Flame Over Tara by Madeline Polland
This book has been on my radar (and my bookshelf!) for a long time, but I have only now gotten around to reading it . And now that I've finished, I have to say that THIS is how historical fiction, and especially Christian historical fiction, should be written. I can't tell you how many books I've had to put down because the characters, and especially their conversation, were so wholly unbelievable. I know a lot of Christians, but I don't know any who quote whole sections of scripture during casual speech, complete with the "address" tacked on to the end, or who model the sinner's prayer to every unbeliever they meet. Who DOES that? No one.
Then there is the historical aspect - I do not appreciate characters whose thoughts and/or actions seem totally out of tune with their time or place. I believe one has to earn the title of historical; just setting your story "sometime in the past" does not historical fiction make.
Granted, it should have been easy enough to tell this story without unnecessary embellishment. In it, 13 year old Macha and her foster brother Benet encounter the Bishop Patrick upon his arrival to Ireland. Much of Patrick's work in Ireland is know to history, largely through his own letters and writing. In them, his faith and character shine through, hence my comment that no embellishment is needed.
But Polland's other characters are equally well thought out in this story. The quiet trust of Benet, the confused Macha and her affianced, Kiann; Macha's honorable father, and the thoughtful King. The omniscient point of view allows a glimpse into all their thoughts, and the reader finds it easy to understand and sympathize with them.
I also appreciated that, as in many of Polland's other writings, the romance is only hinted at. Yes, a wedding is in the future, and yes, the two involved actually care for each other, but there are no drawn out passages of angst or longing or details of passion, making a safe book in that respect for readers or listeners of any age.
Many of the well legends about Patrick are included in this story, which could be viewed as either pro or con, depending on how strictly you define your history. I thought it all worked well, except the part about the shamrock, which felt a little forced and sloppy.
The only real fault I found with this story is that it felt to me like it ended too abruptly. I like to think I've gotten over my childhood desire to know *exactly* what happened next - I no longer need to know the details of the wedding dress or the names of the grandchildren. The early conflict in the story - that Macha had run away to follow Patrick, angering both her father and fiance, who felt she had been stolen by the strange Roman - was quickly and easily settled. The rest of the story dealt simultaneously with the larger conflicts Macha trying to reconcile her twin desires of following God and marrying Kian, and of Patrick winning over the pagan island, all leading up to his confrontation with the king's Druid priests, which occurred in the final chapter. The reader is given less than the last two pages to see how Macha and Kiann will go forth. Not enough, I say!
Last year, during our Eastern Hemisphere studies, I read aloud Mission to Cathay, also by Madeline Polland, and we enjoyed it immensely for good writing and well drawn out characters mentioned above, combined with the added bonus of a little mystery. Soon, I will begin City of the Golden House in conjunction with our Roman studies (look for a separate post on that book soon-ish). And soon after that, I hope to share Flame Over Tara with my children. Because the only thing that can make a good book better is sharing it.
