Interviewing Shauna Lawless
Helloooo!
Last week I reviewed the excellent The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless an intriguing mix of myth and magic set in Ireland a 1000 years ago. It touches on themes of power, parenthood and religion in a really interesting way, I was very happy to get the chance to ask Shauna some questions about this book and what else we can look forward to.
How do you like to booktempt The Children of Gods and Fighting Men?
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a historical fantasy set in 10th century Ireland. The Irish kings fight amongst themselves, and Vikings have taken over the port of Dublin. But behind the wars of the mortal men, another older war is being waged. Descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann have long fought against the Fomorians. Now, the Fomorians are all dead, or so the Descendants believe. But three of them remain and will use the mortals and their wars to find a path back to power.
That’s my pitch at the minute! If you like fantasy and historical fiction and mythology, this story weaves them altogether. And don’t worry – you don’t need to know any Irish history or mythology before you start.
What drew to you towards this period in Ireland’s history?
In 1169 an Anglo-Norman knight called Strongbow invaded Ireland. After this time, Ireland enters a period of invasion, conflict, wars and famines. When I read about these periods, I often feel sad because so many of these issues are outside the control of the Irish people. I found once I went further back, that sense of helplessness faded. Is there tragedy? Certainly. Is there war? Most definitely. But there isn’t the same lack of control, and so I read about this period with a heart less heavy.
The 10th century is a time of conflict for different reasons. The race to become the High King is paramount. Economic shifts because of the Viking ports creates change. The poor conversion of Christianity is another issue too. In Ireland, divorce was still common, men had multiple wives, Ireland still followed the pagan Brehon laws, and the church was filled with members of the royal family who held no power over the Irish kings. All these issues and more were raising eyebrows in Rome. I found all this conflict fascinating.
What has struck you about Ireland’s mythology of the period and how it still speaks to us today?
Irish mythology runs deep in Ireland. It’s everywhere. In our songs, murals on the walls, sculptures. I think the fact Irish mythology and stories were told as a source of entertainment for so long has meant that it has endured. Cu Chulainn and Finn McCool are extremely famous today – maybe even as famous as they were a thousand years ago, and their legends are woven with members of the Tuatha Dé Danann too.
My grandmother absolutely believed in the fairy people (who are derived from the Tuatha Dé Danann), as did a lot of people of her generation, and so it’s not something that has been relegated to the past and museums.
How did Fodla and Gormflaith become your central characters and their respective roles in society?
When I was thinking about writing a new novel (after a previous novel had failed to find an agent), Gormflaith came to mind early on. I knew her from my Irish history reading and thought she’d make for an interesting character. She is vilified in most of the source documents she appears in because she is ambitious and scheming. My initial thought was to write a more sympathetic version, but as soon as I started writing a much darker character appeared and letting her keep her ambition suited her. And why shouldn’t she be? The men around her are ambitious too.
To counteract her politically astute character, I knew I wanted my second POV to be very different. Fódla is all heart but also very naive and has lived a sheltered life. They both have similar experiences throughout the novel, and I found it interesting to delve into how their reactions differed. I also wanted Fódla to see the viewpoint of the people of Ireland (not just members of the royal family) and to show the reader the Irish culture at the time.
While researching the period was there anything you found that really surprised you?
I loved researching the Brehon Laws which is the ancient legal system of Ireland. I know that sounds quite dry, but honestly, they are fascinating and really quite specific and detailed. They had quite a few laws in place for bees which was surprising. For example, a beekeeper was obliged to give a portion of his honey to his neighbours, as it was logical to assume that his bees had collected pollen from his neighbour’s land.
There is also a trial scene in my book where one of the characters has had her hair cut against her will. This is a crime that is specifically discussed in the brehon laws and I found this particularly interesting which is why I used it in my novel.
What else can we look forward to from you in the future and where can we find out more?
My next book – The Words of Kings and Prophets is the second book in The Gael Song trilogy. It is out next September. And I’m currently writing the third book in the series as we speak.
If there was one book, not your own that you wish you could get everyone to read what would it be and why?
One book? Ah…. That’s way too hard… borderline evil, actually.
(Why thank you!!)
I feel that the classics are classics for a reason, but they are already so well known that I feel compelled to suggest something more modern. And so, a story that really affected me and I think is something that everyone should read, given there is so much conflict in the world is Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor. It’s about a famine ship sailing from Ireland to America with an array of characters, including a landlord, a maid, a reporter, and a murderer. The story is woven together so well, and Joseph O’Connor is a fantastic writer.
