Mr Wroe's Virgins - Softcover

Rogers, Jane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0349113262 ISBN 13: 9780349113265

Publisher: Time Warner Books Uk, 2001

Synopsis

In 1830, as the end of the world approached, the charismatic, hunchbacked prophet of a religious sect settled in Lancashire heeds the biblical injunction and chooses seven virgins 'for comfort and succour'. Basing her novel on the life of the real John Wroe, a leader of a group called the Christian Israelite Church, Rogers crafts an impeccable narrative, interweaving the diverse mindsets of some of the chosen women and the prophet during the nine months of complex interaction. Part morality tale, part history, packed with accurate details of early 19th century life, the stories of Leah, Joanna, Hannah and Martha unfold as they cope with the hypocrisy, blind beliefs and idealism of the sexually threatening prophet. Told with humour, irony and a generosity that embraces even the sinister Wroe, this is a compelling story of astonishing depth, elucidating religious idealism, the beginnings of socialism and the ubiquitous position of women as unpaid labourers.

About this title

Review:

There is something seductive about cults--a fascination, a temptation into the lurid and unknown. In her fifth novel, Mr. Wroe's Virgins, award-winning author Jane Rogers has delved into the history of one such sect. In northern England, amid the religious fervor of the 1830s, Mr. Wroe presents himself to the Christian Israelites as their prophet. Several accurate premonitions cement his authority, so when he informs his congregation that "the Lord has instructed me to take your number seven virgins for comfort and succour," they send their daughters without question. The story is told through four of the women, beginning with Leah, who sets out to win Prophet Wroe's favor and gain sole dominion over the household.

Once Leah arrives, her life as a "sister in God" consists of backbreaking domestic labor. While she fails to corner Wroe's earthly attentions, she is granted permission to bring her son secretly into the household. Focused both on wooing the Prophet and on her baby, she is unaware of the other "sisters": Hannah, the cynical one, may leave soon, and the pious Joanna suffers a wrenching sacrifice for the sake of her faith. As factions of the church grow skeptical of both Wroe's powers and his domestic situation, Leah suspects that the Prophet has taken another woman for his mistress. A sudden loss fuels her anger, and she begins to plot Wroe's exposure and ruin. When she makes her accusations public, no one is prepared for the truth.

Rogers's narratives are sparked with some exceptionally lyrical passages, as when Hannah describes the church music as "a sound so hauntingly plaintive a stone would melt to hear it." And Mr. Wroe's Virgins is particularly strong at evoking an era, weaving together the different social forces of the time into the context of this one uncommon household. --Joannie Kervran Stangeland

About the Author:

Jane Rogers has written six novels including ISLAND (longlisted for the Booker 1999) and PROMISED LANDS, which won the Writers' Guild Best Novel Award 1996. She also writes for TV and radio, and teaches Novel on the Writing MA at Sheffield Hallam University. She has two children and lives in Lancashire.

About this edition

• Publisher: Time Warner Books Uk
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0349113262
• ISBN 13: 9780349113265
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 286