The Lost Book of the Grail
Arthur Prescott’s life follows highly predictable rhythms: some irritating, some stimulating, some soothing. A junior lecturer at Barchester (yes, that Barchester) University, he is more comfortable in the nearby cathedral, attending the traditional services and conducting research among old books and manuscripts in its library for a new guidebook. He is also a Grail hunter, but has little expectation of success.
His cozy world is disrupted by the arrival of an American scholar to digitize the manuscripts. Bethany Davis is not only young, beautiful, and vibrant, but possessed of a keen mind and, despite their differing views on the value of modern technology, many shared interests, including the Grail. Unsurprisingly, he falls in love, and they become companions in the search for not only the Grail but a mysterious, missing manuscript.
This is an involving and intricately structured novel. Each chapter is comprised of three linked sections: an introductory passage from the cathedral guidebook; a short scene set at a crucial point in the past (compilation of the original 7th-century manuscript, through the arrival of a treasure to be concealed, the Normans, the Reformation, the Civil War, World War II); before focusing on the developing relationship of Arthur and Bethany as they conduct their search.
It is all rather complicated, appropriately enough given the obstacles they encounter, but Bethany is a delightful character, practical yet kind-hearted, perceptive yet easily distracted, and her lively presence illuminates the story and gives it focus. Everyone loves her, though why she should fall for a repressed bibliophile is less clear. Still, many men are blessed with partners beyond their deserving (and the author is an antiquarian).
There is much here for those interested in church history and music, the challenge of preserving written records, and of course Arthurian and Grail legend. Definitely recommended.
