Cuddy
- Downloads：6968
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2023-03-10 00:51:25
- Update Date：2025-09-08
- Status：finish
- Author：Benjamin Myers
- ISBN：1526631504
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Travelling through the wilderness， a young woman has visions of a cathedral on a hill。
The downtrodden wife of an archer seeks the truth in stone walls， in meadows full of garlic flowers。
A group of soldiers sit out their last hours before their death under a vaulted ceiling。
The professor receives unwelcome night-time visitors。
A young man bids his dying mother goodbye， and sets off on his first day of work as a labourer。
From these seeds of historical truth and strange mythology， Benjamin Myers spins an unforgettable story of love and loss that breaks free of realism， entering a thrilling space both hilarious and terrifying。 Unfolding over centuries， deploying a panoply of voices， Cuddy is written with Myers' inimitable humour， pathos and grace - and confirms him as one of the most important writers of his generation。
The downtrodden wife of an archer seeks the truth in stone walls， in meadows full of garlic flowers。
A group of soldiers sit out their last hours before their death under a vaulted ceiling。
The professor receives unwelcome night-time visitors。
A young man bids his dying mother goodbye， and sets off on his first day of work as a labourer。
From these seeds of historical truth and strange mythology， Benjamin Myers spins an unforgettable story of love and loss that breaks free of realism， entering a thrilling space both hilarious and terrifying。 Unfolding over centuries， deploying a panoply of voices， Cuddy is written with Myers' inimitable humour， pathos and grace - and confirms him as one of the most important writers of his generation。
Reviews
Brian Hamilton
，
I have read every Benjamin Myers book since first picking up and being gripped by The Gallows Pole。 This man is a seriously undervalued writer; his prose is of the first magnitude and simply thrums with life and emotion。Cuddy is another book which deserves the highest praise， it is a series of stories linked by Saint Cuthbert， or 'Cuddy' as he is affectionately known， and gives us insight into various points in over a thousand years of English history。Myers characterisation is excellent and the I have read every Benjamin Myers book since first picking up and being gripped by The Gallows Pole。 This man is a seriously undervalued writer; his prose is of the first magnitude and simply thrums with life and emotion。Cuddy is another book which deserves the highest praise， it is a series of stories linked by Saint Cuthbert， or 'Cuddy' as he is affectionately known， and gives us insight into various points in over a thousand years of English history。Myers characterisation is excellent and the stories overlap， interlink and echo off each other through the years。I cannot recommend this book （and his other works） enough。 He is that rare writer who combines all elements of writing into a bewitching blend which is an enchanting pleeasure to read and savour。 。。。more
Emma
，
There's no doubt that Ben Myers is one of my favourite writers and I will read anything he writes。 I'm always full of admiration for Ben and his ability to write something completely different every time。 Cuddy is an extraordinary book。 Is it my favourite by Myers？ No。 But there's still a lot to love here。 The book is told in single stories that make a whole - each section has a different format and style， and different characters。 This type of novel is very hard to get right and I don't often l There's no doubt that Ben Myers is one of my favourite writers and I will read anything he writes。 I'm always full of admiration for Ben and his ability to write something completely different every time。 Cuddy is an extraordinary book。 Is it my favourite by Myers？ No。 But there's still a lot to love here。 The book is told in single stories that make a whole - each section has a different format and style， and different characters。 This type of novel is very hard to get right and I don't often love them （it's why I've never got on with the David Mitchell books I've tried for example！）。 It's going to be hard to find a reader who loves every section equally and there will inevitably be highs and lows。 The first section of Cuddy is perfection。 It's bold， imaginative and I could've read the story of Cuddy's bones being carried around for many more pages！ What an extraordinary story。 I loved what Myers was trying to do here and show how history gets warped and changed by us and our stories over the years。 The problem is， when a book starts with such an extraordinary beginning， it's very easy for the other sections of the book to pale in comparison。 And that is sadly what happened。 Don't get me wrong， there are no bad sections， but nothing was ever as good as that first part。 But as I said， Myers will always be a favourite writer of mine， someone I take great pleasure in reading， and I really can't wait to see what he does next。 。。。more
Daren Kearl
，
