Book Review: The Girl in the Bog by Keith Donohue

   Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Crooked Lane Books via Edelweissplus, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own.

Ancient heroes from Irish mythology and folklore come to life in the modern world in this dark, atmospheric story. At once a thrilling chase novel and a wry reimagining of Ireland’s oldest epic, it is sure to enthrall readers of Neil Gaiman and Cassandra Khaw.

Synopsis:

Everybody is after the girl in the bog.

One morning in a field in Connemara, a farmer unearths the body of a young woman, two thousand years old, preserved under layers of peat. Later that evening, she awakens in unfamiliar modern Ireland, ripping a hole through space and time and setting awhirl old animosities and long-held grudges.

Shadowy figures follow her from the pagan past, and each emerges with a claim on the girl from the bog. With help from a trio of wannabe teenage witches, she goes on the run. Joining in the chase is an American archaeologist who wants to keep the discovery for herself and two befuddled farmers trapped in the plot. Hosts of fairies out for the night work their magic and mischief, and in the blue hour before sunrise, the saga unfolds in a battle for the ages.

Part fantasy, part mystery, part thriller, part send-up, this comic and poignant love song to Irish literature and the gift of gab does not merely bend genres; it braids them into Celtic knots.

Review:

If you love Irish lore and legends, then this is the book for you! It starts with 2 frenemies arguing over a bog body, and working against each other to get the most attention from finding it. But when the fae world crosses over into modern, and she comes to life, all goes assunder as Cú Chulainn and Láeg  come from the past looking for Fedelm, as the 3 red hags (the teens) try to protect her. If you know the story of the Ulster cycle, then you'll know the tale. The characters are all brought to life with all their faults entact. The story is at times quite funny, and it is great way to learn the Irish legend, if you don't already know it!

About the Author:

Keith Donohue is the author of five novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Stolen Child. His work has been translated into two dozen languages. He also reviews books, interviews other writers, and wrote speeches for the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Maryland, just outside Washington, DC.