Oh, I see. They meant "almost spiritual in her countenance," not continence (more often associated with adult diapers! :-) though it also means reliability).


I get it. It's hard to find a historical novel that doesn't make you go "That never would have happened!" It's great to find one where you buy the story, so to speak (it doesn't have to be 100 percent factual, it just has to seem right for the period). Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield, Doomsday by Carol Willis, even Catherine, Called Birdy (cannot remember author's name), though a kids' book, was so well researched that you never went "a girl back then would never do that!" I love it when authors can manage that verisimilitude.