Cuddy is an amalgamation of writing done at different times and places by Myers。The common thread is a history of St Cuthbert and Durham cathedral but within that we have experiments with form and structure。 Prologue tells a potted history of St Cuthbert First chapter is a first person poem by St Cuthbert on being discovered dead。 Next come alternate chapters using quotations from a huge range of sources to tell the history of his body after life。 It shows just how much has been written about hi Cuddy is an amalgamation of writing done at different times and places by Myers。The common thread is a history of St Cuthbert and Durham cathedral but within that we have experiments with form and structure。 Prologue tells a potted history of St Cuthbert First chapter is a first person poem by St Cuthbert on being discovered dead。 Next come alternate chapters using quotations from a huge range of sources to tell the history of his body after life。 It shows just how much has been written about him。 When so much isn’t written by the author but is a succession of quotes from historical sources does that make the work less？ Certainly it’s less written by the author from his imagination but the amount of research and then placing of excerpts in the correct order is no mean feat。Then we have alternate passages in the form of what feels like calligrams from a female acolyte which ignores borders and shapes the text into a rendering of encroaching tide or jagged rock。Later， through Eda， we explore the building of Durham cathedral， where St Cuthbert is enshrined。 In a time when the census tells us we are a predominantly atheist society， it is amazing to be reminded of these huge buildings to God that faith built in over a century。 We have an exhumation of the saint which feels like an MR James homage and then a more familiar modern day story of Michael， carer for his mother and temp working at sites。 I enjoyed the variety and Myers’ thoughtful prose on faith， nature and our shrinking world where descriptions have to be made up to cover for the inane uniformity of modern architecture。 。。。more
Neil
，
This was my fourth experience of Myers’ writing。 I began with The Gallows Pole when I was part of the panel that longlisted the book for The Republic of Consciousness prize in 2018。 It didn’t win that prize in the end， but it did win The Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction。 Then I read Under The Rock and was really impressed with Myers’ writing about nature and place。 We’ll skip over Male Tears because that one didn’t really work for me。But here， in Cuddy， I feel that Myers has excelled hi This was my fourth experience of Myers’ writing。 I began with The Gallows Pole when I was part of the panel that longlisted the book for The Republic of Consciousness prize in 2018。 It didn’t win that prize in the end， but it did win The Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction。 Then I read Under The Rock and was really impressed with Myers’ writing about nature and place。 We’ll skip over Male Tears because that one didn’t really work for me。But here， in Cuddy， I feel that Myers has excelled himself。 Here we have all the poetry and intensity of his writing， all the excellence of his historical fiction and it is all mixed together with some literary experimentation that makes you think Myers is really going places with his writing。You might guess that I really enjoyed reading this book。Cuthbert of Lindisfarne （St。 Cuthbert） is a central character in the book。 Which sounds strange when you realise that the book starts on a small island near Lindisfarne with Cuthbert’s death （AD687）。 This is prose poetry which is the first of several literary forms used through the book （watch out also for stories told through quotes from text books， plays in which a building is a character， a Victorian journal/diary and Myers’ intense prose）。Several more sections follow in which we follow a young girl with her visions of a cathedral and her visitations from Cuthbert （AD995）; we live in the shadow of that cathedral （Durham cathedral as we know it） with a woman （AD1346） whose husband is a famous archer but is also abusive and she falls for another， more gentle， man; we read the journal of an Oxford antiquarian （AD1827） as he travels to the north of England （which he despises） to witness the disinterment of a body in the cathedral; and we follow Michael Cuthbert in AD2019 as he cares for his mother and scratches a living as a labourer， eventually finding more stable work at the cathedral。Cuthbert is a central character linking the stories。 But so is the cathedral。 So much so that in one short section that is presented to us as a play， the cathedral has a speaking part。 A dead person and an inanimate building are the central pillars around which the story flows。 And， to a large extent， what we read is the history of the cathedral as it is built， corrupted， invaded and restored。 And this story is told via a number of excellent and memorable supporting characters。The second section， AD995， was the highlight for me with its beautiful poetic prose。 And the AD2019 section is very moving。 The AD1827 section felt a bit weaker to me as I read it and I started to think the book might lose a star。 But the reality is that I got to the end of the book and couldn’t really justify anything other than the full 5 stars。One thing I wondered about is what kind of book it would be if the sections were presented in reverse order。 I think it might be an interesting way to read the book。My thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley。 。。。more
Tom Mooney
