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Details
THE WARRIOR’S DAUGHTER
Published: March 1, 2007
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Cover Art: Cathy Maclean
THE WARRIOR’S DAUGHTER
Published: March 1, 2007
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Cover Art: Cathy Maclean
The Inside Story
Ew, maggots!
The thought of an open wound crawling with maggots (fly larvae) is just plain
nasty. No wonder my heroine, Luaine, was disgusted and upset when she found
out her face wound had been treated with them! But long before antibiotics were
invented, battleside surgeons observed that soldiers with maggoty wounds were
less likely to die of infection. And recently, medicinal maggots have made a
comeback, proving their use in, for example, cleaning up wounds or ulcers
infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These useful little critters eat up the
infected tissue, usually with very little discomfort to the patient. But still. Ew.
Ew, maggots!
The thought of an open wound crawling with maggots (fly larvae) is just plain
nasty. No wonder my heroine, Luaine, was disgusted and upset when she found
out her face wound had been treated with them! But long before antibiotics were
invented, battleside surgeons observed that soldiers with maggoty wounds were
less likely to die of infection. And recently, medicinal maggots have made a
comeback, proving their use in, for example, cleaning up wounds or ulcers
infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These useful little critters eat up the
infected tissue, usually with very little discomfort to the patient. But still. Ew.
The world of The Warrior’s Daughter
I’ve always loved novels based in mythology, but until I stumbled
across Lady Gregory’s translation of the story of Cuchulainn and
the Cattle Raid of Cooley, I knew nothing about the great mythic
stories of Ireland. I was so excited! I loved the story, loved the
characters, and I loved the language Gregory had used to tell it. I
knew I had to do something with it.
I also knew I had my work cut out for me. After all, if you are
going to presume to interpret another peoples’ mythology and
history, you had better do your research and get it as right as
possible. I had a lot to learn, not just about Irish mythology but
about the real life and culture of the Iron Age Celts.
I was lucky to be able to travel to Ireland to research the actual
locations in The Warrior’s Daughter, and luckier still to connect
with Richard Marsh, a storyteller specializing in Irish and
Basque legends who gives tours of legendary Irish places and
tells the stories to go with them. I owe him for much more than
the time he spent showing me the sites I had read about, for he
was a goldmine of information and shared it freely in many
emails as well as in person.
To read a snippet of Lady Augusta Gregory’s 1911 translation,
Cuchulain of Muirthemne, click HERE.
I’ve always loved novels based in mythology, but until I stumbled
across Lady Gregory’s translation of the story of Cuchulainn and
the Cattle Raid of Cooley, I knew nothing about the great mythic
stories of Ireland. I was so excited! I loved the story, loved the
characters, and I loved the language Gregory had used to tell it. I
knew I had to do something with it.
I also knew I had my work cut out for me. After all, if you are
going to presume to interpret another peoples’ mythology and
history, you had better do your research and get it as right as
possible. I had a lot to learn, not just about Irish mythology but
about the real life and culture of the Iron Age Celts.
I was lucky to be able to travel to Ireland to research the actual
locations in The Warrior’s Daughter, and luckier still to connect
with Richard Marsh, a storyteller specializing in Irish and
Basque legends who gives tours of legendary Irish places and
tells the stories to go with them. I owe him for much more than
the time he spent showing me the sites I had read about, for he
was a goldmine of information and shared it freely in many
emails as well as in person.
To read a snippet of Lady Augusta Gregory’s 1911 translation,
Cuchulain of Muirthemne, click HERE.
From Readers and Reviewers
“Fans of old Irish times and folklore will devour this beautifully retold legend. Peopled with wonderful, vibrant characters, it is written with... both a
beauty and economy of language.”
Woozles newsletter
“The Warrior’s Daughter is, I believe, Holly Bennett’s best book yet, and I loved her first two.”
Teensreadtoo.com
“The Warrior’s Daughter beautifully evokes a time long past... Feisty and resourceful, Luaine is a remarkable character whose resilience and
courage will resonate with readers of all ages.”
White Pine nominating committee
“What a fabulous read! Your writing is strong and well crafted. The dialogue is wonderful. But for me the best part is that the story flowed, drawing me
along without giving anything away. Although I know that you are retelling a legend, I wanted you continue with Luaine/Finscoth's story. Is there a
possibility that you might continue?”
Susan
“I was impressed both by the care with which Bennett pays tribute to the compelling mythology of Ireland and also by the zest of the writing that
carries the new story along at a matching pace.”
Resource Links
“... a gripping, windswept romance one could imagine being told by Irish bards.”
writingya.blogspot.com
“Luaine’s tale... is a story of loss, betrayal and suffering; but it is also a story of redemption and hope. Holly Bennett becomes, book by book, an ever
more accomplished writer of fantasy whose worlds are so real that the reader can see and understand a completely different world, yet sense the
same universal gifts of courage, intelligence and compassion that we look for in contemporary settings.”
Deakin Newsletter
“I would suggest that Holly Bennet find a different job/hobby, because she can't write worth beans.”
(Ouch! Posted on the chapters/indigo website. I guess you really can’t please all of the people, all of the time!)
“Fans of old Irish times and folklore will devour this beautifully retold legend. Peopled with wonderful, vibrant characters, it is written with... both a
beauty and economy of language.”
Woozles newsletter
“The Warrior’s Daughter is, I believe, Holly Bennett’s best book yet, and I loved her first two.”
Teensreadtoo.com
“The Warrior’s Daughter beautifully evokes a time long past... Feisty and resourceful, Luaine is a remarkable character whose resilience and
courage will resonate with readers of all ages.”
White Pine nominating committee
“What a fabulous read! Your writing is strong and well crafted. The dialogue is wonderful. But for me the best part is that the story flowed, drawing me
along without giving anything away. Although I know that you are retelling a legend, I wanted you continue with Luaine/Finscoth's story. Is there a
possibility that you might continue?”
Susan
“I was impressed both by the care with which Bennett pays tribute to the compelling mythology of Ireland and also by the zest of the writing that
carries the new story along at a matching pace.”
Resource Links
“... a gripping, windswept romance one could imagine being told by Irish bards.”
writingya.blogspot.com
“Luaine’s tale... is a story of loss, betrayal and suffering; but it is also a story of redemption and hope. Holly Bennett becomes, book by book, an ever
more accomplished writer of fantasy whose worlds are so real that the reader can see and understand a completely different world, yet sense the
same universal gifts of courage, intelligence and compassion that we look for in contemporary settings.”
Deakin Newsletter
“I would suggest that Holly Bennet find a different job/hobby, because she can't write worth beans.”
(Ouch! Posted on the chapters/indigo website. I guess you really can’t please all of the people, all of the time!)
| To see photos of the locations in The Warrior’s Daughter (as they appear today, of course), click this photo. |
Excerpt from The Warrior's Daughter
IF CATHBAD HAD DONE nothing more for me -- and he has done
much -- I would be in his debt still for this one thing. Little
enough has come with me from my old life, but Fintan perches
on my shoulder still...
(click to read more)
IF CATHBAD HAD DONE nothing more for me -- and he has done
much -- I would be in his debt still for this one thing. Little
enough has come with me from my old life, but Fintan perches
on my shoulder still...
(click to read more)
