Review of Bog Queen by North
When I first stumbled across Bog Queen by North, I was instantly captivated by the duality of its premise—an exploration of ancient Celtic life intertwined with modern forensic investigation. The idea of weaving together the voices of a contemporary anthropologist, a Druid from the past, and even the equally enigmatic voice of the bog itself felt electric. But while the novel certainly has its shining moments, I found myself wishing for deeper depths and richer details.
The narrative pivots between three distinct perspectives: Agnes, a post-doc forensic anthropologist in present-day England; a young Druid woman from 50 BCE; and the sphagnum moss bog, which serves as a sort of Greek chorus, holding ancient secrets and tales of environmental struggle. Each voice offers a fascinating angle, but I felt the story sometimes struggled to unite them cohesively. Agnes’s life and motivations were compelling—her social awkwardness painted her as a relatable, layered character. Yet, I craved more backstory. The fleeting hints at her past sometimes felt like teases, leaving me hungry for connections that never fully materialized.
North’s lyrical writing style shines when she dives into character introspections and motivations. There were passages where I found myself nodding along, struck by how beautifully she captured a moment or a feeling. However, as someone who loves immersive world-building, I couldn’t help but feel that the Druid’s timeline lacked the fleshing out it deserved.
The added layer of a parallel mystery concerning another bog body is an intriguing touch but ultimately stretches the narrative a bit thin—occasionally detracting from the richness of the primary story. I often wished that North had focused more intently on Agnes and the Druid, allowing for richer narratives to unfold without the sometimes random distractions of extra characters. The inclusion of Ruby, the young girl mirroring Agnes’s childhood experiences, felt particularly half-baked; her pivotal role was evident, yet her backstory and interactions were left hanging like an unfinished tapestry.
On a component note, I have to commend the audio version narrated by Lily Newmark. Her ability to convey the distinct characters and emotional nuances helped elevate the experience, even when the content occasionally fell short of its ambitious potential.
In the end, Bog Queen is a novel that glimmers with promise but falls a bit shy of its ambitions. It’s a thoughtful read for those interested in stories intertwined with history and environmental themes, but I wish it had taken a little longer to develop its ideas and characters into something greater. For readers who appreciate historical fiction that blends genres, this might still resonate, even if it didn’t quite land for me personally.
While I’m glad to have explored this imaginative landscape, I can’t help but think of it as a glimpse of what could’ve been—a striking idea with the potential to be truly great.
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