Matrix cover art

Matrix

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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Matrix

Written by: Lauren Groff
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
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NOW AVAILABLE TO PREORDER: the new historical novel from the bestselling author of Fates and Furies

'Luminous, divine, her masterpiece' DAISY JOHNSON

'An audacious piece of storytelling, full of passion, wisdom and magic' SARAH WATERS

'Lauren Groff is a virtuoso' EMILY ST JOHN MANDEL

'How mesmerising can twelfth century nuns be, even in the hands of Lauren Groff? I had barely started it before I was bloody well blaspheming with delight. Matrix is a gorgeous, sensual, addictive read' SARA COLLINS
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Seventeen-year-old Marie, too wild for courtly life, is thrown to the dogs one winter morning, expelled from the royal court to become the prioress of an abbey. Marie is strange - tall, a giantess, her elbows and knees stick out, ungainly.

At first taken aback by life at the abbey, Marie finds purpose and passion among her mercurial sisters. Yet she deeply misses her secret lover Cecily and queen Eleanor.

Born last in a long line of women warriors and crusaders, women who flew across the countryside with their sword fighting and dagger work, Marie decides to chart a bold new course for the women she now leads and protects. She will bring herself, and her sisters, out of the darkness, into riches and power.

MATRIX is a bold vision of female love, devotion and desire from one of the most adventurous writers at work today.
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'A thrillingly vivid, adventurous story about women and power that will blow readers' minds. Left me gasping.' EMMA DONOGHUE

'Both epic and intimate, this sweeping novel explores questions of female ambition, creativity and passion with electrifying prose and sparkling wit. A propulsive, captivating read' BRIT BENNETT

Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Medieval Women's Fiction
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Critic Reviews

Visionary leader, queer lover, 12th-century writer ... the life of Marie de France is triumphantly reimagined in an assertively modern novel about female ambition and creativity... a highly distinctive novel of great vigour and boldness. From mystical visions that may or may not be divine, to the earthy business of abbey pigs, diseases and account books, Groff does it all with purpose and panache
Groff's writing is muscular and precise, her themes wildly resonant. Women are dismissed and contained, subject to misogynist attacks and abuse, but gain power collectively - "alone, together". Shockingly, this message is as poignant today as it was, perhaps, 800 years ago
A dazzlingly clever tale . . . gorgeously precise prose, always elegantly weighted and perfectly economical
Pitch-perfect
This is a remarkable novel: unusual, profound, transcendental
It's a breathtaking novel
A thrillingly vivid, adventurous story about women and power that will blow readers' minds. Left me gasping. (Emma Donoghue)
Fascinating, beguiling, vivid (Marian Keyes on Twitter)
Luminous, divine, her masterpiece (Daisy Johnson)
An audacious piece of storytelling, full of passion, wisdom and magic (Sarah Waters)
All stars
Most relevant
(Please note, I don’t mean to offend anyone’s religious sentiments with this review.)

The author has tried to represent Marie de France as a powerful woman, who as a lesbian nun breaks conventions and creates an incredible legacy for herself. A fine theme and I had high hopes for this book. But they fell short.

The characters are not well fleshed out. There is absolutely no conflict in Marie’s life and she is portrayed like a goddess with a golden touch, rather than a human working against the cis-het patriarchy.

There was a section in the book, where one incident portrays a rape suddenly turning consensual. That is not how things work. And it’s shocking that this is one of the examples that the author uses to “champion” LGBTQ+ love.

There were so many problematic themes in this book, that whatever good was in it, was overshadowed for me.

Personally, I don’t think this book is worth the hype. Sure, the language is flowery, but that’s not enough.

Narration was good.

Not well fleshed out; some problematic themes

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