Customer Reviews

The Wild Irish: A Novel of Elizabeth I and the Pirate O'Malley

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Robin Maxwell creates a wonderful novel based on both historical fact and legend when she creates a very plausible,possible conversation between Elizabeth I, Queen of England and the infamous Irish pirate Grace O'Malley. Delving almost magically between imagination and fact the author brings to life the people of Elizabeth's court and the Irish chieftains known to Grace O'Malley. The is a tale of the ensuing struggle of the Irish clans to claim their own leadership while at the same time, submitting and/or pretending to submit to English rule in order to gratify their own needs and desires. The clash of two quite unique cultures is a central point that seems to run through this novel and yet both sides are drawn to certain aspects of each others lives.
Elizabeth I and Grace O'Malley's conversation puts the human heart into this novel revealing both it's warmth and love as well as it's hard cold side when betrayed. This is a clear and amazing look at the life and times of two very strong and independent women and how they grapple with the complicated Irish quest for their future.

What kept me reading The Wild Irish was that I wanted to figure out whether or not Robin Maxwell was one of the authors of historical novels about Anne Boleyn that I had quite enjoyed or whether she was had written that Anne Boleyn novel that I never could finish. As I ploughed through this average tale of the little known 16th century Irish pirate-heroine, Grace O'Malley and Elizabeth I, it wasn't until the very end of the book that I realized that it was Philippa Gregory's writing in The Other Boleyn Girl that I was yearning for and not that of Robin Maxwell's The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn.

Thankfully, the most compelling character in this book is the Pirate Grace O'Malley who tells her life story in the first half of the book during a secret fireside confidence with Elizabeth I. Unfortunately, the choice of this literary device, gives the reader the impression that the are simply reading the prelude and that the real story has yet to begin.

When I finally settled into Grace O'Malley's story, on page 186, and accepted that this was how the entire novel would be told, suddenly the point-of-view changed and the book became a story told from an omniscient narrator. Grace O'Malley fell away as central figure, to be replaced by Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex, suspect former lover of the queen, mentally affected by syphilis and sent to Ireland on the near-impossible task of quelling the rebellion in the hopes of regaining the queen's favour.

As I close the final pages on this book, I describe this book as: curious but average and historically compelling but fictionally lacking. While I am thankful that it made me aware of an Irish historical figure that I never knew existed, I wonder whether I would have preferred hearing the tale on a one-hour presentation on the Discovery Channel rather than through Robin Maxwell's writing.

From the shores of an embattled, blood-soaked Ireland to the haunted chambers of Elizabeth I's palaces, Robin Maxwell's "The Wild Irish" is that rare treat: an intelligent, beautifully written novel that is as much about us as it is about history.

After suffering a lifetime of loss and hardship at the hands of the marauding English, the Irish pirate Grace O'Malley sails up the Thames for a confrontation with her nemesis, Queen Elizabeth I. She comes prepared to implore the queen for help in saving her imprisoned son's life; instead, she and Elizabeth find a wary, mutual accord in which Grace is allowed to relate the story of her struggle to see Ireland freed from tyranny.

The meeting of these two very different women - one a robust, vibrant survivor, the other a brittle, isolated figure who is no less a survivor - takes on added dimension as the dashing, paranoid figure of doomed Essex becomes an integral part of both women's lives, causing each to confront her own inner demons. As in real life, the climax is neither easy nor pat, but rather as inevitable as the past events that have driven the central characters to their individual fates.

A paen to the courage of the Irish and the lonely splendor of England's most famous queen, this is an engrossing novel of historical fiction by a writer at the peak of her own significant powers.

The last book I read was "Wild Irish" by Robin Maxwell. It's the fourth book in her series of fictional novels centered on the life and times of Elizabeth I. In this novel, Maxwell's attention turned to the the waning years of Elizabeth's life and her ongoing struggle to colonize Ireland. Her nemesis in the novel is Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen and "Mother of the Irish Rebellion." The first part of the novel is based on the historical meeting of the Queen and Grace, and then fictionalizes the retelling of Grace's own life and what brought her before the queen. That is, namely, to beg a truce of the queen to save her son from the clutches of the dastardly English governor of Ireland and to hopefully establish some peace. As the cousel between Grace and Elizabeth closes, the queen grants the Irish pirate's request. A wary trust to say the least, though both women have developed greater respect for one another as powerful women in a world of men.

But Elizabeth soon finds herself sending Robert, Devereaux, ear of Essex, to quash the ongoing Irish rebellion. Suffering from syphilis and outnumbered in troops, O'Malley convinces Essex that a truce can save many a life. Essex, in turn, makes peace with the Irish but when he returns to England, the queen denounces him and brands him a traitor to the crown for personal and political reasons.

Like her three preceeding novels, this is a mixture of fiction and history. IMO, the first part of the novel is much more interesting and you can tell the author has a profound respect for the sea-loving Irish noblewoman, Grace O'Malley. The second part of the book is more of a war story, in which Grace plays a much lesser part.

If you like late Renaissance history and don't want to read a book that exhalts Elizabeth as the ruler of a golden age, then give this one a try.

I saw this author when she came to read in LA, and she said that it was going to be her mission to make sure people knew about Grace O'Malley as much as William Wallace and Robert Bruce. This book should do it -- especially since Grace O'Malley was much more successful than either of those guys! Besides being really fun, with lots of swashbuckling adventure and romance and a terrific, powerful, witty heroine, this book tells a little-known dark story about the great Elizabeth I: her behavior toward the Irish. It's a very satisfying novel and would make a great Christmas present!

