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58th out of 135 books
—
294 voters
Brigid of Kildare
Rich in historical detail, Heather Terrell’s mesmerizing novel Brigid of Kildare is the story of the revolutionary Saint Brigid and the discovery of the oldest illuminated manuscript in the annals of the Church, a manuscript that contains an astonishing secret history.
Fifth-century Ireland: Brigid is Ireland’s first and only female priest and bishop. Followers flock to her...more
Fifth-century Ireland: Brigid is Ireland’s first and only female priest and bishop. Followers flock to her...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
February 9th 2010
by Ballantine Books
(first published June 23rd 2009)
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I really enjoyed this book. It has a dual story line which definitely made it more interesting. The two main characters are Brigid, a 5th century warrior-nun and Alexandra a modern-day archeological appraiser. Alexandra is called in to look at some old relics and determine their authenticity. A hand painted copy of the scriptures with the story of Brigid and her contribution to Christianity in Ireland is the other half of the story. I found that is was impossible not to compare Alexandra with Br...more
What if there was a book that pre-dated the Book of Kells?
I didn’t know anything about Saint Brigid when I was reading this, so I liked that I was discovering the book and Brigid herself as I read along, sort of like Alexandra was.
I liked the fact that there were three points of view. One was from Alexandra’s perspective, the second was Decius, in the form of letters he was writing to his brother, and the third was an omniscient narrator, as if it was narrating the biography of Brigid. They were...more
I didn’t know anything about Saint Brigid when I was reading this, so I liked that I was discovering the book and Brigid herself as I read along, sort of like Alexandra was.
I liked the fact that there were three points of view. One was from Alexandra’s perspective, the second was Decius, in the form of letters he was writing to his brother, and the third was an omniscient narrator, as if it was narrating the biography of Brigid. They were...more
I gave this book 5 stars only because a million stars would take way too much space. I loved this one, the different points of view gave it more depth and fleshed out the story, the characters were beautifully described and the twists weren't forced or even put in the spotlight.
Brigid was a lovely character who was strong and graceful without coming off fake or perfect, while the dilemna of Decius was heartbreaking and more beautiful a love story than I've ever read. I've not wanted to read roma...more
Brigid was a lovely character who was strong and graceful without coming off fake or perfect, while the dilemna of Decius was heartbreaking and more beautiful a love story than I've ever read. I've not wanted to read roma...more
I really enjoyed this feminist viewpoint of the life of the Irish fifth century St. Brigid and her fascination with the Virgin Mary. The book gave a history of the saint and how she came to create the Book of Kildare, an intricately designed work that contained the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John but prominently featured a gorgeous illustration of the Virgin Mary at the beginning of the text. The novel switched back and forth between 5th century Ireland of Brigid and Roman scribe Decius...more
This tight little novel (231 pages) is like a celtic knot - not large overall, but packed with insight and moving moments between all the characters. If you enjoy the thought of discovering old artifacts which make us question what we believe about the world, then you will enjoy this novel.
And if you liked this, and you're looking for your next read, you would probably also like the novel The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason.
For those truly interested in the real history of th...more
And if you liked this, and you're looking for your next read, you would probably also like the novel The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason.
For those truly interested in the real history of th...more
It's a very different type of romance - and a different type of historical fiction as well. Terrell does a good job of drawing the reader into her mystery, creating a coming of age piece, illuminating the practices of the Church of Rome and the pagan worship of ancient Ireland, and evoking their coalescence into the practices we recognize today, all the while creating a tapestry of daily life that included monastic work on illuminated manuscripts. The book is enjoyable reading, and I would highl...more
Brigid of Kildare is told from three points of view: that of Saint Brigid herself, who lived in early medieval Ireland, at first in Louth and then in Kildare, that of a monk who has been sent out from Rome to report back on the activities of this not always conventional Irish religious leader, and that of a modern day scholar who comes across what may be the diary of the saint.
This is an excerpt from a longer story at Gather. To read more, visit Reading Ireland: three novels set in Irish history...more
This is an excerpt from a longer story at Gather. To read more, visit Reading Ireland: three novels set in Irish history...more
I love Ireland. With that said, it might help you understand the reasons I read and liked this book. I have always been fascinated with the Book of Kells, and when I was a teenager I was privileged to go to Trinity College in Ireland where this illuminated manuscript is kept. When my friend suggested this book with a strong female character, a blending of Irish Religious history and modern day researchers, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was impressed with the ease the author goes back and...more
3 and a half stars (why can't we do half stars on goodreads?)
I normally try to stray away from historical fiction with religious origins, but decided to give this book a try-not too bad! The story kept me going, and I never found it dull. I've read some reviews comparing it to Dan Brown's work, but I will not do that here, as I have never read any of his work. Some folks thought the change in perspective (from the first person in Decius's letters, to third person in Brigid and Alex's life) and t...more
I normally try to stray away from historical fiction with religious origins, but decided to give this book a try-not too bad! The story kept me going, and I never found it dull. I've read some reviews comparing it to Dan Brown's work, but I will not do that here, as I have never read any of his work. Some folks thought the change in perspective (from the first person in Decius's letters, to third person in Brigid and Alex's life) and t...more
The style is somewhat choppy, switching between times and viewpoints, although partly the effect is good and the overlap useful. But the sections from Brigid's viewpoint are strangely third-person and distant; I thought that the view would be more internal and first-person from the title. The first person narrative that you get is from the others in the story, a scribe and a modern appraiser. It could've been fleshed out somewhat, seems spare and short, but also is a good quick read.
