In 2018, author Signe Pike introduced readers to the cut-throat world of early medieval Scotland in her fiction debut, The Lost Queen. The journey continued in 2020 with Pike’s sophomore novel, The Forgotten Kingdom. After four years, she’s finally back with the third volume in this enchanting historical saga, which follows a powerful Celtic queen whose legacy has been eroded by time. In The Shadowed Land, Queen Languoreth and her allies rally to preserve their kingdom from the threat of a religious war as a far larger danger looms ahead. Here’s everything you need to know before the book drops on December 3!
Synopsis
In the Brittonic kingdom of Gododdin, AD 580, the Britons have just conquered the Angles in the bloody Battle of the Caledonian Wood. Thanks to the aid of warrior Artúr mac Aedan, Queen Languoreth of Strathclyde is reunited with her brother, Lailoken, and long-lost daughter, Angharad, almost a decade after Angharad’s presumed death. Their reunion is cathartic, but it doesn’t last long.
Soon, Languoreth, Lailoken, Angharad, and Artúr are each ripped away to their separate fates. Languoreth and Lailoken find themselves facing off against former bishop Mungo once more, trying to uphold peace in their kingdom as tensions mount between the Christians and the people of the Old Way. Meanwhile, Angharad seeks out Briochan, a Wisdom Keeper versed in the ancient Celtic art of weatherwork, in hopes of becoming his initiate, and Artúr answers a mysterious summons from his father, the reigning king of Dalriada. With another war on the horizon, they must all learn to defy their limits and rise to the challenge of their grand destinies to secure the future of their people.
A Mesmerizing Chronicle of Early Medieval Scottish History
Three great ages;
Proverb from West Connacht
the age of the yew tree,
the age of the eagle,
and the age of the Cailleach Bhéara.
Signe Pike’s The Shadowed Land is an invigorating historical that revives the world of King Arthur and his contemporaries like no other retelling before it has done.
The third installment in Pike’s Lost Queen series, this book doesn’t miss a beat, picking up mere seconds after the battle that concluded the previous novel. It retains the lyrical language and sweeping political, religious, and interpersonal turmoil of the rest of the series, thrusting readers back into the now-familiar world of intrigue and mysticism that is early medieval Scotland.
However, when compared to books one and two in the series, The Shadowed Land lacks the constant thrill of conflict that comes with decisive battle sequences and life-or-death stakes. This book feels more like a build-up to a future climax than a fully realized story arc in itself, and Pike says as much in her author’s note. As she makes clear, The Shadowed Land lays the foundation for future story beats, giving the characters space to develop and gather strength before the next challenge arrives.
Although broken up into separate volumes, the narrative is best viewed as one long story, which ebbs and flows with the various trials and roadblocks the characters face. In the formation of a legend, there comes a time when the hero must transform from who they once were into who they’re meant to be. The process may be slow and painful at times, but it is necessary nonetheless.
A major distinction between the novels comes from the changing points of view. The Lost Queen was told entirely from Languoreth’s perspective, while The Forgotten Kingdom added two new points of view — that of Lailoken, Languoreth’s twin brother, and Angharad, Languoreth’s youngest daughter. The Shadowed Land further expands the cast of POV characters, adding Artúr mac Aedan, the future king of a nearby kingdom, and Gladys, Languoreth’s eldest daughter, to the mix.
Pike only dedicates a couple of chapters to Gladys, whose story feels more consequential to future events than the plot of this book. Artúr’s storyline plays a slightly larger role, gearing up for his ascension to the throne, which will see him transformed into the King Arthur of myth.
Ultimately, though the pacing and plot of this novel meander more than its predecessors, it still manages to be an utterly gripping tale of legends in the making.
A Fresh and Feminist Retelling of a Classic Story
I have been a drop in the air.
from Cad Goddeu (The Battle of the Trees), translated by Robert Graves in The White Goddess
I have been a shining star.
I have been a word in a book.
We all know the story of King Arthur, famed leader of the Knights of the Round Table. The legend of the once and future king has played out in many books, movies, and TV shows throughout the years, from 14th-century literature such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to more modern reimaginings like Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the BBC’s Merlin. But none such retelling has told the tale in quite the same way as Pike does in The Shadowed Land.
For over a decade, Pike has dedicated herself to researching and writing about Celtic history and folklore. Inspired by historian Adam Ardrey’s book, Finding Arthur: The True Origins of the Once and Future King, Pike sought to uncover and depict a King Arthur character more grounded in historical research than myth. As such, the King Arthur rendered in The Shadowed Land, referred to as Artúr mac Aedan, is one of the more accurate portrayals of the man behind the legend to date.
However, although several chapters in the novel follow Artúr, the series’s main protagonist is unequivocally Languoreth, queen of Strathclyde. As illuminated in Pike’s author’s notes, Languoreth was one of the most influential women in her era, but today, her legacy is largely forgotten. In the process of crafting this book, Pike strove to write this female role model back into history, uncovering fascinating lore along the way. As we come to learn, Languoreth is the twin sister of Lailoken, a druid and royal advisor better known by another name: Merlin. This story, then, not only resurrects a forgotten female figure and immortalizes her impact but also unveils the little-known origin story of King Arthur’s mysterious mentor.
