Monday, 19 January 2026

Brigid by Kim Curran

✦ BLURB ✦

In a wild, ancient grove at the edge of winter, a desperate girl prays to the gods for her freedom.

None have ever listened to Brigid’s prayers.

But this time, a goddess answers . . . with a vision that will transform Brigid’s path forever.

The new Christian god is coming, a faith that Brigid can bend to her will, building a sanctuary for other powerless women.

But power, like a flame, consumes as it grows. As Brigid rises, challenging kings, defying bishops, her enemies draw closer.

What – or who – will she sacrifice to hold on to her legacy?

✶ PRE-READING ✶

I read Kim's Morrigan last year and highly enjoyed it. Stories remixing old folklore can be amazing if they're approached in the right way, and Kim seems to have thhe golden touch.

✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought... This brings a historical figure vividly to life, weaving various parts of the myths and histories together to form a coherent story. Although there's little real evidence for Brigid, this story has me convinced.

It surprised me by... How dark Brigid got. She wanted power to keep her women safe, but she allowed herself to make compromises to get that power, including acts of cruelty against the women under her protection. The story doesn't excuse these acts, but it does allow us to see what she was thinking.

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

Book Recommendation: [Another book with similar tone, themes, or impact.]

TV or Movie Recommendation: [A show or film that would resonate with fans of this book.]

✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦

Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

Featured Song:

“Clearest Blue” – CHVRCHES
Starts soft and searching, then erupts - exactly like Brigid’s rise, her visions, and that unstoppable forward momentum.

Vibe Album:

“The Book of Secrets” – Loreena McKennitt
Lush, mythic, medieval, mystical. Absolutely perfect for a story straddling goddesshood and sainthood.

Artist Recommendation:

Sinéad O’Connor
Her voice carries that exact blend of spiritual devotion, Irish heritage, fury, vulnerability, and righteous fire that Brigid deserves.

🎨 Vibe Check

Colour Palette: Firelight gold, peat brown, ash grey, deep moss green, dawn-rose
Soundtrack: Celtic strings + choral echoes + slow battle drums
Season: Imbolc - Brigid’s Day - late winter turning toward light
Mood: Sacred rebellion
Scent: Woodsmoke, wild herbs, cold river water, beeswax candles

📚 For Fans Of

Book: Hild by Nicola Griffith (women shaping faith and history; visionary young woman in a patriarchal world)
TV/Movie: The Mists of Avalon (power, spirituality, and the shifting tides between old gods and new faith)

★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

🔮 Explorer of Fire (Gaian Tarot)

The Explorer of Fire shows a lone woman dancing with flames, completely in her element, surrounded by sparks and movement that echo her energy and courage. She is fully embodied, fully alive, and fully aware of her own power.

For Brigid, this card captures her personal transformation and the fierce, self-guided journey from powerless girl to influential leader. It reflects her bravery in bending the new faith to her vision, claiming agency over her life, and stepping boldly into a world that constantly tries to limit her. The flames are both her challenge and her power - illuminating, dangerous, and radiant - just like Brigid herself.

Read and Reviewed