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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Cleland Smith’s Black Doe takes readers back to 147 CE, when one of the deadliest assassins known only as Bridei accepts one of her most dangerous contracts. Black Doe’s memories are stripped away before the mission to kill Drust, a young warlord who sweeps through the clan lands, burning homes and slaughtering anyone with ties to Rome. It is believed that Drust cannot be harmed because he wears his father’s spirit as a shield. Bridei's first attempt to kill him ends in catastrophe, leaving her broken and crucified on a hill and hurt by the enchanted blade intended to kill Drust. She refuses to die, and while racing against time, must find allies in a faerie pine marten, a grieving warrior, and a kelpie craving revenge. Meanwhile, Tisiphone, a mother, recounts years of loss, love, and betrayal in the clan lands, a subplot whose connection to the assassins reveals itself in a slow, devastating payoff.
Black Doe is a gripping, chilling story with nuanced characters. Bridei is a skilled, professional assassin whose tough exterior cracks, not because of the physical ordeals and pain she goes through but the struggle to complete a mission and retrieve her memories. Feelings slowly seep into her personality, making her even more endearing. What makes Drust a sophisticated character is not his monstrous actions but the backstory that carefully reveals how monsters are created, and I enjoyed this aspect of the story. Cleland Smith’s dual timeline structure is masterfully handled, and it layers foreshadowing so skillfully that the convergence lands in a solid blow. The subplot creates suspense and keeps you looking for what happens next. While this novel features exciting action, such as stealth kills, a waterfall ambush, and a mud ring duel, its examination of motherhood, memory, identity, and grief makes the story memorable. The worldbuilding thrives on elements like clan politics and landscapes where the Others feel real, and together the unforgettable characters and expert storytelling deliver a compelling tale.
