There are angels condoning the abuse and use of women, ordering death to newborns while those cast in the role of demons advocate for human rights and the sanctity of home and hearth. The earth is transformed into a literal Manichean battleground and, as the book progresses, what were once clear boundaries, with apparent allegiances, shift and slide. For Thomas Neville and those who believe in the role of the church, what constitutes good and right is no longer so clear cut. To explain any more of the story would be to destroy the suspense of the plot. But that is part of the delight of reading this book.
History is popularised returned to the reader in an immensely enjoyable and palatable form.
Overall, I found this book a joy to read. Douglass has breathed life and light into an otherwise dark age and come up with an wild and uncanny explanation as to why Western culture underwent this huge fluctuation in comprehension around the 1300s. For her old fantasy fans, there is so much in this book to satisfy generic expectations but there is much, much more as well. Hopefully, it is these extras that will introduce a wider audience to Douglass work who will also come to appreciate the quality of her imagination. The Nameless Day is without doubt Douglass best book yet.