Carina McNally’s debut novel, Mithim, was released last week. Mercier Press contacted me with an ARC (Advanced Review Copy), and I am delighted to say this book was very absorbing, well-written, and wonderfully Irish. Set in 1657 Wexford, Ireland, through the eyes of Mithim, a woman who has known great loss, and who is acquainted with ancient wisdom and skilled in natural healing, this story conveys the anger, loss, and suffering of a people losing their culture, land, and traditions in a way I found moving and engrossing.
We meet the high-born Mithim first in 1649, when her home is destroyed by Cromwellian soldiers, and then – eight years later – in much reduced circumstances, we find her living alone in a crudely-built ‘cabin made of daub wattle and stone’ deep in the forest. She lives a solitary existence, has a reputation as a somewhat mysterious healer, and lives this way until Diurmuid the tanner arrives at her home, seeking assistance. All is not what it seems.
McNally first leads us to think the book will go one way, and then another, but ultimately pulls the rug out from under us with her twists, which I really did not expect. I was a little disappointed with one of these, to be frank, as I was hoping (because I’m a romantic) that Mithim would continue a certain relationship with one of the characters, but that was not to be. This book is not a love story; it is ultimately about Mitham’s journey to find her place in her country, one that has been conquered, its people massacred, left starving, and losing their cultural identity.
The interior of the paperback is really excellent: the quality of the paper, the typeface and font size, and the layout were all great. I am not a fan of the cover, though. In my opinion, botanical illustrations from the 17th century would have been a much better choice, since herbal remedies and natural healing are intrinsic to the story. The cover artwork is more what one would expect for an early 20th-century avant-garde work, while this book is rather about folklore, and is set in the 17th century.
I LOVED the glossaries of Irish words and of plants: both of which are used extensively throughout the book. These additions were so helpful to a non-Irish reader. This book is, in my opinion, similar (i.e. the healer woman) to Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, which I also enjoyed. The secondary characters are all quite memorable, though I found Deirdre unpleasant.
McNally is clearly very talented, and I look forward to seeing her future creations.
Many thanks to Mercier Fiction for the ARC. This is my honest review.
