The Heart Of Winter

The Heart Of Winter

By Shona Kinsella

Genre:-Fantasy/Mythology

Pages:-240

Publisher:-Flame Tree Press

Blurb:-Brigit is a young woman living in a Scotland still ruled by tribes and largely Pagan. As Christianity is beginning to find a foothold, Brigit pays lip service to the church, but truly venerates the old gods. She does not support the changing position of women through the teachings of the church.

 A cool, damp summer and an early winter threaten the harvest. A harsh winter means starvation, so the elders of Brigit's village panic. They petition Aengus, the god of summer, to protect them. He agrees on the condition that they provide him with a bride. He chooses Brigit and the deal is made without her knowledge or consent.

 When Brigit learns of this arrangement, she flees into the Highlands to seek out the Cailleach, the goddess of winter. The Cailleach is uninterested in Brigit's plight; humans have hated and feared her for generations, and she is tired of their complaining. Brigit is not discouraged. She sets up camp outside the Cailleach's cave and makes offerings to the Winter Queen every day. Aengus comes looking for his bride but cannot approach the cave because he and the Cailleach are opposites. Caught between two gods and finding an unlikely ally in the Fae witch, Nicnevin, Brigit will be tested to her limits and beyond.

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My Review:-Based on Scottish mythology, as well as the beginning of Christianity. Brigit lives with her parents in Scotland a place that is still ruled by tribes and largely Pagan. When Brigit asks her best friend Mary who is crying at the well what is wrong, she is told that she must marry Hamish, even though he is nearly forty.  The year will be exceptionally hard and there won't be enough food for the village, the village elders decide a sacrifice has to be made to Aengus Lord of Summer, but Aengus won't take an elders life as sacrifice, he wants to marry Brigit, a young woman that he has noticed. The elders agree but once Brigit hears of it, she is against it. There is only one way she can stop Aengus and that is to find Cailleach, the goddess of winter, but it's not going to be as easy as Brigit thinks, and once she finds Cailleach will she agree to help, after all she has been hated and feared by humans for generations. Brigit is not one to take no for an answer and sets up a camp outside the Cailleach's cave. Brigit finds an unlikely ally in a fae witch called Nicnevin, but will this be enough.. A book of fantasy and also of knowing what you want and will try anything to get it