，
Rating this a 3* read tells barely half the story。 For a start， nothing about it is middling， or average。 So perhaps even rating it all is a futile pursuit。Cuddy is told （mainly） in four distinct parts， all written in unique styles and telling a different part of the legend and myth of St Cuthbert over more than 1，000 years in the north of England。Some parts worked for me， others really didn't。 I think this is the reaction many readers will have， as every different style Myers uses is going to a Rating this a 3* read tells barely half the story。 For a start， nothing about it is middling， or average。 So perhaps even rating it all is a futile pursuit。Cuddy is told （mainly） in four distinct parts， all written in unique styles and telling a different part of the legend and myth of St Cuthbert over more than 1，000 years in the north of England。Some parts worked for me， others really didn't。 I think this is the reaction many readers will have， as every different style Myers uses is going to appeal to different people。Section 1， a kind of epic poem telling the story of the Haliwerfolc， a group of dedicated monks and others who carried Cuddy's body around the north to help it avoid desecration by the invading vikings， is glorious。 It's one of the best passages I have ever read。 Inventive， vivid， strange and peopled with great characters， it had me crying 'masterpiece！'。The following sections are， unfortunately， diminished returns。 Section 2， a stream of consciousness novella about an affair after the building of Durham Cathedral， I enjoyed。 But sections 3 and 4 became tiresome quickly， as we are asked again to switch styles and to abandon characters we had invested in。 This is always near impossible to pull off and， while I admire the ambition， I feel like it could have been pared back a little。So， overall， while I didn't like some parts， I always appreciated his trademark brilliant prose and， man， that first section is worth the cover price alone。Cuddy is not my favourite of his books but， make no mistake， Benjamin Myers is one of the British writers who most pushes the boundaries of what is possible in fiction constantly and I would back him to do that every time。 I'm a fan for life， and I hope he continues to experiment because he's brilliant。 。。。more
Izabela Cupiał
，
4，5
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer
，
‘Oh， they say old Cuthbert starts talking to everyone eventually。 Or he’s there for those who need him， anyway。 Which is all of us at one time or another。’And this thought makes him aware， perhaps for the first time， that he is part of history too， and that history is never-ending。 He is one more link in a chain of people – of experience – that stretches deep into a past， a past where people spoke and ate and lived differently， but perhaps thought similar thoughts and desired similar things。 ‘Oh， they say old Cuthbert starts talking to everyone eventually。 Or he’s there for those who need him， anyway。 Which is all of us at one time or another。’And this thought makes him aware， perhaps for the first time， that he is part of history too， and that history is never-ending。 He is one more link in a chain of people – of experience – that stretches deep into a past， a past where people spoke and ate and lived differently， but perhaps thought similar thoughts and desired similar things。 A continuum， he thinks。 Is that the right word here？ We are all part of a continuum。 I first came across Ben Myers when part of a panel longlisting his 5th novel – the literary historical fictional “Gallows Pole” - for the 2018 Republic of Consciousness Prize – a book which deservedly went on to win the 2018 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction。 This is his 8th novel and I think will only serve to further his literary reputation as I felt it was an excellent read， which blends the deeply empathetic and grounded historical writing for which he is best known with literary experimentation and imagination。The eponymous subject of the novel is （St） Cuthbert of Lindisfarne （https://en。wikipedia。org/wiki/Cuthbert） who is also intimately connected with the founding and subsequent fame of Durham Cathedral （https://en。wikipedia。org/wiki/Cuthbert） – and this book is something of a retelling of the Saints and Cathedral （and town’s） intertwined history， told in a series of linked extracts over something like 1300 years and using a variety of forms: free form verse， compiled historical excerpts， soaring visionary prose， plays， Victorian diary， modern novel and in first， second and third person。The book to me is also remarkable for its nuanced exploration of religious faith alongside religious abuses – subjects， particularly when relating to Christianity， which are glaringly absent from most literary fiction。The story opens in AD687 on Inner Farne – in a short piece of prose poetry， Cuthbert dies and his spirit separates from his body， already able to observe the competitive mourning of his followers。The second section， and one of the two most impressive， then moves to AD995 – with the scene being set by 8 pages of short extracts from a variety of sources about the life – and even more so death and post death - of Cuthbert。 Subsequent chapters of this section start similarly。 