Though Pike takes several liberties with her reimagining, her stories are undeniably rooted in deep research and even deeper passion for these fabled historical figures.
A Testament to the Strength of Sibling Bonds
There are no goodbyes for us.
Mahatma Gandhi
Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.
From forbidden romances to fraught parent-child bonds to fierce female friendships, The Shadowed Land has no lack of compelling interpersonal relationships. Amidst all these connections, however, one relationship stands out from the rest as the beating heart of the entire narrative: Languoreth and Lailoken’s twin bond.
As they profess many times throughout the story, these two would go to the ends of the earth to protect each other. Their connection is so intense that they even feel each other’s pain, knowing with a supernatural sixth sense when the other is wounded or on the brink of death. There is nothing they wouldn’t risk, no sacrifice they wouldn’t make, to keep each other safe from harm.
Languoreth disobeys direct orders from the cruel King Tutgual — risking exile, or worse — to be at Lailoken’s side when he’s gravely wounded. Likewise, Lailoken chances banishment from his kingdom and war with his longtime friend to rescue Languoreth from imprisonment. Their relationship, with all its ups and downs, is a heartwarming example of unconditional love and loyalty that poignantly underscores the story’s many external conflicts. The result is a vital emotional throughline that highlights the lengths we’re willing to go for love.
A Touching Tribute to the Power of Love
The bitter wind pierces my body.
from Buile Suibhne (The Frenzy of Suibhne)
My feet are sore, my cheeks are pale…
I have endured so much suffering
my body has grown feathers.
The Shadowed Land is dedicated to Pike’s mother, Linda Johanson, who was an unwavering supporter of Pike’s work. As expressed by Pike in the acknowledgments section of each book, Johanson undoubtedly shaped the course of the story, providing invaluable ideas, critiques, and insights throughout the arduous novel-writing process. Although she passed away during the writing of this third installment, her influence on Pike — and therefore, Pike’s storytelling — lives on. This truth is evident in many aspects of the narrative, but particularly in the characters’ approach to loss and grief.
Like all of the characters, Languoreth is no stranger to death. Thus far, it’s claimed her mother, her father, her firstborn son, her foster brother, her cousin, and countless friends and allies. Combined, these losses have left a gaping hole in her heart she fears she’ll never be able to fill. The hurt is all-consuming, making her question whether love is merely a conduit for suffering. However, as a good friend reminds her, love is what makes life’s many miseries and misfortunes bearable. Without it, our everyday tribulations would be too much to withstand. But in the face of hardship, love is what sees us through to better days.
Those of us who have had our hearts broken, in one way or another, understand the urge to disavow love to protect ourselves from further heartache. But a life without love is not a life worth living, despite the agony it might engender. There is still beauty in pain. After all, grief is nothing more than a measure of our love for a person now lost, and in our anguish, that love endures.
Final Thoughts
The Shadowed Land provides irresistible insight into the brutal reality of war, religion, politics, duty, honor, womanhood, and survival in sixth-century Scotland. A masterclass in historical fiction, Pike’s third novel manages to balance rich worldbuilding with thorough character development, complex political intrigue, moving relational conflict, and nuanced discussion of critical themes like grief, morality, misogyny, and motherhood. Pike is a brilliant new voice in the realm of Arthurian narratives, and her Lost Queen series is sure to go down as an unforgettable interpretation of a time-honored epic.
You’ll love The Shadowed Land if you enjoyed these titles:
- The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman
- The Eleanor of Aquitaine series by Elizabeth Chadwick
- The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Last Wife of Attila the Hun by Joan Schweighardt
- The Once and Future King by T. H. White
- The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
- The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
Bookstr’s The Shadowed Land Dream Cast:
- Keira Knightley as Languoreth, queen of Strathclyde
- Zach McGowan as Rhydderch Hael, king of Strathclyde and Languoreth’s husband
- Chris Hemsworth as Lailoken, Languoreth’s twin brother and advisor to Rhydderch
- Anya-Taylor Joy as Gladys, Languoreth’s firstborn daughter and wife of Lord Elffin of Rheged
- Millie Bobby Brown as Angharad Ton Velen, Languoreth’s youngest daughter and a Wisdom Keeper
- Ian Somerhalder as Maelgwn Pendragon, leader of the Dragon Warriors and Languoreth’s ex-lover
- Timothée Chalamet as Artúr mac Aedan, future king of Mannau and Dalriada
Final Score: 4.5/5
If you want to add The Shadowed Land to your TBR, you can preorder it on Bookshop and Amazon! Thank you to Atria Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For another Bookstr starred review, click here!
To browse more books like this, check out Bookstr’s Myths and Legends shelf on Bookshop!
