I, Julian: The fictional autobiography of Julian of Norwich

Brilliantly inventive * Daily Telegraph *
Claire has brought Julian of Norwich to life in the most miraculous way – Mark Patrick Hederman, OSB
The clarity of the prose is striking, as is the ultimate serenity of Julian’s contemplation. * Spectator *
I was completely hooked and considerably moved by the life and thoughts of this exceptional woman – Jeremy Irons
What a wonderful book! It is as if we have finally found the lost autobiography of one of the medieval world’s most important women. Julian’s voice rings out true on every page and a deep understanding of her world and her work underpins each line. It is a joy to read. * Janina Ramirez, historian, author and broadcaster, Oxford University *
There have been a few other writers who have tried to fill out the human hinterland of Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love?, but I can’t think of any who have done so quite as persuasively and richly as this. Written with profound insight, spiritual and psychological, and a rare sensitivity to the everyday world of the fourteenth century, it is a brilliantly illuminating companion to one of the greatest works of spiritual writing in English. * Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge *
Claire Gilbert inhabits Julian of Norwich in the way that Hilary Mantel immersed herself in Cromwell. This is living fiction. – Sarah Sands
… extraordinarily deft and sensitive. This book is going to introduce many new readers to Julian and inspire others who know her slightly to go back with fresh eyes and a reinvigorated sense of how her writing developed and in what sort of historical setting. It really is a striking book, and an impressive achievement. – Nicholas Watson, Harvard University
I, Julian, is a tour de force, a rich reimagining of the life of Julian of Norwich and a disturbing evocation of the life of the merchant class in Norwich in the fourteenth century – Julia Neuberger
This is a rich and intriguing book, which is profoundly thought-provoking and helps the reader to get to know Julian in an entirely new way – Paula Gooder
both gripping and profoundly believable – Santha Bhattacharji, Fellow Emeritus, St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford
‘Claire Gilbert has written a freshly modern fiction about the famous mystic which lives and breathes the life of the fourteenth century: the stench and terror of plague; the intolerance of the late medieval church. Even more remarkably, she has plausibly drawn the inner prayer-life, the self-doubt, the loneliness and the quiet faith of this great genius. It is a beautiful, intensely moving achievement which not only excites literary admiration: it renews the reader’s faith that ‘all shall be well’. * A. N. Wison *
Her novel’s appeal comes from the care with which she places her story in its historical context. * Church Times *
I, Julian is a wonderful reminder that part of the mystery of fiction is its capacity to lighten the heart, give an adrenaline kick, and strip away preconceptions. – Cynthia Ruchti, novelist, speaker, literary agent * Christianity Today Ficton Prize juding panel, 2023 *
A triumph … the few known facts, Gilbert creates a credible and heartbreaking story … there is much to learn today from Julian’s own writings and this wonderful reimagining of her life. * The Historical Novel Society *

Claire Gilbert grew up in London, of Jewish, Scots, Spanish and English heritage. She writes and speaks about ethics and spirituality in politics and public life, medicine, ecology and on Julian of Norwich. She is Director of Westminster Abbey Institute. With her partner Sean she divides her time between London, Hastings and Ireland.

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