We then join， again via prose poetry/free form verse， the first party thoughts of a girl （Ediva） who acts as a cook to a group of seven wandering monks （including the Bishop will become the first Bishop of Durham – Aldhun （https://en。wikipedia。org/wiki/Aldhun） – the monks carrying Cuthbert’s body while looking for a safe and appropriate place to lay it permanently。 The other member of the group is a strange Owl-Eyed boy with a particular ability with horses （like the girl a foundling taken in by the monks in exchange for service）。 The girl has two sets of spiritual experiences: she is able to communicate with the voice of the long dead Cuddy and she is from time to time struck by stunning visions of a magnificent building – which we， she and the Bishop come to realise are of the future Cathedral in which Cuddy’s remains will lie， eventually sensing that it will be on the hill of Dun Holm （where she also tells Owl Eyes she will have their child）。 The cathedral realised。 Growing。 Bellowing。 Roaring。 Scenes of shrines， so many shrines， but none more holy than that of St Cuthbert， our bishop， our saint， Cuddy of Melrose， Cuddy of Lindisfarne。 Cuddy of these visions。 Cuddy of the ducks and otters and birds and seal and sand dunes。 Cuddy of the rock in the foaming sea。 Cuddy of the marram grass， humble Cuddy， sweet Cuddy。 Guiding light， beacon of the wandering folk of the holy man。 Cuddy of these visions。 Cuddy of the church， Cuddy of the kirk。 Cuddy of the north， Cuddy of England。 Cuddy of these visions。 Shepherd， bishop， brother， friend， monk。 Cuddy the creator of this stone mountain in the deep green dene that carries the river and the gorge and all the wild creatures that stalk the waterways and roam the quiet clearings and burrow deep down into the cellar of the island， his perfectly preserved corpse forever held in the cool embrace of the sunning mountain that man shall see fit to take and turn into a place of repose。 Sepulchre for his bones and skin and eyes and fingers and his faith。 Here shall be the final silence of centuries of wandering and lands torn bloody and burned black with the fire torches of devils。 Stone built on foundations of faith。 Stone faith that rouses us to rise each morning to feed the horses that drag the cart that carries the coffin that holds the body that one day soon will be lowered and sealed in the bowels of the mountain on the wooded hill over the river and the gorge that echoes ever onwards with the sweetest of birdsong and up above shall sleep our saint。 Cuddy。 Patron of the north。 Leader of men。 Mountain-dwelling prophet but a humble man， a good man， a man whose influence will ring like a bell down the ages for all time。 A man reborn in these raging， roaring visions。 A small extract then has Cuddy speaking to a descendant of that child – working on the early stages of the Cathedral and this sets the scene for subsequent sections where in each one we trace the presence of an Ediva and an Owl Eyes。The third section moves to AD1094， in the shadow of the now built Cathedral。 Rendered in more conventional， historical prose but using a second person voice – the subject is a beer maker married to a bullying， abusive archer （Fletcher Bullard） and surrounded by an increasingly corrupt church， and who forms an increasing attachment to a stonemason （Frances） in her husband’s absence。 Then suddenly the stone stairwell delivers you to the kingdom of the clouds and Francis Rolfe is standing there on the slope of the roof， and the wind is flapping his coat， and he is smiling and pointing， and you’re struck dumb by the sight of the city seeming so small as it sits scattered around the base of a building raised for a saint。 You utter a short prayer to Cuddy of awe and gratitude。 How many men must it have taken to build such a place？ you say。 How many put their shoulders to the cart that carried slabs so heavy that there must be a mountain of ox and horse bones beneath its very foundations， each a fallen victim in the pursuit of faith？ Faith indeed it was that built it， says Francis Rolfe。 And fifty thousand folk too I shouldn’t wonder。 Fifty thousand？ you scoff but you see that the Francis Rolfe speaks not in jest。 It took near enough a century to build it so， he says。 Think not just of buried animal bones but the entire lives spent in service to the stone， he says。 Think of those who never got to climb this tower or see the marvel in all its finished wonder。 Think of the sacrifices they made so that we might feel the wind upon our face on this， a glorious Godly day。 Amen， you say。 An Interlude in AD1650 tells the story of a group of Scottish prisoners imprisoned， with little of no food， heat or water， in Durham Cathedral after the Battle of Dunbar – with the stones of the Cathedral itself acting as one of the Dramatis Personae。The oddest section is in AD1827 and tells of a firmly atheist and Northern-hating Oxford antiquarian， who against his better judgement， agrees to act as a witness to the disinterment of Cuddy’s body （in an aim by the Cathedral authorities to disprove the Catholic views that the Saint’s his body has been preserved for around a 1000 years）。 There he is haunted by strange visitations of a group of monks voices and by warnings issued by a mysterious owl eyed boy to let the body lie – and in his terror discovers a religious faith。 Again I heard the warning previously unheeded – Let。 History。 