Unspeakable

In 1697, University of Edinburgh medical student Thomas Aikenhead became the last person in England to be hung for the crime of blasphemy. A young Tom was very inquisitive. He wanted to know if more truth could be made by stretching the truth. Why, he wondered, did two of his sisters die in infancy. Why did the Lord need so many bairn? Do cats have souls, and if so, can cats go to hell?

Tom's early upbringing included weekly churchgoing where the minister preached fire and brimstone. One May day, several families including Tom's skipped church, choosing instead, to picnic by the river. Church elders were sent to determine who the Sabbath breakers were. Tom's mother was made to stand on a stool of repentance in church for six consecutive Sundays and be publicly humiliated along with gamblers and fornicators.

After losing both parents at a young age, Tom was sent to live with legal guardian, Sir Patrick Aikenhead. Thomas was deemed to be bright and well mannered. Sir Patrick, demonstrating Christian charity, sent Tom to the University of Edinburgh. The 1690's were a time of free thinkers. University libraries and booksellers stocked the works of Descartes,Spinoza and others. Students debated and hypocrisy abounded. Church informers were zealous.

"Unspeakable" by Dilys Rose is a beautifully written historic fictional account of the life of Thomas Aikenhead. Thomas lived in a time when disrespect for men of the cloth and a loose tongue invoked ecclesiastical authority to curb profanity and urge piety. An excellent read.

Thank you Freight Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Unspeakable".

4 stars

This is the story of Thomas Aikenhead. He was a young man of just twenty when he was hanged for blasphemy. He was the last man to be hanged for blasphemy in the United Kingdom.

The book starts out when he was a child and carries on through to his time at the university, where his insatiable lust for learning got him into trouble. Thomas had a love of learning throughout his life. It started very early on and was demonstrated by his always asking questions – of everyone.

The eventual charges were that for more than twelve moths Thomas decried against the word of God and said that he preferred Mohammed above Jesus. He does not recall ever thinking on the matter of Mohammed and Jesus. He believes that his words were misconstrued. He has only stated what other people believe. He has no defense counsel, no one would come forward. There were witnesses who say that he blasphemed.

Some say that he was murdered.

This book, a historical novel, is a fascinating view of Scotland, its culture and people, during the 18th Century. It is well written and easily accessible.

Thanking Netgalley and Freight Books for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book to read.

Fictional accounts of real people are really hard to write. There have been few that I've read where I feel that the author does the history justice; the true curse of the history major. My matrilineal descent stems from Edinburgh so I've long been fascinated with its history. This novel is an excellent demonstration of what a well researched book can be. The explanation and portrayal of Scottish culture, the dynamic and enigmatic personality of Thomas Aikenhead, the general uncertainty of whether or not his death was justified, these are only a handful of reasons to love this book. Even in a modern setting the fear and utter hatred that was felt for him and by him, the zeal for knowledge and the almost addictive need he had for it still feel every bit as real now as they must have back then.

This thoughtful but ultimately disturbing novel is set in Edinburgh at the latter part of the 17th century and is based on the real life story of Thomas Aikenhead. Thomas's father James was a pharmacist and although ostensibly their life was comfortable compared to the neighbouring poor of the crowded town in reality the business was not doing well and the family was deep in debt. The author by using contemporary events of the time, the visit of an elephant, the appearance of Haley's Comet and the freezing of Edinburgh's nor loch ensures that the story is set in the correct historical time frame.

The use of the Scottish dialect although at first a little hard to get use to also gives it an authenticity which adds to the story. Also one gets a real sense of what living in the City at that time would have been like.

The story progresses as a family drama and when both parents die suddenly the scene shifts to the south shores of the Forth where Thomas and his two sisters are sent to stay with relatives. But it is the turbulent political and religious upheavals of the time that are always a pervasive presence in the background.

Ultimately the intolerance and religious draconianism of the age would prove fatal for Thomas as he is tricked and betrayed and left to pay the ultimate price.

If you enjoy historical fiction and have an interest in the way religion was a dominant force in our society then I would recommend this book

To discover that the subject of this novel young Thomas Aikenhead was a real person whose subsequent trial was an historic turning point in law proved an additional boost to a thoroughly interesting read.
However be prepared to struggle with parts of this book because of the broad Scottish dialect that is used by the author. As young Thomas learns about the consequences of his father's debts and lifestyle, he and his two sisters Katharine and Anna have a hard life to survive in the slums of Edinburgh. Thomas is very inquisitive and our senses are brought into play with the sights and sounds of the periphery of the well heeled parts of the city and the wonders of his father's apothecary shop. The predominance of a dour religious dominance that set the tone of life in 17th century Scotland is always to the fore and very rarely leads to faith or charity for these children.
Deaths and disease are never far away and the novel does at one point dip into a time when all hope seems lost. However a change of fortunes and move to the country revive a further twist in Thomas's life which will lead to further investigation and education as an aspiring student into the world of knowledge and religion. But as we know education can be a dangerous thing.
The author has researched this novel well and it brings forth some very interesting historical areas which made me more intrigued into this period of Scottish life. However the dialogue may prove too much for some south of the border.....

