Historical Fiction > Ireland
5th-8th Centuries
Maire
Maire is pronounced "MOY-ruh". The author explains that in the foreword, and it makes reading this review a lot easier!
Back of the Book:
Ireland. During the Fifth Century. An ancient land of timeless mystery where—in the age of patron saints—the spark of Christianity spreads like wildfire among kings, scholars, and peasants alike. And nowhere is the impact greater than among the druids, as the light of Christ divides those seeking truth from those seeking power.
Against this backdrop of passion and change, two warriors stand firm: Rowan of Emrys, reformed mercenary, leader of his tribe; and Maire, warrior queen of Gleannmara.
Sold into slavery as a child by his own brother, Rowan now fights the inward desire for revenge. But this battle-hardened soldier has given his sword and his allegiance to the one God, and even stronger than the lust for vengeance is his determination to let this God have His way with him…even if it costs him his very life.
Maire considers fighting on the battlefield simplicity itself when compared to understanding the man she has taken as hostage and husband! What manner of God would make such a fine warrior into a coward? Yet she cannot deny the truth in what Rowan has claimed since the day they met: that meekness and humility to his God are stronger than any blade of steel.
When they finally join together, lifting their swords to unite their squabbling tribes against the evil druid, Morlach, and his corrupt forces of darkness, they discover the cost—and joy—of following the one true God and His Christ.
My Review:
I love learning about this time period, so reading a book on it is really fun for me. Throughout the whole book Rowan maintains his firm faith and trust in God. He knows God will direct his life in the way it should go. Even when faced with the prospect of being burned alive he knew that whether God saved him from the flames or let his body be consumed it was the right thing. As I finished this book I was left with overwhelming trust in God. I know that God has a plan for my life, and I should be trusting Him completely.
I also loved the word-barbs and humor in this book. I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions. Rowan’s calm, steady demeanor verses Maire’s hot temper and insecurities made for an entertaining read.
I’m not sure how believable a certain aspect of the book was, though. Most of the people of Gleannmara became Christians just like their king and queen. I know that, certainly, a good number of people who witnessed the events of the story would become Christians, but it seemed to me that everyone had full trust in God by the end of the book. Maybe that’s just how the time period was, though. People followed their king without question, and what’s good for the king is good for the people. I don’t know how society used to be back then, though, so I can’t make an accurate judgment on this aspect.
Also, Maire fully believed in God only after she was used in a miracle of His. She was still skeptical of God’s power up until that point. Not everyone has miracles like Maire’s happen to them, so I was a little disappointed that Maire’s faith wasn’t kindled in an average way. Like Thomas, she had to "see" to believe. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29b
Overall, I did greatly enjoy reading this novel and went out to borrow the next one from the library at the earliest opportunity.