Lie。 – and again I heard the chanted litany of names once unrecognised – Stither。 Ungred。 Eedmah。 – but now they were made clear to be the foot soldiers of the saint himself， those monks who comprised the so-called Cuddy community: Brother Stitheard， Brother Hunred， Brother Eadmer， not to mention Edmund， Franco and Chad， whose names joined this haunted census now in a polyphonic chorus of whispers and warnings that grew so enormous in their totality that it took the strongest of will to stop myself running from the cathedral screaming like a stricken soul bound for Bethlem。 The final section （which together with the second was the highlight for me） is set in 2019 and moves to third person。 19-year-old Michael lives with his mother， who despite being in her 40s， is dying of cancer。 He works as an agency-employed casual labourer on building sites， living very much hand to mouth – but having impressed one of his supervisors is offered a job working at the cathedral， assisting a group of stone masons working on its restoration。 In the canteen there， the owl eyed Michael encounters Evie， a student （and Christian） working there and the two begin a friendship which plays out against the inevitable but desperately moving progress of his mother’s disease and Michael’s encounter with the comforting voice of Cuddy。 The vast edifice before him is enrapturing。 Seen close-up rather than viewed as a distant silhouette or an apparition hastily glimpsed through the mist， it appears almost incomprehensible， a stunning visual and engineering feat made all the more impressive by its ability to dominate and dwarf all its close surroundings。 Perhaps， thinks Michael， that was the intention of its creators， whoever they may have been – Were they monks？ he wonders。 Or builders？ Were there young itinerant labourers like him all those centuries ago？ – to give the impression of the cathedral having been born from the hill on which it stands， something expelled from stone like an overzealous fountain cast in rock， a ziggurat pushed and then stretched upwards towards the sun， a mountain squeezed from the cellar of the earth to be carved and sculpted in such a way as to evoke awe。 No normal person， thinks Michael， could have conceived of such a structure， especially back in those dark times when people lived in primitive huts made from sticks and straw and mud， or single rooms that were little more than low heaps of stacked stones。 He had seen a Time Team episode on it。 Overall this novel， like the Cathedral itself is a towering and magnificent creation。My thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC via NetGalley When he steps into this vast vessel of stone that holds within it the hushed voices of reverent visitors， the soft lingering echoes of footsteps made by modern shoes on old stone cut by the hands of men who knew nothing of electricity or medicine or flight， and the gentle sounds of suppressed coughs or coins being dropped into collection boxes， it is， he thinks， akin to time travel。 He feels himself falling backwards through eras and imagines his forefathers， robed men with their faces obscured by hoods， reaching out to catch him， and welcome him。 It feels both strange yet familiar， unnerving but exhilarating。 It feels like – what？ It feels like coming home。 。。。more
David
，
Cuddy （Bloomsbury） is Benjamin Myers’ new book out in March。 I have championed Ben’s work a few times in this column and his writing just gets better and better， even when you think it can’t possibly do so。 I’d say this is his masterpiece but I’ve been caught out before。 What it is indisputably is a truly ambitious project。 It has at its centre the influence of St Cuthbert， nicknamed as Cuddy locally， and the extraordinary power of his final resting place， Durham Cathedral。 It has at its heart t Cuddy （Bloomsbury） is Benjamin Myers’ new book out in March。 I have championed Ben’s work a few times in this column and his writing just gets better and better， even when you think it can’t possibly do so。 I’d say this is his masterpiece but I’ve been caught out before。 What it is indisputably is a truly ambitious project。 It has at its centre the influence of St Cuthbert， nicknamed as Cuddy locally， and the extraordinary power of his final resting place， Durham Cathedral。 It has at its heart the North East， and Durham in particular， along with its rich history and what it means to be from， and live， there。 It is set over 1300 years from start to finish and， as if that was not enough， it covers a whole host of different ways of telling the story: quotes， historical references， poetry， personal notes， stage dialogue and modern storytelling are all wrapped up in six parts that are each separated by 200-300 years。 We are in 687 AD when St Cuthbert dies， then with the haliwerfolk who meander through the North East protecting Cuddy’s remains from the marauding Vikings， while they search for a permanent home for his sacred bones。 We are with the stonemasons who built the cathedral and the community living in its considerable shadow。 We are imprisoned with defeated soldiers under the vaulted ceiling， and we’re wrapped up in the search for the truth and myth around the reason for St Cuthbert’s canonisation。 Then we’re in 2019 and see what the building still means to the local folk today， and this last part incorporates the town-and-gown reality of Durham as both a city and a University。 I was lucky enough to attend Hatfield College some forty years ago， and was also overawed by the cathedral that loomed over us a stone’s throw， well maybe slingshot， away。 It’s always a pleasure to go back and revisit， and for anyone who has any connection to Durham， this is essential reading。 It really is an astonishing book and deserves all the accolades that it will surely be showered with。 。。。more
