The CLEANER of CHARTRES by SALLEY VICKERS
It's fun to read a novel that makes me want to read all the other novels written by the author. Salley Vickers' The CLEANER of CHARTRES is one of those books. The novel takes place in the town of Chartres where the Chartres cathedral is located. The main character is a lovable young lady named Agnes. Agnes is an orphan who grows up not to be a surgeon, not a famous singer or a famous author. She becomes just an ordinary cleaner who cleans an extraordinary cathedral. She cleans the Chartres Cathedral. Then, she meets other people in the community and cleans for them as well. It's not unusual that one of her clients is mean spirited. This is Madame Beck. She's like Cinderella's stepmother. It is ironic that Agnes' personal experiences are very complex although her life is very ordinary. The irony and symbols are what make this quiet, gentle novel as exciting as a fast moving detective story. Agnes' life begins as an orphan. She is left at a nunnery w