Flint and Mirror by John Crowley

Flint and Mirror

by John Crowley

"Crowley is generous, obsessed, fascinating, gripping. Really, I think Crowley is so good that he has left everybody else in the dust."―Peter Straub

From award-winning author John Crowley comes a novel that masterfully blends history and magic in Flint and Mirror.

As ancient Irish clans fought to preserve their lands and their way of life, the Queen and her generals fought to tame the wild land and make it English.

Hugh O'Neill, lord of the North, dubbed Earl of Tyrone by the Queen, is a divided man: the Queen gives to Hugh her love, and her commandments, through a little mirror of obsidian which he can never discard; and the ancient peoples of Ireland arise from their underworld to make Hugh their champion, the token of their vow a chip of flint.

From the masterful author of Little, Big comes an exquisite fantasy of heartbreaking proportion.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

3.5 of 5 stars

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I've been reading more and more historical fiction lately, and I'm really happy that I've found time to enjoy the genre more. My latest read in this vein is Flint and Mirror by John Crowley.

Two sides are fighting the same war. The Irish seek to protect their lands, people, and way of life. The Queen and her people seek to make more of the world English. Two sides, two very different perspectives.

Hugh O'Neill is part of this war, being the Earl of Tyrone. He receives orders directly from the Queen. Yet the Irish also lay a claim on him, making him their champion.

If you like historical fiction, and more importantly, like John Crowley's writing style, then I think you're going to love Flint and Mirror. I will say that the prose pretty much won me over right from the start. It flowed so smoothly and was such a delight to read.

Flint and Mirror was a shockingly complex tale, with so many moving pieces. Despite this complexity, it wasn't difficult to follow - Crowley's writing and his characters make it easy to stay invested.

I can't really comment on the historical accuracy of any of this, not being a history buff. But I did enjoy those elements and would like to think I learned something new (I hope?). I would love to hear what others have to say on that count.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 4 May, 2022: Finished reading
  • 4 May, 2022: Reviewed