Review: Unspeakable

Unspeakable by Dilys Rose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

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