An intriguing and wholly paradoxical read, following the true story of Thomas Aikenhead, a 20-year-old Scottish student, who was also the last British person to be hanged for blasphemy in 1697. There are many good aspects to this book, namely the fact that it is based on real events and the introducing of the characters and mystery into the events surrounding the storyline, though the biggest deterrent to the reading is undoubtedly the use of Scottish dialogue attributed to the whole of the speech throughout the book. Although this lends an authenticity to the writing and it places the reader directly in events at the time, there is no denying that use of this as a writing style forces the reader to work hard to understand what they are reading. There is no chance that this story can be rushed through - the reader must slow down to take in what they are reading and listen to the accents filling the mind as characters speak.
Another possible setback is the fact that there are so many things rushed through that we don't get to know, and that includes the characters themselves at times. Time rushes on and we are sent from place to place, without really getting to know how and why events take place. It is hard to fully engage with all the characters are they are not given the time and space to develop fully in parts. The writing style becomes a little dry through this and the reader loses the closeness they seek in order to get into the mind of the characters. We are shown that Aikenhead is a little outspoken and wholly inquisitive, even as a child, but we never really find out much about what he truly thinks. There are clearly issues within the background and growing up in the family, but, again, we are left to wonder and fill in the blanks a little too much - for a reader, this makes for a gap in the understanding, which is a shame in what has the potential to be a really good, intriguing event from history.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33954794-unspeakable" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Unspeakable" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484929490m/33954794.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33954794-unspeakable">Unspeakable</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/210452.Dilys_Rose">Dilys Rose</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1955144678">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
There is no mystery about the fate of young Thomas Aikenhead, the protagonist of Dilys Rose's excellent new historical novel, "Unspeakable"; we know, right from the start, that he is destined to die by the noose which hangs so ominously on the front cover. The suspense in the novel lies in why he suffers such a dreadful fate: what is his crime? What factors in his character and in the culture and environment of the time and the place (Edinburgh, in the 1690s) bring him to such an unhappy end? <br />We first meet Thomas as a young boy, son of an Apothecary/Chirurgeon who, as a man of science encourages the boy's garrulousness and his habit of questioning everything he encounters around him. The opening chapter describes the exciting spectacle of the arrival of an elephant in Edinburgh. Young Thomas is, of course, enthralled. The people of the city flock to gaze on the exotic beast, just as at the end of the novel, they will gather to relish the spectacle of Thomas Aikenhead's hanging.<br /> This period of Scottish history, on the cusp of the Enlightenment, is a fascinating one, in which, essentially, two worlds collide: the modern spirit of scientific enquiry, discoveries and new inventions and the older tradition of unquestioning obedience to God epitomised in the dour, Scots Presbytrianism that hangs over the city like a pall, discouraging enquiry and harshly punishing any who offend against the rules imposed by the Presbytery, whether by fornication, Sabbath breaking or in any way challenging the doctrines of the Church. <br />For anyone of enquiring mind and independent thought, the atmosphere is challenging. For one who combines these qualities with an enjoyment of debate and a garrulous habit, like Thomas Aikenhead, it proves deadly. <br /> Dilys Rose's excellent eye for authentic, historical detail, combined with her skills as a storyteller and a creator of convincing characters, vivid scenes and lively, Scots dialogue, make this an outstandingly well written and engaging novel which I highly recommend.

Unspeakable

This is the story of student Thomas Aikenhead, the last person to be hanged in Britain for blasphemy. It's a fascinating account of his life and times, rich in historical detail and from the first pages, I had a really strong sense of place, people and the repressive and controlling influence of the church. It's set in Edinburgh, a city I'm familiar with, and I found the place references fascinating. Many of the buildings and streets referred to in this tale, set in the late 17th century, are still around, so many of the events are easy to visualise, even in the context of a modern Edinburgh.

The dialogue is written with a distinct Scottish voice and use of language. Those unfamiliar with the dialect may find it a little difficult, at first, but it's so beautifully written, the words soon form their own shape and flow and I found it almost reads audibly with a Scottish accent! I love the way Dilys Rose uses language; it really adds to the richness of the story.

It's one of the best historical fiction books I've read in some time. She really captures the sense of religious authoritarianism, suspicion and fervour. Although Edinburgh University was rich in learning, the liberal ideas of tolerance introduced by the Age of Enlightenment had not yet arrived. Poor old Thomas was hanged at the age of 20, an injustice at the time and one which echoes with current issues around freedom of speech. An outstanding account, albeit imagined, of the life and times, beautifully written and thought provoking.

My thanks to the publisher for an advance review copy via Netgalley.