Ariel Lawhon's The Pirate Queen, Part 2

The narrative moves back and forth through time, showing readers Grainne as a child, as a young woman, and as a mature woman--which gives readers a multidimensional picture of Grainne. The narration alternates, in other words, from the point of view of maiden, mother, and matriarch.

By including the childhood scenes, readers can see how the young Grainne developed her passion for the sea. The more her father tries to dissuade her from following in his footsteps, the more she insists on becoming proficient in seamanship. Readers see the young Grainne cut off her hair in defiance when she is not allowed to go to sea. 

As a young adult, she goes to Rockfleet Castle for fosterage where she meets the dashing Richard Bourke. Grainne laments that she is not in charge of her own destiny. The young Grainne tells those who marry her against her will:

 "I want Spain and France and Portugal. I want a boat of my own. And a life bigger than any tower house can hold."

Despite these protests, Grainne's beloved father marries her off to Donal O'Flaherty. Grainne suffers in this loveless marriage, yet she begins to gain acclaim as a leader. Her rise to Chieftain or Taoiseach was still far from easy. After her husband dies, Grainne fights off the Joyces to regain Castlekirk.  Afterwards, she has to battle Rory, who has taken over Bunowen Castle in her absence and declared himself Chieftain.

The mature Grainne has even more problems. She is waylaid and imprisoned by Sir Richard Bingham in Dublin Castle. Bingham kills many of her relatives, including her son, before, miraculously, Elizabeth I's spymaster secures her release.

To exact her revenge against Bingham, Grainne entices the Gallowglass, a mercenary Scottish army, to pursue his men. For the first time, she ignores the "Sense"--the ability to sense dangerous storms. This, unfortunately, leads to the loss of many ships off the coast of Ulster.

Pirate Queen--Part 1

Ariel Lawhon's The Pirate Queen

Ariel Lawhon's latest historical novel depicts the great sixteenth century pirate queen, Grainne. A real historical figure, Grainne is hardly ever mentioned in history classes, but that's what make her a great subject for exceptional fiction writers like Lawhon.   

Lawhon captures the many times the young Grainne demands her father allow her to go to sea. Still a child, she nonetheless wins the argument. She also proves to be much better than her brother at sea faring.  But Grainne wants more than this. She wants to become Chieftain like her father.   

For information on the historical figure, see Dr. Gillian Kenny's article for the Museum of Liverpool.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/stories/pirate-queen-grainne-o-malley

Pirate Queen--Part 2

The River Wife by Joni Agee

The River Wife by Joni Agee.

The River Wife is a panoramic story--from the 1812 New Madrid quake to the 1930s. Central to the story is the enigmatic, Jacques DuCharme, a one-armed river pirate whose wealth and wild ways become legendary.

Lonely and pregnant, Hedie Ducharmes Rails finds a journal that belongs to Annie Lark, who is married to Jacques Ducharme, a descendant of Jacques DuCharme. Though Hedie does not to hear a sad story, Annie's story quickly becomes a part of her own. According to Hedie, "Annie's voice kept speaking in my head as if it had become my own."

Hedie reads how Jacques rescued Annie, by removing the beam that crushed her legs in the New Madrid quake. They become man and wife but Jacques never allows Annie to become a true wife. He calls her a "queen" but wants her to stay outside of his economic pursuits. He conceals how he makes money--how he operates Jacques Landing, the inn he built along the Mississippi.

What is sad is that Annie Lark never finds the respect and equality she craves from her husband, Jacques. She turns to Audubon because he respects Annie's art work and scientific pursuits. Turning to Audubon, however, leads to tragedy. Annie and Jacques become estranged which indirectly leads to Annie's death.

Omah's story dominates the second part of the book. A free
African-American woman, Omah becomes Jacques' partner in his illicit business. Since she is on a more equal footing with him, she is, in a way, Jacques' true wife.

Omah participates in Jacques' river piracy and accumulates a share of his wealth. The wealth gives her status that she would not have otherwise. When Jacques marries Laura, Omah insists that she is not be called Laura's girl or servant.

Though she participates in his piracy, Omah's bravery and loyalty is admirable. She accompanies Laura to Hot Springs, AK where trouble brews anew. Laura's disloyalty contrasts sharply with Omah's steadfastness. Still, its hard to believe that Jacques lets Laura--the mother of his only child--succumb to the cruel fate that befalls her.

The last part of the novel focuses upon Little Maddie Ducharme who was just a baby when her mother died. Her story is also tinged with sadness. Like her contemporary counterpart, Hedie Ducharme Railes, Maddie is consumed with saving Jacques' Landing. Though her husband wants to return to Montana, she insists on staying and raising her child on her father's land.

The novel can be seen an ancestor tale with the ghosts of the past visiting succeeding generations. Annie Lark's ghost visits Maddie DuCharme in one crucial scene.  Her journal gets into the hands of Hedie DuCharme Rails who, like Maddie, also sets her sights on finding Jacques' ill-gotten wealth.

The River Wife is a fast-paced read filled with adventure, heartache, tragedy, and beauty. If you like family dramas and historical novels, you will enjoy this book.

Agee's most recent novel is The Bones of Paradise. 

Agee is a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
http://www.unl.edu/english/jonis-agee