Medieval history has always fascinated me, so I was excited to read Ginger Garrett’s novel In the Arms of Immortals. The story is set the mid-1300s when the Black Death strikes Europe. Intensely researched, written in a Frank Peretti style with angels participating in the plot, In the Arms of Immortals kept me reading to the end.
This book was provided for review courtesy of the publisher or publicist. This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
In the Arms of Immortals plot summary
Mariska is a nurse in a busy hospital—until a publisher dies on her shift, leaving a manuscript behind. She sells the manuscript for a fortune to another publishing house and is happily living the lavish lifestyle when two angels show up. One is the Scribe whose story Mariska has stolen. As punishment for her actions, they place her in the story—without any way to communicate, because she stole another person’s words.
Mute and terrified, Mariska watches as the Black Death unfolds on Europe. Lazarro is the priest, trying to bring comfort to the dying. Gio is the herbalist, considered by many a witch because her remedies aren’t understood, and blamed for this unexplained plague that has descended. Panthea is a nobleman’s daughter who wants only fortune and sees the plague as a way to attain this. Armando is a knight, one who has fought in the Crusades and now musters the villagers to fight the plague.
My thoughts on In the Arms of Immortals
Gio was my favourite character; I liked how, though the villagers despised her, she still loved and cared for them. She didn’t give in to hatred or bitterness. Something else I found neat was that she collected pigments to sell to artists painting the cathedrals of Europe. She explains how the artwork in the cathedrals told the Bible stories for the illiterate villagers.
As the characters cross paths with each other and their pasts are revealed, God’s work in their life is also apparent. Mariska’s eyes are opened to the spiritual forces surrounding the people. The end of In the Arms of Immortals came with a surprising twist. I also enjoyed the tidbits of extra information about the Black Death provided in the “After Words” section, along with an interview with Ginger Garrett about the book and that era of history.
More about Ginger Garrett
Ginger Garrett’s novels and nonfiction focus on women of ancient history. She graduated from SMU in Dallas, Texas, with a degree in theatre arts and a focus on playwriting. Although she applied to the CIA to become an international master of espionage, she had to settle for selling pharmaceuticals for a large corporation. She eventually travelled the world on her own dime and without a disguise.
Ginger now lives in Atlanta with her husband, three children, and two rescue dogs. She spends her time baking gluten free goodness for her friends and family, and mentors middle school students who want to become working writers. Passionate about science, history, and women’s studies, Ginger loves exploring new ideas and old secrets. She especially loves good books read late at night.
To find out more about Ginger and her books (or to watch the trailer for In the Arms of Immortals), drop by her website.
If you enjoy this book, you may also enjoy these books set in the Middle Ages:
No Responses Yet