Swallowing the Muskellunge
Swallowing the Muskellunge is a historical fantasy novel that takes place in the late 18th century. It combines elements of black history, immigration, and horror across the U.S. and Canadian border during this time frame. It intertwines realism and folklore, showing how greed, freedom, and nature’s mysticism come together to create a severe backdrop of early North America. O’Brien writes in a very descriptive style that oscillates between being lyrical and gritty depending on which point of view he is writing from.
The book starts with a prologue ripe with symbolism from the point of view of a loon who just lost its mate to human hunters. This introduction foreshadows themes throughout the novel that will be explored, such as violence, loss, and the need for survival.
The story then shifts to the narrative of the Wright family, rich white settlers, in Massachusetts 1796 as they prepare to get ready to go to Canada after the death of their patriarch. At this point, we learn about their Black servants, London and his wife Jane Oxford and their young children, who are attempting to navigate the boundaries of identity as it pertains to race, class, and belonging.
As Thomas and Philemon, two of the Wright brothers, hope to gain a new settlement near Montreal, tensions builds between the family and servants. The brothers’ wishes to build a “promised land” in the wild north uncovers the darker undertones that define the United States at the time, such as manifest destiny, displacement of Indigenous people, and the exploitation of Black labor.
A series of violent and supernatural events unfolds. Major themes explored in this book are freedom vs. servitude, nature vs. spirit, and supernatural justice. O'Brien's mix of perspectives—animal, human, and supernatural—creates a mystical, intimate, and holistic picture of early America’s moral landscape. O'Brien cinematically reveals how the quest for liberty often comes at the cost of others—and how nature, in its memory and consciousness, responds.
