Becoming St. Patrick: His Slavery
Hail Glorious St. Patrick, dear saint of our Isle’ is the opening line of the Irish hymn to their patron saint. This excellently researched and brilliantly inventive novel shows that the early years of one of the world’s famous saints was anything but glorious, and he certainly was not sainted on his first, enforced, trip to the Emerald Isle.
Patricius, born of a wealthy family in the north-west of England, is snatched during a daring raid of Irish marauders and taken back to Ireland. He is sold as a slave to a king from the west and told, in no uncertain terms, that ‘no slave has ever escaped from Ireland.’ He is trained as a shepherd, and in the pastoral hills he finds solace, friendship and love. At times he wonders if he should stay in Ireland, be content with his life, and become a freeman. However, God has other plans! After six years, a divine message tells him his boat is readied, and he makes the perilous overland journey south and east and finds a port and a ship to take him to Gaul. However, his troubles are not over, and it takes time, trials and tribulations before his emotional reunion with his parents.
For this reviewer, what makes a good historical novel great is when the author tells the most accurate story possible from historical references and fills the gaps with excellent time-relevant characters and events. Eric Foster has done this and more.
Sticking faithfully to the story of St. Patrick, written in his own words in his Confessio, the author creates a highly believable pagan Ireland whose hills, way of life, and occasional battles are filled with fabulous characters and believable dialogue. This is a book to be proud of and a pleasure to read.
