The Lost Queen

Thanks to Atria for sending me a completed copy of this novel, through Goodreads giveaways, in exchange for an honest review (this is the first book of a trilogy, the second volume came out in Sept 2020)--

So we've heard the legend of Merlin, but what about the real guy the story was based on? Turns out, the historical name was "Myrddin" (meaning "madman"); Christians sought to obscure the real druid's name from history, but it's likely he was a man named Lailoken from sixth century Scotland. More importantly, for the purposes of Signe Pike's historical fantasy The Lost Queen, is the fact that Lailoken had a twin sister, named Languoreth.

The Lost Queen tells the story of this woman forgotten by history, spanning from AD 550-AD 572. Languoreth desperately wants to become a Wisdom Keeper (or druid) like her twin brother, but as the only daughter of King Morken, she will instead have to marry for political reasons. Currently, the spread of Christianity means that the religious Old Ways of Languoreth's people are in jeopardy. She's pledged in marriage to a Christian king's son in order to facilitate peace, but she's really in love with a man named Maelgwn--a Dragon Warrior who fights with the resistance leader Emrys Pendragon. Languoreth will have to make some incredibly difficult decisions and sacrifices throughout the course of the narrative, regarding what she wants versus what's best for her people.

The Lost Queen is a delightful read that recovers an important historical figure, despite the difficulty (and sometimes depressing) nature of Languoreth's story. What really stands out in this book is the power of women banding together. Whether it's her personal advisor Ariane or her mysterious mother-in-law Elufed, Languoreth can always learn from (and rely on) other women to help her navigate the harsh realities of court life. Will definitely be keeping up with this series.