| First Sentence: The body
of the man in the boat with no oars had been washed up on
to the orange sands of the beach of Fanore.
As Brehon of the Burren and the one who dispenses justice,
Mara knows of the punishment for kin-murder, but never seen
someone who has been set to sea in a boat without either sail
or oars. Now just such a boat had turned up. No one in the
small fishing community admits to knowing who the victim is,
but Mara, with the help of her law students, doesn't believe
them, or that he washed ashore from another location.
Each chapter heading introduces readers to an element of
Brehon Law. It is not only fascinating, but almost makes one
long for such a practical system. Additionally, within the
story, it is interesting how Mara considers that a change
is needed to the Brehon laws in order to reflect the changing
times.
Harrison paints wonderfully descriptive pictures giving us
a strong sense of place. She is also very good at using weather
and, in this case, the sea, as an additional character in
the story. There is also a very good reminder as to how brief
is life and how "Their silver and their gold shall not
be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord."
However, don't mistake this for a book with a religious subtext,
but more one of the cost of man's greed. Still, she does make
reference of the shift from the old faith to the "new,"
"The priests were trying to call the first of February
St. Brigid's Day, but on the Burren it was still known as
Imbolc and was one of the four great festivals in the Celtic
calendar.
Harrison's style does become a bit repetitive in the details
giving one the feeling she believes she is afraid readers
might forget something previously told to them. There is also
an issue of flow and pacing as the story seems rather to meander
along until the final quarter of the story when it becomes
exciting and intense. It would be nice where there a bit more
consistency throughout.
Condemned to Death contains very vivid characters
and a lesson in humility and priorities brought to bear in
a devastating climax.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
My
Lady Judge #1
Michaelmas
Tribute #2
The
Sting of Justice #9
Verdict
of the Court #11
Condemned
to Death #12
A
Fatal Inheritance #13 |