Fascinating characters worth rooting for, simple faith worth remembering, slow and steady transformation worth rereading. (And it’s about books!)
My rating: ★★★★★
First of all, this book was about books! I have a very soft spot for protagonists who are writers. It’s such fun to see a character portray my own authorial thought processes. (Does this feel contrived? Is there enough time for that? I have to go write this down right now!) Add a library full of dusty tomes and a make-believe librarian, and I am one happy reader.
Things to love about A Name Unknown
This is the second or third time I’ve read this book, as preparation after purchasing the second book in the series. At my first reading, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy Rosemary’s character, because I had recently finished a book with a London pickpocket heroine who forced me, I felt, to agree with her methods.
I need not have worried; such was not the case with Rosemary. She was unequivocally a thief, yet I didn’t have to condone her thievery in order to root for her. Rather, rooting for her meant rooting against her thievery, as she struggled with her growing sense that it wasn’t right. At the same time, it was easy to understand why she did what she did, and how her “family” was all she had.
And Peter. I loved Peter. Heroes don’t have to be ridiculously handsome and dashing and charming. They can have stutters and insecurities and great big hearts. I enjoyed Peter’s friendships with Gryffyn (love those ys) and the royal family, too. And he writes books!
Gentle faith, gentle romance
Rosemary’s softening toward God seemed so true to life. The imagery of darkness and light, cold and warmth was a beautiful way of expressing spiritual truth. On my second reading (or is this the third?), I felt somewhat saddened by that because of the author’s later conversion to Catholicism. The simple faith expressed in this book is so contrary to traditional Catholic teaching, and it’s beautiful in that simplicity. There were no long, unnatural “preachy” scenes, just Peter living out and sharing his faith as a natural part of him until Rosemary couldn’t ignore it. Did I mention that I loved Peter?
The romance was a beautiful progression through friendship to something more (although I do wish Peter had waited until Rosemary was a believer before he deepened the relationship, and I hope they took a good long time to get to know each other without any secrets between them). I loved the fact that Rosemary had to stop and think if Peter was handsome or not—it was his heart that drew her.
Still a little confused…
The plot was intricate and very twisty. I wound up suspecting everyone, including the person I shouldn’t have. Even after my second (or maybe third) reading, I had trouble reconciling all the answers with all the questions—as in, Would so-and-so really have gone to that much trouble for such-and-such? Wasn’t there an easier way? (I’m trying to avoid spoilers here.) The sudden burst of action toward the end didn’t seem to quite match the rest of the story.
But regardless, it was an engaging tale and an interesting look at England on the brink of WWI. The Cockney and Cornish were a fun addition.
Would you enjoy A Name Unknown?
I originally picked this up because I’d seen it praised as one of Roseanna White’s best, and even after rereading it, I’m inclined to agree. If you enjoy interesting Christian historical fiction with gentle romance, well-drawn characters, a bit of mystery and action, and lots of books, give this one a try. (Did I mention it’s about books?)
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If you enjoyed this book review of A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White, you might also enjoy my book review of Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke. Read here on Goodreads, or join my newsletter list for book recommendations, a free short story, author updates, and more.
Happy reading!
Jayna Baas is the author of Preacher on the Run and director of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network. Learn more about Jayna here or join her email list for more recommendations.