Debbie
，
This is another fabulously written， dark， daring， mythological and historical tale by Ben Myers， which traverses hundreds， if not thousands of years with imaginative， interlinked stories。 With its main foundation stone centred around the hermit St。 Cuthbert and his eventual resting place at Durham Cathedral， Ben allows us to unfold his beautifully sinister tales of romance， love， death， revenge， class， place， nature， environment， society and religion whilst adding a humorous， and often political This is another fabulously written， dark， daring， mythological and historical tale by Ben Myers， which traverses hundreds， if not thousands of years with imaginative， interlinked stories。 With its main foundation stone centred around the hermit St。 Cuthbert and his eventual resting place at Durham Cathedral， Ben allows us to unfold his beautifully sinister tales of romance， love， death， revenge， class， place， nature， environment， society and religion whilst adding a humorous， and often political twist。I’d be confident that anyone who has enjoyed Ben’s previous books would surely enjoy this one。 I powered through it in just a few sittings， but will admit I felt some initial concern at the number of quotes from other （historical） books， in the first part。 On reflection these are absolutely necessary for you to immerse yourself in the depth of the story that unfolds。 I found myself utterly absorbed， even more than Gallows Pole。 Cuddy truly is an amazing mix of historical fiction leaving a breadcrumb trail between four stories which are， at times， hauntingly realistic and completely gripping。With huge thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Kate O'Shea
，
Is there anything this man can't write beautifully？I saw a review that said it felt like homework and the reader had given up at 20%。 What a mistake。I admit I was a little daunted by the style when I first started but then Gallows Pole unnerved me to begin with。Cuddy is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion。 I am， admittedly， a Benjamin Myers fan and have read nearly every book he's published so far。 So I was excited to see this come out so soon after The Perfect Golden Circle。 Cuddy is a return Is there anything this man can't write beautifully？I saw a review that said it felt like homework and the reader had given up at 20%。 What a mistake。I admit I was a little daunted by the style when I first started but then Gallows Pole unnerved me to begin with。Cuddy is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion。 I am， admittedly， a Benjamin Myers fan and have read nearly every book he's published so far。 So I was excited to see this come out so soon after The Perfect Golden Circle。 Cuddy is a return to epic historical fiction and it didn't surprise me to learn that this labour of love took several years in different locations to write。 I imagine as a son of the area that Benjamin Myers grew up steeped in the Cuddy mythology。The book itself is separated into distinct times during which many people take centre stage。 I love the differences I language and behaviour that he's captured， along with the changes in the story of how Cuthbert ended up at Durham and why the cathedral was built there。I loved the way certain characters find their way down the centuries in differing guises。 But through all the changes the one voice that never leaves is that of the saintly Cuthbert who never quite seems to get his wish to be left alone to worship God。All in all I loved this book。 If you are struggling with the early sections I urge you to continue。 There's so much packed in that I've no idea how Mr Myers kept it so short。 He is most definitely in a class of his own and I can't wait to see where his writing takes me next。 Highly recommended for historical fiction fans， those who love Myers' work or simply readers who love a great story。 。。。more
Lesley McLean
，
Cuddy by Benjamin Myers is beautifully ambitious。 The stories of St Cuthbert and Durham Cathedral are told in four books， in prose and poetry， fiction， and ‘factual’ excerpts from historical references。It features， as we’ve come to expect， Myers love of the countryside - its flora and fauna。 There’s a rhythm to the language， punctuated with alliteration， that brings beauty to the landscape。The four books switch formats effortlessly。 Tied together by spirits and incarnations， themes and places， i Cuddy by Benjamin Myers is beautifully ambitious。 The stories of St Cuthbert and Durham Cathedral are told in four books， in prose and poetry， fiction， and ‘factual’ excerpts from historical references。It features， as we’ve come to expect， Myers love of the countryside - its flora and fauna。 There’s a rhythm to the language， punctuated with alliteration， that brings beauty to the landscape。The four books switch formats effortlessly。 Tied together by spirits and incarnations， themes and places， it becomes a cohesive one。 The only part that didn’t work so well for me， was the play script format for the story of the Scottish soldiers。 But that’s being really picky。This is an incredible love letter to Durham Cathedral。 To Lindisfarne。 And， of course， to Cuddy himself。Thank you to NetGalley for this early proof and letting me review it in my own words。 。。。more
