Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley
Confessions of a Pagan Nun is a historical novel set in Ireland around 500 AD, in the early days of the introduction of Christianity to the British Isles. The story is told from the first person perspective of a woman named Gwynneve, who is the scribe for a small convent dedicated to Saint Brigit. She tells us the story of her life from her childhood in a small pagan community, her training by a Druid in her youth, and her time in the Christian convent.
Throughout the novel we see the themes of colonialism as the new religion sweeps Britain. The struggles of right and wrong are represented not through one group being “right” and the other “wrong” but, through the narrator’s experience, that both systems include individuals of great faith as well as those using faith as a means of gaining personal and political control over others. As Gwynneve tries to reconcile the beliefs of her childhood with those of the new religion, we see not only the effects of her socialization but faith is shown as a personal journey.
Gwynneve resides in a liminal state between two belief systems. Although she is an extraordinary woman for her time in her ability to read and write, her ability to choose leaving her family and first husband to pursue her Druid education was not considered deviant in her culture as presented in the novel. The author addresses issues of feminism through Gwynnerve’s personal journey and the changes the time she lived in brought to women in society.
Furthermore, though told from Gwynnerve’s perspective as a middle-aged adult, the novel is also a coming of age story about a young woman trying to find her place in the world. Though she lives in a time, place, and society very different from our own, we see her struggles, dreams, and triumphs such as dealing with the loss of her mother, her romance with her Druid teacher, her longing for a family of her own, and her faith journey as very recognizable human experiences which transcend the boundaries of time.
My main criticism of this novel is that the author includes a “Translator’s Note” to introduce the work in what seems a cliché attempt to give authority to the text and present it as fact rather than fiction. It seems Horsley has done her research, but the novel is, of course, completely fictionalized. It seems to me that although this serves as a way to settle the reader into the time period and briefly introduce a historical context, it is not necessary to attempt to give the already captivating narrative more weight by presenting it as more fact than fiction. Though Horsley does include Gaelic terms, which she translates through footnotes and a glossary at the end of the novel, her language overall is very approachable. It is not overly embellished with lavish detail; however, she still manages to convey a distinct feeling of a time and place very different from the contemporary world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which is brief enough to complete in one day, and recommend it to fans of historical fiction, those interested in British history, and stories with a strong central female character.
Pages: 188
Genre: Adult historical fiction
Location/Callnumber: Raleigh County PL Fiction F Horsley C2001
Recommended by: Crystal at Main
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Tags: Books, Book Reviews, Library, Historical Fiction, British History, Strong Female Protagonist, Kate Horsley, Confssions of a Pagan Nun
