Cathy Marie Buchanan brings first century Britannia to life in her latest novel, Daughter of Black Lake, which follows the twin narrative arcs of a mother and daughter coming-of-age during troubled times as villagers of the remote tribe living on Black Lake. Thirteen year old Hobble (she gets her name from her affliction with a limp) training as a village healer with her mother, Devout, is endowed with the supernatural ability to have visions of future, past, and present events. Life is thrown into chaos when Hobble foresees an invasion of their village by Roman troops, which draws the attention of a visiting druid, Fox. Fox becomes obsessed with this prophesied invasion, and tries to force Hobble to predict the outcome of a villager rebellion against these invading Romans, threatening Hobble and her family’s life if she doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear. This narrative arc runs parallel with the coming-of-age story of Devout, Hobble’s mother, and her courtship with Smith (Hobble’s father) and Arc, another villager who initially won her heart before a mysterious series of events lands her with Smith as her mate. Devout lives through difficult famines and earlier invasions of Romans that take a great toll on the villagers at Black Lake, all of which shape the world that Hobble grows up in.
While readers of historical fiction will appreciate the lush detail and world building in the novel, the less seasoned readers of historical fiction may be most intrigued by the novel’s conception of power. While the druid class is mostly written about as arbiters of wisdom, philosophy, and good judgement, the druid in this novel is a violent exploitative figure, bent on maintaining his power over the tribes. Fox comes to Black Lake with the intention of stirring up a rebellion against the invading Roman army, but all the locals see through his revolutionary rhetoric for what it is: a desperate grab to manipulate the locals into fighting to be oppressed by the druids rather than the Romans. Fox is constantly lashing out at the townspeople, killing beloved pets and valuable animals in the name of sacrifice to the war god. He is obsessed with the Romans and their evil behavior, ranting about how they will steal from the locals if they are in power. But for the locals, they are forced to pay two thirds of their wheat crop as a tithe to the chief tribesman whether or not part of that ends up being paid to the Romans.
The character of Fox is actually a really interesting one to consider in the context of modern politics. While it may seem like a huge leap to connect a first century British philosopher with our current moment, the conflict between the druids and the Romans actually provides really incisive commentary on the ways that political discourse has shaped history. This novel reminds us that the most oppressed of peoples, with the least access to financial capital and political bargaining power, have long been treated as a pawn in battles between the ruling classes. Hobble and the other residents of Black Lake represent the disenfranchised class, whose support has long been sought by political figures who have merely turned around and oppressed them. By including this manipulative druid character, Buchanan has created a deeply relevant political landscape for her novel that provides a strong anchor point for the everyday fiction reader.
Daughter of Black Lake is a fascinating look at a period of history that is not often the subject of historical fiction novels. Buchanan blends elements of the supernatural, spirituality, culturally relevant customs, and the timeless topics of romance and family to produce a novel that hits a lot of different notes. The world building and nature-related exposition is certainly a strong point in the novel, as the landscape surrounding these characters feels very well-plotted out. The twin narrative arcs of mother and daughter also coalesce in a really interesting way, providing a satisfying conclusion to the narrative by leaning into hope for the future. Overall, this novel is a unique and well-written exploration of first century Britannia, that fans of historical fiction will find very inventive, and everyday readers will find lots of different elements to enjoy.
Further Reading: Buchanan’s other two novels are similarly well-imagined pieces of historical fiction: The Painted Girls and The Day the Falls Stood Still.