Brendan

December 21, 2009
Veteran historical author Llywelyn retells the colorful life story of revered Irish monastic saint Brendan the Navigator in the form of a personal journal, written by an elderly Brendan, interspersed with third-person glimpses of the “Great Voyage” he undertook with 14 monks to find the fabled “earthly paradise” of the Western Sea, the Isles of Blest. A contemporary of Saint Patrick, Brendan is brought up by Erc, Bishop of Altraighe-Caille, and early on shows an affinity for seafaring. Restless, headstrong, and curious, the monk Brendan embarked on dangerous “peregrinations,” first by land and then by sea, traveling with his pet raven Préachán to establish monasteries throughout Ireland. Llywelyn's narrative, laced with fifth-century Irish history and lore, climaxes with a fantastical maritime expedition worthy of Ulysses; her prose is by turns reflective, lyrical, and stalwart, delving into the popular legend with a genuine sense of Brendan's human strengths and frailties.

February 15, 2010
Brendan the Navigator is one of Irelands many early saints who straddled the pagan-Christian divide, continuing what would today be called an environmental consciousness as the Irish Celts moved their culture into Christianity. He gained his moniker from a long sea journey with other monks that may have brought them to America. Llywelyn brings to life the complex tribal Celtic society in which Brendan lived and creates some memorable charactersespecially the saints foster-mother, Itafrom what little is known of the real Brendans life. Readable and very well researched, the novel will please fans of Irelands best-known historical novelist and may introduce her to readers who enjoy learning about early Christianity through fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)