This time, no financial or economic book recommendation, but rather a book that inspired me and takes us far back to our Antwerp roots. Medievalist Willem de Reuvere comes into possession of a few rare medieval manuscripts. His treasure includes, among other things, the Antwerp Songbook and the tale of Reynard the Fox. There is one manuscript written in a coded language that he cannot decipher. So he decides to reconstruct the life of Willem, the manuscript’s author, on his own. “Historical fiction that seeks to bring the darkest side of history to light.” That’s how the narrator describes his novel. It sounds like a dull, somewhat dark tale, one that spans 584 pages, no less. And yet. It’s been a long time since we’ve enjoyed a book as much as we did with Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita.” And we’re not alone, because this novel by Dutch historian Nico Dros was showered with rave reviews. The best comment was this one: “I don’t like medieval novels, but I’m glad the Libris Prize put me on this track, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
“Willem Who Created Madoc” can be read as an exciting, fluently written adventure novel. A toddler washed ashore grows up in an abbey to become a well-read adolescent; then something terrible happens, prompting him to set out into the world, where he rises to become a knight and a skilled steward of estates. Along the way, he discovers romance and the more “earthly” pleasures. The novel is a vivid social portrait of life in Flanders and France in the 13th century. The journey takes him from Bruges to Brussels, Paris, Ghent, and Antwerp. Willem’s life takes surprising turns, with women consistently playing a leading role: the fiery woman “of lower station,” the calculated love of the noblewoman, the sensual game of the commoner’s daughter, and the all-consuming passion of the loving Hadewych. Even today, Hadewych has a host of admirers because of her mystical songs and poems. Her agonizing spiritual longing for union with God, however, falls on deaf ears with the hot-blooded Willem, who evolves into a critical free thinker during his journey. His profound reflections on mind and body also resonate with the modern reader. In addition, the book is a scathing indictment of religious fanaticism and social hypocrisy. In Nico Dros, the talents of Desiderius Erasmus, Umberto Eco, and Alexandre Dumas come together. “Willem Who Created Madoc” was nominated for the Libris Prize in 2022 but ultimately did not win. You can easily correct that oversight by reading the book. Enjoy the read.
“Willem Who Created Madoc,” by Nico Dros, 2021, 592 pages, Van Oorschot Publishers, ISBN: 9789028223035
