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Cathy Marie Buchanan

Goodreads Author

Born

Niagara Falls, Canada

Website

http://www.cathymariebuchanan.com

Twitter

cathymbuchanan

Genre

Historical Fiction, Literature & Fiction

Member Since

June 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/cathymbuchanan

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New York Times bestseller and book club favourite Cathy Marie Buchanan is the author of three novels.

Her most recent, Daughter of Black Lake, is forthcoming in October. Her previous novel, The Painted Girls, was a New York Times bestseller, a #1 national bestseller in Canada, and was named a best book of the year by NPR, Good Housekeeping and Goodreads. Her debut novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still, was a New York Times bestseller, a Barnes & Noble Recommends selection and a Canada Reads Top 40 Essential Canadian Novels of the Decade. Her work has been translated into nine languages. Buchanan holds a BSc (Honours Biochemistry) and an MBA from Western University, and recently became a certified yoga instructor. She lives in Toronto.

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Cathy Marie Buchanan My forthcoming novel Daughter of Black Lake (October 2020) is a transporting story of love and survival set in the misty boglands of Iron Age Britain.…moreMy forthcoming novel Daughter of Black Lake (October 2020) is a transporting story of love and survival set in the misty boglands of Iron Age Britain. Right now I'm getting ready for the launch (and working on the first draft of novel #4)(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Cathy Marie Buchanan In 2002, I opened the newspaper to see a photograph of an unnervingly well-preserved 2000-year-old human body. I could not lift my gaze from the gentl…moreIn 2002, I opened the newspaper to see a photograph of an unnervingly well-preserved 2000-year-old human body. I could not lift my gaze from the gentle face—the finely creased skin, the matted hair, the beard stubble that appeared as freshly grown as that of any man. The rope noose that brought death was still looped around the neck. (Check out the pic!) The accompanying article explained that the chemical nature of the peat bog, from which the body was unearthed, had enabled the flesh and skin to survive across millennia, providing clues to the world in which the man lived and died.

I would learn that Tollund Man, as the body was named, was not unique. Dozens of similarly unspoiled bodies had been recovered from the boglands of Northern Europe. Each was submerged in a watery grave thousands of years ago, but as time passes, rushes dying at a pool’s fringes begin to fill the water and the thickening stew of plant matter eventually transforms to peat. In recent years, the peat-preserved bodies were disentombed, usually by an unsuspecting peat cutter harvesting the peat for fuel.

I read about others, most particularly Lindow Man, a 2000-year-old bog body that was discovered in 1984 near Wilmslow, Cheshire in a peat bog formed by the once much larger Black Lake. Scientific study determined that before the body was deposited in the ancient lake, the head was bashed, the neck garroted, and the throat slit. The findings were in keeping with a sort of ritualistic overkilling that archaeologists had seen elsewhere and that they surmised was undertaken as an offering to earn the favour of multiple gods. Though human sacrifice of the age typically involved individuals considered of lesser value, further study of Lindow Man suggested that he was highborn, perhaps even a druid who went willingly to his death. Radiocarbon dating placed the sacrifice firmly within the same half century as the Isle of Anglesey druid massacre and Boudicca’s rebellion. The timing led archaeologists to hypothesize that the high stakes of the period had provoked the Britons and their druid leaders to break with tradition and to offer the gods a man deemed of exceptional worth.

As I read, I wondered about a society so firm in its beliefs that humans were sacrificed, possibly with consent, to guarantee the next year’s crops or to ensure success on the battlefield. What would it be like to believe—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that the gods could be angered and then bribed to end the deluge of rain that would rot the wheat needed to survive? I pondered, too, the beauty and simplicity of a community that lived and breathed its daily and seasonal rituals, that was bound to the land in the most exceptional way. With the inferences about Lindow Man’s life and death as bedrock, I would write a story that explored living in the Iron Age—the close ties to the natural world, the pagan traditions and superstitions, the gods who dealt mercy or vengeance, the druid emissaries who interpreted divine will.(less)

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Cathy Marie Buchanan’s books

Average rating: 3.62 · 38,722 ratings · 4,099 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Painted Girls 3.61 avg rating — 33,295 ratings — published 2012 — 26 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Day the Falls Stood Still 3.70 avg rating — 5,342 ratings — published 2009 — 32 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bois de Boulogne: A Short Story 3.87 avg rating — 47 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Daughter of Black Lake 4.05 avg rating — 38 ratings — expected publication 2020 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Cathy Marie Buchanan's Blog

Daughter of Black Lake Arrives

Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Want to watch a video clip of my first glimpse of my new novel Daughter of Black Lake? I think you'll see my joy. Watch it here. Read more of this blog post »

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Published on September 22, 2020 10:55

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Daughter of Black Lake

by Cathy Marie Buchanan (Goodreads Author)

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Cathy Marie Buchanan said: " I'm not going to review my own novel, but here are some lovely words of support (and if you're sold you can pre-order Daughter of Black Lake):

“Buchanan has crafted an engrossing novel awash in historical atmosphere. From religious beliefs to culture I'm not going to review my own novel, but here are some lovely words of support (and if you're sold you can pre-order Daughter of Black Lake):

“Buchanan has crafted an engrossing novel awash in historical atmosphere. From religious beliefs to culture clashes to social stratification and the activities of daily life, Buchanan immerses readers in Roman Britain in this beautifully emotive tale of family, community, and love.”—Booklist, STARRED review