This is a rip-rollicking work of historical fiction from a master storyteller. Original in concept, the author tells the tale of two women, Queen Elizabeth I and the Irish pirate, Grace O'Malley. Both are fiercely intelligent, independent, iron-willed women, and they are protagonists in this book. Relating parallel stories, the author juxtaposes turbulent late sixteenth century English court life and the ongoing rebellion in Ireland.

In England, turmoil is never far when Robert Devereaux, the Earl of Essex is near. Step-son to Robert Dudley, the late Earl of Leicester and the beloved favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, Essex has stepped into his step-father's shoes and is now the favored courtier of the aging Queen. Yet, he has a knack for repeatedly falling from the Queen's grace, driven by an inordinate sense of self-importance and ambition.

In Ireland, there is a different kind of turmoil brewing, as the Irish continue to refuse to kowtow to their English masters. With Irish clan chieftains and their followers trading sides repeatedly, it is difficult to say which of them are with the English and which of them are fighting against the English colonization of Ireland. There is one person, however, who is very sure as to which side she is on and that is the pirate Grace O'Malley, known to her countrymen as the "Mother of the Irish Rebellion".

When Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth meet, the story of the Irish rebellion unfolds, as does Grace O'Malley's own story. It is a story well worth reading. With fully fleshed characters and descriptive period detail, this is a well-researched work of historical fiction. It tells the story of these two great women, and details, as well, the fall from grace by the Earl of Essex. This is a wonderfully creative novel that those who love well-written historical fiction will enjoy.

The book starts with the mention of twenty or names of various courtiers. It suffers from what many history books suffer - too many names and facts. This is a novel - the story of three people: Elizabeth, Devreux and Grania.

The portrait of Elizabeth rings true, but not that of Grania. She speaks like a tough from Dublin, not a gentlewoman of the west of Ireland. Likely that characterisation arises from the fact that she is called a pirate in English records, She and her family were Gaelic-speaking. The author seems unaware of how different she was perceived in the Gaelic world - then and now.

I've been reading Robin Maxwell since her first book and though it did take me a long time to get this one cleared off my to read stack, I've always enjoyed her shining and romantically sweet but still realistic portrayals of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. In fact his absence from "The Wild Irish" is why I was so reluctant to read it.

But Elizabeth went on after his death and so must I. "The Wild Irish" covers a period of about ten years when Robert Dudley's stepson, Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex, is Elizabeth's favorite. Tall, dark and handsome like Dudley she even nicknames him Robin after her dead (supposed) lover. But they are far from being the same man. And Elizabeth is no longer young and beautiful as she once was.

At the same time the English annexation of Ireland is going on. A vast rebellion is in progress and the mother of the rebellion, Grace O'Malley, a sometimes pirate a little older than Elizabeth, sails up to London, risking arrest, to tell Elizabeth her story and try to help her homeland.

Of course it doesn't end there-history tells us of the long and bloody battle for the emerald isle and Essex's tenure as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland-and his subsequent rebellion against the crown. "The Wild Irish" covers it all.

Maxwell is a great writer so of course it's a good book. But unlike the ones leading up to it ("The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn", "The Queen's Bastard" and "Virgin: prelude to the throne") it lacks any romance and in my opinion one of Maxwell's specialties is making a tender, non-cheesy and realistic politically charged romance come to life. And while the scenes in English court are great, the Irish rebellion, though it should be really compelling, falls a little flat. But Elizabeth's characterization is amazing-where she was once kind but strong she is now becoming a harpy and paranoid, envious of the young and grieving for lost love. It's not a pretty picture or flattering in any way but does seem to match up with what we know of her "golden years."

However it is far from being a bad book. If you like Maxwell or Elizabethan history or want to know more about the whole Essex thing, then I recommend this book.

Four stars.

I love historical fiction, and I love pirates - especially when they are women. This book is a fabulous blend of the two! A glimpse into Elizabeth I's fear and dread of aging, losing her sexuality, and her power, toward the end of her glorious reign, as well as an honest look at the social conditions of the day regarding "a woman's place" through the eyse of two very powerful women, (and several power-hungry men). Grace O'Malley's life story, and struggle for her country, is amazing and should have been explored in a novel (or hey, even plain old history!) more often. While I have found Robin Maxwell's novels to be a bit more "simple" than I prefer in terms of character development, plot & dialogue, I truly enjoyed this story.

If you are searching for a good all-around historical fiction book, this probably isn't the best choice. The point of view switches (with no real consistency or pattern to it) from first person to third person which makes the book seem choppy (does choppy make sense? I'm trying my best here to explain it, but falling short I suspect).

Historical details range from okay to grossly inaccurate (for example, there was never a second meeting between the pirate Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth I), which if you don't mind that in your historical fiction then it won't bother you, but if you like accuracy things like that will probably drive you batty. (Another example: Sir Francis Bacon being homosexual, etc)

The dialog is frustrating as you immediately are faced with modern vernacular coming from 16th century characters. While I think you have to modernize dialog to a point (can you imagine how frustrating a complete novel in Old English would be, LOL), these characters take it a bit too far. At one point, Elizabeth I refers to two of her courtiers as her very own "Fric and Frac." Fric and Frac were two Swedish ice skaters who were famous for their comedy ice-skating routine in the late 1930s. See what I mean?

If you are a Grace O'Malley fanatic and must read everything ever written about her, by all means, check this one out (although I suspect it won't go on your list of favorites).

By the way, the second portion of the book is mostly about the Earl of Essex and his ill-fated relations with Ireland, which led to his disfavor and downfall. It's pretty good reading and I wish the author had just stuck to that subject for the entire book and omitted Grace's story all-together.

Oh well, you can't win 'em all.