their joys and sorrows, is written with the intimacy of someone who you could easily imagine as having lived in 16th century rural Germany. It is a rich, deeply felt immersion."
--Stephen Fox, novelist and historian
“This is an engrossing book that touches on very contemporary themes, even as it transports readers to a remote historical past.”
--Gabrielle Gopinath, writer and critic
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780997351316 |
| PRICE | $19.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Virginie D, Reviewer
The story takes place in the 16th century in a village near Trier, Germany. We follow the journey of the Helgen family. It really begins with the birth of a child, Elsebett Helgen, and the death of her mother, Arved, shortly after she gave birth. This little girl becomes the central theme of the story, but her story also serves to describe the darker one of the Trier witch trials.
I found this book extremely interesting. Being able to follow a whole family over decades gives a good understanding of the impact of what it is now known as the Grindelwald Fluctuation on people's minds. We get to know the members of this family. We experience with them the emotions they feel. Love, joy, hope, anxiety, pain… Nothing is spared. We see the cracks that appear in them and the other inhabitants of the village when times get tougher.
Another very important element of the book is the impact of religion. When a scapegoat is needed to explain the bad harvests, it is found in the form of the Devil. It therefore becomes necessary to chase the Devil away by all possible means. This starts with the ostracization of the Jews and Lutherans and, when this is not enough, the witch-hunt begins.
Although this story takes place in the 16th century, it is easy to find similarities with what is happening today. We may know more about certain subjects such as science and climate, but human beings have not changed in one aspect: they still need a scapegoat to explain the things that frighten them.
I really enjoyed this book, it is very well written, the descriptions offered by Doug Ingold really allow us to immerse ourselves in this small German village. However, if I had to make one criticism, I found the story a little too "slow paced" for my taste.
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