Title: The Pirate Queen

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Swift Press

Publication Date: 10th September 2026

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Summary:

Ireland, 1535.

The sea is no place for a girl.

Least of all Grace O’Malley, the only daughter of a powerful chieftain and the family’s best hope of securing a strong alliance through childbirth. But something wild and unexpected stirs within Grace, a yearning that neither her father nor her mother – nor even the brutal warrior she is eventually forced to marry – can suppress for long.

1586. Over the past half-century, the determined young girl has defied all expectations. Now heir to clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet and a formidable mother, Grace is prepared to kill to protect what is hers. So when Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder she must fight to defend her land, her ships and the people she loves most.

Review:

I absolutely loved The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon so I was thrilled to read The Pirate Queen and, happily, I can confirm it is just as exceptional as its predecessor. It’s a chunky book but reads so beautifully that I just flew through it, enjoying every second of this incredible fictionalised life of the famous Grace O’Malley, who has been marginalised by history but is very much remembered as an Irish folk heroine by Ireland itself. The book is structured quite unusually, with three strands focusing on periods of Grace’s life: maiden, mother, and matriarch and taking turn about instead of running conventionally through her timeline. The structure is genius. In the hands of a less skilled writer it could have felt discordant and chaotic but it honestly works perfectly and adds a whole other element to the narrative. In the author’s note Lawhon suggests rereading the book in a consecutive order as well, to get a different reading experience and perspective on Grace which I’m definitely going to do at some point! 

I also loved Grace as a character. She feels so real and now, in my head, the historical figure from folklore is now completely set as being this version of Grace in a similar way that Hilary Mantel’s version of Cromwell in Wolf Hall feels definitive, which is high praise indeed. There’s a great range of other characters too, some you hate and some you love. They are all so full of richness and vitality and coupled with the gorgeous writing the world they inhabit is brought to life exceptionally well. Furthermore, the historical detail and context is beautifully done, and evidently immaculately researched. The Pirate Queen is a sensational piece of storytelling that breathes visceral life into an absolutely fascinating and unique figure from history. I couldn’t recommend it more highly. 

★★★★★

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

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