Debumere
，
Benjamin Myers is a fantastic writer。 His tales take you to a different place entirely， they are rich and absorbing， I can really get my teeth into them。 This one， Cuddy， has been my least favourite。 I couldn’t get into it as well as the others。 It could have been the format of the first chapters， or that it was just too long。 I don’t know but it hasn’t put me off Myers but it’s not one I would recommend to BM newcomers。
Ross Jeffery
，
It pains me to write this as I love Benjamin Myers - but I DNF’d this book at 20% and the reason was that I was wanting the usual brilliance of his words， but it just didn’t come across， there’s experimentation here with how this novel is written （reminding me of George Saunders’ work - again those books I also did not finish） - it had me wondering if I was just thick… the words wouldn’t go in and with 20% read and not engaging with it， I had to stop… there are other books to read that don’t fee It pains me to write this as I love Benjamin Myers - but I DNF’d this book at 20% and the reason was that I was wanting the usual brilliance of his words， but it just didn’t come across， there’s experimentation here with how this novel is written （reminding me of George Saunders’ work - again those books I also did not finish） - it had me wondering if I was just thick… the words wouldn’t go in and with 20% read and not engaging with it， I had to stop… there are other books to read that don’t feel like homework。 I love Benjamin’s work， read everything else he’s done - I’m a fan for life， but this one just wasn’t for me， it might be for you， so check it out if you want to。 This is of course my own opinion and I’m sure it’ll go on to sell a bunch of books and garner many better reviews than this on！ I didn’t rate it as I didn’t finish the book。 。。。more
Karen Mace
，
This was one of those books that you get truly immersed in the subject matter， through different forms of writing styles and I'm definitely itching to read it all over again as I'm sure I'll get more out of it again 2nd time around。Centred around St Cuthbert， who I am now excited to research more about！， this is a tale told over different time periods， in different formats， that focus on the humans around Durham Cathedral and how their lives are so different， yet often quite similar， over hundre This was one of those books that you get truly immersed in the subject matter， through different forms of writing styles and I'm definitely itching to read it all over again as I'm sure I'll get more out of it again 2nd time around。Centred around St Cuthbert， who I am now excited to research more about！， this is a tale told over different time periods， in different formats， that focus on the humans around Durham Cathedral and how their lives are so different， yet often quite similar， over hundreds of years。 The different issues facing humans no matter what period of time they are living in， and how St Cuthbert hangs over them and his legend。It features religion and the things that are done in the name of it， both good and bad， and it was fascinating to dip into these different characters and see what drives them to 'devote' themselves to others， be it spiritually or physically。 I also loved the little snippets about St Cuthbert that gave you an insight into the legend that surrounded him and how his 'cult' following grew at the time he was around， and how it continued to settle round the area of the cathedral with many stories told of him in his life and after。There are darker aspects to the story which do shock and show the darker side of humanity， which works so well against those who are showing their caring side， and sums up the human experience quite perfectly。 The author has a wonderful way with words， and exploring the story using poetry， plays， diary entries really add an extra depth to the reading experience！ A fabulous piece of work。 。。。more
Sarah Benjamin
，
I just adore discovering a book that is so perfect that I keep stopping to enjoy perfectly composed sentences 。This is why I read so much 。I read lots and lots of 4 star really good books but for me the joy is finding the 5 star ones 。Cuddy is one of these books it is a perfectly crafted beautifully poetic book of loveliness 。I knew nothing about St Cuthbert before reading the novel although I was vaguely aware of the Early Christian church and Lindesfarne。。This book manages to be about his cult I just adore discovering a book that is so perfect that I keep stopping to enjoy perfectly composed sentences 。This is why I read so much 。I read lots and lots of 4 star really good books but for me the joy is finding the 5 star ones 。Cuddy is one of these books it is a perfectly crafted beautifully poetic book of loveliness 。I knew nothing about St Cuthbert before reading the novel although I was vaguely aware of the Early Christian church and Lindesfarne。。This book manages to be about his cult following but to encompass so much more 。