The Ruby in Her Navel

I’ll admit, I went into *The Ruby in Her Navel* expecting a swoony Crusades-era love story, and instead got a far more fascinating (if occasionally frustrating) beast. Thurstan’s decades-long obsession with Alicia is less about grand gestures and more about the quiet ache of unrequited devotion—think *Cyrano de Bergerac* if Cyrano were a socially inept Norman knight in a court that’s way out of his depth. Unsworth’s real genius lies in how he weaves the personal into the political: Thurstan’s pining plays out against King Roger’s attempts to unify a fractious Sicily, and the contrast between private longing and public maneuvering gives the novel its bite. Andrew Sachs’ performance is *almost* perfect. His Thurstan carries the right mix of earnestness and naivety, and his voicing of the cynical, worldly Nasir is a standout—dry, knowing, and just a touch weary, like a man who’s seen too many fools in love. My only gripe? The pacing drags in the middle, where Thurstan’s internal monologues start to feel repetitive. A tighter edit (or a narrator willing to push the tempo slightly) might’ve helped. Still, the final act—where loyalty, faith, and desire collide in a single, brutal scene—is worth the wait. This isn’t a book for those who want easy resolutions or clear heroes. But if you love historical fiction that’s as intellectually rich as it is sensuous, with a narrator who understands the weight of every paused syllable? Press play." "tags": [ "medieval political intrigue