Midwinter of the Spirit

In Midwinter of the Spirit, Rickman’s excellent prose superbly evokes Herefordshire settings as a backdrop to his protagonist’s, (parish priest, rooky exorcist, and single mum Merrily Watkins), foray into a twilight world. Merrily’s character is painted by Rickman as vulnerable but driven, qualities that eventually lead her into mortal danger, with evil pursuing her in the most personal way through her daughter, and also manifesting itself at the heart of the religious establishment that should be her ultimate protector. Midwinter of the Spirit was subsequently made into an excellent TV serial, and the cathedral scenes were coincidentally filmed at… show more.

The Revd Merrily Watkins is the Vicar of Ledwardine in Herefordshire, England. When the diocesan exorcist retires, she is nominated to replace him. I studied theology at a college in Durham that trained clergy for the Church of England, and I liked Phil Rickman’s gently satirical touch. In the book, the church prefers the more twee title of “deliverance consultant” in place of the more blunt “exorcist.” I don’t know if any Church of England diocese has done such a thing, but it’s the kind of thing one could easily imagine that they might do. But whether she is an… show more.