I really enjoyed reading this novel and learning about St. Brigid. In general it was well-written and interesting. In a few places the plot seemed a bit contrived and the dialog a bit forced. There were a few very modern-sounding statements that seemed out of place. I might have preferred to have the novel focus completely on events in Brigid's time, rather than following a modern character as well. Even so, reading it was still a good way to spend a 5-hour flight.
Having been born and raised in Ireland, I've always had an affinity for fiction based on the ancient history of the Island. This book certainly scratched that itch, though at times the religious themes in it were a bit strong. It was still worth the read though; the casting of Brigid as a strong woman fighting to preserve the prominent place given to women in fifth-century Ireland in the face of misogynistic Roman culture is compelling.
This book managed to intrigue and inspire me simultaneously. I am a history fanatic, though I haven't been formerly caught up in the particular history of Roman Catholicism, that is until now, upon completion of this book! I'm also swept away with a sudden urge to be more tenacious in life than I've been allowed by others, or have allowed myself to be. I enjoyed this book immensely; I will be reading the author's other titles soon.
I enjoyed Heather Terrell's "historical fiction" work which bounces between fifth century Kildare and present-day Dublin, while contrasting the growing scholarship of the Irish monks in the waning days of the Roman empire. Lightly drawn, easy to read, recommended for anyone who has been fascinated by the artistry and history of the Book of Kells and similar early Irish manuscripts.
I have a hard time thinking of books that merge the past and the present without comparing them to Tracy Chevalier, but I felt like Brigid of Kildare was a very good example of success in this. One of the things I liked was that she didn't try too hard to bring the two stories together; instead it was like reading two short narratives, which I really enjoyed.
I loved how this story evolved. There's actually three stories being told, First is Brigid's story. She is a strong female character who embraces the christian beliefs-more specifically the gospel of Mary. She is Ireland's first and only female priest. Secondly, is the Roman priest and scribe sent on a secret mission to collect proof of her heresy. Lastly, is a modern day woman who is an appraiser of medieval relics. It's a fun historical/fictional read.
I have a friend who is a female priest, so I thought this might be an interesting historical read. I'm not sure how much fiction and how much history is in this book, but it is an enchanting read teetering between 5th century and current day Ireland. The book's focus is the role of women as portrayed in Christianity, specifically the role of Mary, and how women have responded over the ages. These are good questions, but a historical novel may not have been the best voice for the discussion. I ma...more
Even though this novel was choppy and too-short to be fully developed, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. Other reviewers have likened Brigid of Kildare to the Da Vinci Code. I found this story 1000 times more compelling; I sort of wish this were the blockbuster movie and 500 page book instead. This is also a good read for feminist. I will definitely pick up another of Terrell's historical fictions.
I loved the suggestion that contemporary honoring of the Virgin Mary grew from an effort to preserve elements of the goddess tradition. I think it's essential that we keep images of the sacred feminine alive today. Much gratitude to the author for this beautiful story.
Picked this up just because I love anything about the very independent, artistic ancient Irish. It's turning out to not only be based on the real legend of the Book of Kildare (spelled Cill Dara in Gaelic)which predated the Book of Kells, but to be a very entertaining read!
Finished the book today: it was as special as I thought it'd be- St. Brigid was a strong, intelligent, extraordinary woman for any time.
Finished the book today: it was as special as I thought it'd be- St. Brigid was a strong, intelligent, extraordinary woman for any time.
A book about finding lost manuscripts and unearthing secrets hidden for centuries is usually something I enjoy reading. I did like this book, but did not love it, and I can't really understand why. Perhaps it's because I always get mad when I read about how the early church decided what was "orthodox" or not, and how they used Christianity as a tool to gain and maintain power rather than as a way to show people how to live good, faithful lives serving their communities, and most of all how they...more
Very interesting double story. It was very appealing. Nice historical references, tie-ins to art history and medieval illuminated manuscripts and history. Fascinating to think about how these things were made and possibly under what circumstances.
I read this book cover to cover. I learned a lot. The entire time I was reading it, I was thinking how little I liked the heroine, or the plot, but I kept at it because the Birgid material was so interesting.
I really enjoyed this work of fiction about Brigid who was made a Bishop by St. Patrick. This slim little book holds so much....Brigid wonders why there are no real women in the Gospels and is moved to live a religious life after reading a banned copy of The Gospel of Mary the Mother. Decius, is sent by the Roman Church to spy on her and report all her heretical actions. But Brigid wins him over and they set out to create a historical and sacred document. The story unfolds between Brigid's time...more
I can somewhat understand why the other two raters only gave it three stars... but I love the subject(s) addressed in this book, and thought they were all beautifully and creatively dealt with.
I did not know what to expect with the book, but really enjoyed it. It is has a history twist within the catholic teachings and personality as well.
too much of this book felt like it was trying to Make A Point. i was intrigued by the reimagining of Brigid's story, but Alex is really unlikeable, and it felt like the story was trying to cash in on The DaVinci Code, instead of building a really great story.
This book was written well despite the story being told in three different perspectives from two different time periods. I would have been more enthralled with the story if Alex's point of view were omitted and the rest were more fleshed out. I very much understood the importance of the documents without fast forwarding to read about someone whose presence pales considerably to Brigid's fawning over the find.
This is not a book I would suggest to anyone expecting to either be whisked away into a...more
This is not a book I would suggest to anyone expecting to either be whisked away into a...more
Interesting historical fiction about an Irish saint and her inspiration gained from the Virgin Mary.
Was in the mood to read something Irish in honor of my Irish heritage, I picked up this book and did enjoyed it.
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Heather Terrell is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms and for Fortune 500 companies. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College with a focus in History and Art History, and a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Heather is the author of The Chrysalis and The Ma...more
More about Heather Terrell...
Heather is the author of The Chrysalis and The Ma...more
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