“Buchanan captures in this immersive, supernatural latest the hardships of village life in first-century Britain . . . Buchanan’s descriptions of pagan rituals are fully realized and provide a haunting, engaging backdrop for the two teenage protagonists. Fans of thoughtful, inventive historical fiction will enjoy this transporting novel.” —Publishers Weekly

“In this evocative, meticulously researched novel, Cathy Marie Buchanan creates a world of dark magic and haunting mystery, brutality and beauty. History comes to life on every page.”—Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Train and The Exiles

"In a tale that feels at once classic and fresh, Buchanan brings her trademark grace and attention to detail to this luminous story of a mother and daughter in first-century Britannia. Daughter of Black Lake is a thoughtful, compelling novel, a true pleasure to read."—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and The Good Neighborhood

“Evocative and deftly paced. . . transporting us to a time and place we have not lived, yet somehow recognize. . .A historical page turner that’s the perfect antidote for our uncertain times.”—Brunonia Barry, New York Times-bestselling author of The Lace Reader and The Fifth Petal

"Some books do more than allow us to imagine another place and time. Some, like Daughter of Black Lake, take us there . . . an enchanting read."—Gail Anderson-Dargatz, Internationally bestselling author of The Cure for Death by Lightening and The Spawning Grounds

...more "

Aug 30, 2020 10:42AM · see review

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Cathy’s Recent Updates

Cathy Marie Buchanan is now friends with Ali Martell
15 hours, 55 min ago · like
Cathy Marie Buchanan made a comment on Daughter of Black Lake Featured in Entertainment Weekly’s Fabulous Fall Reads " Robert wrote: "Congrats Cathy. You deserve it." Thank you. It's getting exciting. "
Sep 22, 2020 10:24AM · see blog post
Cathy Marie Buchanan and 7 other people liked Heather Webb's review of Circe: "As a kid, I read as much mythology as I could get my hands on. Greek, Roman, Indian, Native American. As an adult, I haven't been drawn to it, but reading this book reminded me of all the reasons I treasured it. They are rich, yet cautionary stories " Read more of this review »
Sep 15, 2020 08:04AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Circe by Madeline Miller. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Circe by Madeline Miller <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cathy Marie Buchanan and 1 other person liked Sarah-Hope's review of Daughter of Black Lake: "I requested an ARC of Daughter of Black Lake because I loved the author's first novel, The Painted Girls. In other words, I went into reading Daughter of Black Lake with a lot of assumptions. The first part of my reading process was disappointing bec" Read more of this review »
Sep 15, 2020 07:59AM · see review
Cathy Marie Buchanan and 13 other people liked Marsha's review of The Pull of the Stars: "This is a brilliant, timely and unputdownable novel set during the 1918 flu pandemic in a poor Dublin hospital during the days leading up to the Armistice, Julia is a nurse whose job it is to look after women with the flu who are just about to give b" Read more of this review »
Sep 08, 2020 08:27PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cathy Marie Buchanan rated a book it was amazing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) by Maya Angelou	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
[image] Maya Angelou's 1969 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings chronicles her life from age 3 through 16, recounting the harsh reality of her childhood, including poverty, bigotry and rape, and the solace and strength she finds in the written word. T ...more
Sep 04, 2020 06:01AM · 5 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cathy Marie Buchanan made a comment on TL’s review of Daughter of Black Lake " Blushing. Thank you. "
Sep 03, 2020 04:56AM · see review
Cathy Marie Buchanan is now following Anita and Shannon
Sep 01, 2020 08:58AM
Cathy Marie Buchanan answered Goodreads's question: Where did you get the idea for your most recent book? In 2002, I opened the newspaper to see a photograph of an unnervingly well-preserved 2000-year-old human body. I could not lift my gaze from the gentle face—the finely creased skin, the matted hair, the beard stubble that appeared as freshly grown as See Full Answer
Aug 30, 2020 12:05PM · like

More of Cathy's books…

Quotes by Cathy Marie Buchanan

“In those clouds I have seen aberrations-flecks of shimmering silver, orbs of color a shade more intense than their surroundings. I have seen them more than once, and I haves decided they are prayers, mine and everyone else's, too.”
― Cathy Marie Buchanan, The Day the Falls Stood Still

12 likes

“It is about being born downtrodden and staying that way. Hard work makes no difference, he is saying. My lot, the lots of those around me, were cast the moment we were born into the gutter to parents who never managed to step outside the gutter themselves.”
― Cathy Marie Buchanan, The Painted Girls

11 likes

“Willfulness, such as yours, is exactly what a girl needs to raise herself up to do something useful with her life.”
― Cathy Marie Buchanan, The Painted Girls

9 likes

See all Cathy Marie Buchanan's quotes »

Polls

Which book would you like to read for the February 2010 group read?

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

20 votes, 23.5%

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

17 votes, 20.0%

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

9 votes, 10.6%

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

7 votes, 8.2%

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

6 votes, 7.1%

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

4 votes, 4.7%

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

4 votes, 4.7%

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

3 votes, 3.5%

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

3 votes, 3.5%

Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga

2 votes, 2.4%

Alice I Have Been: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin

2 votes, 2.4%

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

2 votes, 2.4%

The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho

1 vote, 1.2%

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco

1 vote, 1.2%

Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough

1 vote, 1.2%

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

1 vote, 1.2%

Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon

1 vote, 1.2%

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

1 vote, 1.2%

Paper Boats by Ruth Khanna

0 votes, 0.0%

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

0 votes, 0.0%

85 total votes

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