A review by mialikesreading
Brightly Shining by Ingvild H. Rishøi

emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Devastatingly beautiful retelling of the matchstick girl. I used to think of that fairytale often as a child, but now I feel this will be the version I think of. Bringing the tale into the present day, but also fleshing it out into a full story, the our innocent narrater Ronja and the people in her life who support her, and who are too far gone to do so. It paints both the light and the darkness through the eyes of a child who doesn’t fully understand what the adults do, but who is filled with love and dreams for a different future. 

I think this book will stay with me for a long time. I read it on borrowbox but I will want to read it again for sure so will be on the look out for my own copy.  
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