Celtic Fantasy in the Isle of Eire

 

Image copied from Goodreads

For the first review of this month, I'm going to take us back a bit to a book I read the end of last year. But as it is one that takes place in a reimagined ancient Ireland a generation of so after the Celts invade and take dominion over the island, I thought it fitting to discuss right before St. Patty's Day. Lesley Livingston's Queen Among the Dead is a wonderfully written fantasy about a rogue and a princess that incorporates elements of Celtic mythology and fairy tale retellings to weave together a tale of adventure, magic and some light romance. 

Neve is a princess of the Kingdom of Eire who some believe was cursed at birth and rumored to have been abandoned by her mother as a result. As the youngest daughter of the Dagda, she is the child overlooked by everyone. This works to her advantage though, because instead of being raised to embrace the traditional feminine role of a princess, she is allowed to train to be a fighter instead. Ronan, an orphan who was taken in to be a Druid apprentice was kicked out of the order for having too much curiosity, of all things, and has turned to a life of crime to survive. A rogue in every sense of the word, he accidentally saves Neve from an evil spirit in a graveyard and the two are inextricably linked from that moment on. 

One of the things I loved about this book was the way this Celtic society is depicted. So often in books about the Irish Celts they are depicted as the ones fighting for dominion of their lands as other invading elements slowly take over and stamp out their way of life, or they are depicted as being a civilization in tune with the natural world and its inherent magic. But in this world the Celts are the invaders. A war-like people who came to this green island from the steppes and plains of the distant east, taking over the magical peoples indigenous to the island and trying to stamp most of them out. I found this to be a clever take on Irish myths about the Foomori, the Fir Bolgs, who are the main denizens who lived in Eire before the Celts swept in, in this interpretation at least, as well as many other magical beings of Irish or Celtic legend. Often the very creatures who are depicted as the foes of all that is good and civilized, in this case are the ones who have been cast out, persecuted or colonized by these strange invaders. Not only that, but their Druids have slowly been syphoning away all the magic in the land and hoarding it for themselves. For what nefarious purpose you may wonder? Well, I can't really say without it being a spoiler. You'll have to read the book to figure it out.

Other elements I enjoyed about the story were magical qualities that both Neve and Ronan discover they've been cursed with. Notice I didn't say blessed here. Neither of the heroes in the story feel their magical abilities that they don't understand or feel they can control are good things. People with any modicum of magic are ruthlessly hunted down by the king's hounds. What happens after they are caught, usually isn't good. For Ronan, if he's discovered it is sure to be a death sentence. For Neve it could be proof that she's cursed as she was rumored to be at birth. This personal conflict for both characters sets them up as enemies at first who then have to learn to rely on each other just to stay alive. 

Staying alive means running away in Neve's case. Something is rotten in her kingdom and in order to get to the bottom of it she must flee to avoid getting married off to someone who definitely has an agenda of his own. One that would decidedly not be good for either Neve or her kingdom. The intricate mysteries, the air of something being really not right about this world and this kingdom mixed with the magic and danger make this a very entertaining read. However, it could be a bit slow for those not as knowledgeable about the ancient Celts or Irish folklore. The romantic elements are also lighter in tone than what you may be used to with most young adult based fantasies, at least, lately. I wouldn't say those are reasons not to give this book a try though. If you enjoy high fantasy then you will likely enjoy this novel, and for those who prefer stand alone titles, this book is one. Also, if you click on the title for the book you will be taken to the site of a wonderful independent bookstore in Kentucky, Joseph-Beth Booksellers. If you like supporting independent bookstores then I definitely recommend ordering a copy of your own from them to read. 

Tune in a couple of weeks from now for my next review of a regency romance by Alexandra Vasti called the Ne'er Duke Well. Also, feel free to share any recommendations of fantasies you've enjoyed inspired by Celtic myths or fairy tales in the comments below.