Roland's Labyrinth
A Novel
A principled doctor falls for a melancholy young woman, facing career complications and political intrigue to be with her, in the poignant historical novel Roland’s Labyrinth.
An aspiring doctor and a mentally ill woman join forces in Anne Echols’s captivating historical novel Roland’s Labyrinth.
Roland, a Barcelona native, is a medical student in Montpellier when Hubert, his professor’s father-in-law, accepts him as a summer apprentice in Arles. There Roland encounters Magali, the daughter of Lady Beatrice, the countess of Provence. He determines to help alleviate Magali’s mania and melancholy. Despite Hubert’s warnings about growing involved with Lady Beatrice’s household due to her proximity to the French King Louis, Roland becomes Magali’s attendant. But King Louis expects Magali to marry his nephew, thereby extending royal power in Provence.
The novel’s bevy of events are introduced through Roland’s deepening relationships with others. He engages treatments for mental illness including herbal medicines and everyday therapeutic enjoyment: Magali is encouraged toward reading and chess, which help her feel more like herself. And beyond what Roland is told about people, he works to discern their motives for himself. He’s aware that his Spanish roots mark him as an outsider and that his sharing of research with Magali’s Jewish doctor requires secrecy due to ongoing religious tensions. Further complications arise because Roland fears that his romantic interest in Magali might spur her relapse. His inquisitive, cautious nature is made apparent across these varied situations. At times, though, his restraint impedes the fruition of his true passions.
Fifteenth-century medical practices, and Roland’s attempts to advance in his career, are detailed in intricate terms. He encourages his mentor to switch from using dangerous cautery irons to using a salve made with turpentine. His professional experiences (he questions whether the four humors exist and observes visceral anatomy lessons) convey his desire for accuracy and his intellectual open-mindedness. Intriguing insights into the period come through these scenes as well: In Roland’s world, becoming a surgeon through hands-on training is seen as less noble than becoming a doctor whose primary concerns are academic. Indeed, the internal pull between Roland’s wants and the expectations of his advisors is compelling.
Without diagnosing her problems in contemporary terms, the novel details Magali’s bipolar disorder symptoms well through her loved ones’ accounts of her behavior and excerpts from Lady Beatrice’s writings, the latter of which show how Magali’s mental illness impacts her entire household. Further, Roland’s efforts to help Magali are covered in poignant ways. While some barriers to their love are resolved in a too-convenient manner, the book works toward a sharp finale that suggests that faithful love is rewarding.
Romance, murderous intrigue, and betrayal fuse in the thrilling historical novel Roland’s Labyrinth, about a couple that endures their trials together.
Reviewed by
Karen Rigby
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
