From a different perspective – a review of the book “Heir of the Lake”

Retelling classic tales is already quite a well-worn line in fantasy literature. Nevertheless, writers and readers alike seem to enjoy rediscovering it over and over again. This is also the case with The Heir to the Lake by Maria Dahvana Headley.

Dana Mills is a war veteran returning from the Middle East not only wounded and traumatized, but also pregnant. Waking up in a strange hospital environment, she decides to run away and hide inside the mountain, where her son Gren is soon born. The child, however, in some way seems different, which strengthens the wounded woman in the belief that isolation is the best solution. As you can guess, it doesn’t last long, because the resolute boy quickly sneaks out from under his maternal wings and goes to the nearby Herot Hall. It is a modern and elite estate full of rich mansions and residents who want peace.

Just as the above description seems intricate, the narrative of Headley’s book is somewhat confusing. Here, brutal and difficult experiences are almost seamlessly intertwined with dreamlike visions and improbable events. It is fair to admit that the lake’s heir resembles more magical realism than typical fantasy.

The author very efficiently recounts the well-known and many times discussed Old English myth of Beowulf. However, she abandons the beaten paths of reinterpretation to weave a completely new story on a classic canvas: feminine, strong and as contemporary as possible. From the epic poem emerges a story about prejudices and stereotypes, quite relevant in the 21st century.

Headley’s narrative language resembles a curving trail of smoke, which wonderfully emphasizes the dreamlike nature of the story. As I mentioned, nothing is obvious here, so each reader will probably come up with their own interpretation. The author only shows many possibilities of analyzing one topic – the monster. A modern monster does not have to wreak chaos, destruction and fires. It is more subtle and inflicts wounds by generating a fear of aliens born somewhere in the phantom division of “us” and “them”. Are beasts the boy who stands out from the rest and his quasi- mad mother, living on the edge of society? Is society rashly ostracizing and excluding only (apparent) dissimilarity?

The Heir of the Lake is a great read that draws you in and allows you to escape reality for a while. It is also quite a strange book, which means that not everyone will like it. Nevertheless, it is somewhere in this originality that hides its magic, undeniable charm and originality.