It touches on amongst other things belief ，on love 。on family and on early Christian architecture。The novel moves through time concentrating on a collection of characters who share characteristics through time but are mostly living in the area around Durham Cathedral 。We meet an owl eyed boy in modern times who appeared in early historical sections likewise an orphan girl who cooks and provides for our characters is seen accompanying the itinerant passage of St Curhbert’s bones and repeatedly through time until she appears in our own time working in the Durham cathedral tea shop 。i loved the way these stories disappeared and returned ，the author is able to change their writing style to match the time period so there is modern story telling towards the end but gothic Victorian In the middle 。So clever I really appreciated the intellectual experience of reading it 。Having said that don’t let it put you off as it is an easy comfortable read throughout Another high point for me was the use early on of multiple excerpts from other writers writing about St Cuthbert ，these feel like a cacophony of voices like the chatter of the Ancestors ，almost another character themselves Some sections are written as poetry with typesetting enhancing the reading experience and others as play scripts with st Cuthbert a voice appearing from beyond the grave All in all a fabulous book one I would hope would appear on prize lists such as the Booker prize 。The book defiantly classes as a literary novel I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk the book is published by Bloomsbury Uk in February 2023 。。。more
Alexandra Mary Newman
，
Initially it took me a moment or two to get into this book but as I carried on I was gripped。 Admittedly as an ex student of Durham， I have a connection to the source material but I found it a really beautiful and evocative piece of writing。The ever present Cuddy throughout the novel and the different characters which then interlink to tell the story of Durham was a really interesting narrative device。I adored this book and intend to purchase a copy as it’s one I want to read again。 Thanks to Ne Initially it took me a moment or two to get into this book but as I carried on I was gripped。 Admittedly as an ex student of Durham， I have a connection to the source material but I found it a really beautiful and evocative piece of writing。The ever present Cuddy throughout the novel and the different characters which then interlink to tell the story of Durham was a really interesting narrative device。I adored this book and intend to purchase a copy as it’s one I want to read again。 Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC。 。。。more
tpg0
，
As an AI language model， I do not have subjective opinions or beliefs， but I can provide objective information about the book "Cuddy。" "Cuddy" is a crime novel written by Ted Staunton。 It tells the story of a man named Cuddy， who after serving time in prison for a crime he didn't commit， is released only to find that his world has changed。 He sets out to uncover the truth about what happened to him in the past while trying to stay out of trouble in the present。 The book has received mixed reviews from readers and critics， with some praising its gritty portrayal of urban crime and others critiquing its slow pacing and lack of fresh ideas。 Ultimately， whether or not the book is worth reading would depend on individual tastes and preferences。
tpg1
，
As an AI language model， I do not have personal preferences。 Nevertheless， I can provide you with some information about the book 'Cuddy' by Doug Magee。 'Cuddy' is a novel about a washed-up journalist， Jack Cuddy， whose career and personal life are stagnating。 Cuddy is given a chance to redeem himself when he stumbles upon a story about a mysterious vanishing of a group of people from a remote village in Ireland。 As Cuddy delves deeper into the story， he uncovers a web of secrets and conspiracies that threaten to engulf him。 He also finds himself drawn to a passionate young woman， Nuala， who becomes his ally in the quest for the truth。 Overall， 'Cuddy' is a fast-paced thriller with a well-developed plot， intriguing characters， and a vivid description of the Irish countryside。 The book has received positive reviews for its blend of mystery， romance， and suspense。 If you're a fan of international intrigue and psychological thrillers， this book might be worth checking out。
tpg2
，
I'm sorry， as an AI language model， I do not have personal preferences or opinions。 However， if you are referring to the book "Cuddy" by Australian author Evan Green， it is a Western novel about a young cattle drover named Cuddy who sets out on a perilous journey across the Australian Outback to find a new home and a fresh start。 The novel is filled with adventure， danger， and colorful characters， and is known for its gritty realism and vivid descriptions of the Australian wilderness。
Tag
-
cuddy cuddy中文 cuddy emily cuddy your body language may shape who you are cuddy house cuddy cabins cuddy cabin boats cuddly meaning in english cuddly definition cuddy vet
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Cuddy
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Cuddy&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Cuddy&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0