Heloise

384 pages. What happens when the 12th century's most famous French lovers are caught in the crossfire of factions, religious reform and blind ambition? Heloise is a det ermined young woman with an exceptional mind, longing to pursue learning rather than marriage or life as a cloistered nun. Her path inevitably crosses with Pete r Abelard, the celebrity philosopher, theologian and master at Paris' famed Cath edral School. When two such brilliant minds meet and engage, sparks are likely t o ignite. But theirs is an impossible love. This is a time when the Gregorian Re forms are starting to bite and celibacy among the clergy and church officials is being rigorously imposed. Based on meticulous up-to-date research and the pair' s own writings, this novel offers a plausible interpretation of the known facts and a vivid imagining of the gaps in this legendary story. It shines a light on a changing world whose attitudes and politics are not so very different from our own.