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Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Thu September 24th, 2015, 5:34 am
Hi, I am looking for a novel I read years ago and can't remember author or title!

Set in Restoration-era England (mainly Oxford), the novel is divided into 3 parts, each from a different POV. The first introduces a young scholar (I think physician?) who befriends an Italian traveller. The scholar also falls in love with a rebellious young woman; there are intimations that she could be the reincarnation of the Christ!! The 2nd part may be her POV, can't remember... The final part is from POV of the Italian who turns out to be a Catholic priest visiting England in order to accept the secret conversion of the king (I assume Charles 11).

Can anyone help??? I have the idea the author was female, possibly Elizabeth something, but I could be wrong on either count...
Thank you!
Jem

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Sat September 26th, 2015, 8:49 pm
by Misfit
Hi Jem, I haven't a clue, but welcome aboard. Maybe someone else will recognize the book.

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Sun September 27th, 2015, 12:47 am
by Susan

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Sun September 27th, 2015, 3:26 pm
by Misfit
There's also this list at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/377 ... estoration

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Sun September 27th, 2015, 9:39 pm
Thanks all for your suggestions, have looked through lists at great length and haven't found it yet - will keep trying!

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Wed September 30th, 2015, 1:40 pm
by Lisa
Sounds a bit like a book I have on my shelf at home: They Were Defeated by Rose Macauley. Might not be it though, I haven't actually read it yet.

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Thu October 1st, 2015, 1:35 am
I had a look and that's not it, but it looks good!
Thanks anyway
Jem

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Mon October 5th, 2015, 9:33 am
by Lisa
[email protected] wrote:I had a look and that's not it, but it looks good!
Thanks anyway
Jem
No problem, hope you find it!

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Mon October 12th, 2015, 8:15 pm
by alice
[email protected] wrote:Hi, I am looking for a novel I read years ago and can't remember author or title!

Set in Restoration-era England (mainly Oxford), the novel is divided into 3 parts, each from a different POV. The first introduces a young scholar (I think physician?) who befriends an Italian traveller. The scholar also falls in love with a rebellious young woman; there are intimations that she could be the reincarnation of the Christ!! The 2nd part may be her POV, can't remember... The final part is from POV of the Italian who turns out to be a Catholic priest visiting England in order to accept the secret conversion of the king (I assume Charles 11).

Can anyone help??? I have the idea the author was female, possibly Elizabeth something, but I could be wrong on either count...
Thank you!
Jem
Hi, I haven't been around here for a while (can't believe how long it is!) :shock: and thought I'd have a browse.

This sounds quite familiar. Could it be The Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears? I started reading it years ago and didn't finish it, but that was set in Oxford, and involved Isaac Newton and Robert Hooke if I remember correctly. It may have been slightly later in time though than the Restoration, so I'm probably completely wrong.

Re: Restoration-era novel (Charles 11) - help me find it?

Posted: Tue October 13th, 2015, 3:26 am
Thanks Alice - not the one I'm looking for but a good one too!
Jem