The Heart of Winter by Shona Kinsella

I would like to thank Flame Tree Press for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher - Flame Tree Press

Published - 16/4

Price - hardcover £20 paperback £12.95 ebook £4.95

When Brigit is faced with a forced marriage to Aengus, god of Summer, she flees into the highlands in search of the Cailleach, the Queen of Winter. There, she hopes to learn how to live on her own terms, without the need for a man to speak for her, but can she persuade the Cailleach that she is worthy? Caught between two gods and finding an unlikely ally in the Fae witch, Nicnevin, Brigit will be tested to her limits and beyond

The concept of the magical bargain has long been part of fantasy. Supernatural beings and mortals cross paths and either a desire for or to stop something leads to someone asking for a magical solution. Sometimes this solves the problem and sometimes bargains have hidden clauses. The Devil clearly has a good legal team. What though fascinated me about Shona Kinsella’s entrancing fantasy novel The Heart of Winter is how it’s about a character actually standing up to the powerful and saying no I don’t want to be the bargain. This creates a very refreshing tale with subtle inversions and gorgeous storytelling.

Long long ago there was a small Scottish village of crofters battling the elements each year to survive. When it is clear winter this year will be exceptionally hard and food scarce the village elders decide a sacrifice to Aengus Lord of Summer is required. He refuses to take an elder’s life as sacrifice but instead says he will marry Brigit a bright kind girl he has noticed. The elders agree but find Brigit is aghast that this is the plan. Brigit decides only want person is strong enough to stop Aengus and so she makes her way across the land to Ben Nevis to seek Cailleach the Queen of Winter. It will not easy and Winter does not like mortals but all will be surprised how things develop.

I hugely enjoyed this tale and loved that it’s about someone saying no - Brigit from early scenes is shown to know her own mind and Kinsella shows this is a time a young woman has few Orion’s. Brigit’s best friend gets married off to a widower as he needs someone to mind the kids. Brigit’s situation is in many ways the same and she finds she doesn’t want to be a sacrifice even if that is luxury with a god. A tale of independence and it’s refreshing to also see Brigit’s parents (who are lovely!) also fully support her. A young woman deciding to refuse a god and goes to sort things out with other gods! How could I not enjoy that?

The first half of the book then is Brigit going to Ben Nevis which Kinsella creates via that storytelling into a wild and distinct journey with obstacles, fierce weather and hints of the supernatural. Eventually the Cailleach is found and the next challenge is getting her aid when she is extremely reluctant! So our mortal takes on another powerful immortal and it’s here where the story adds a fresh dimension. Brigit isn’t about battles of wits; she’s about being kind but firmly saying I’m not going anywhere and showing her kind nature. There is an ancient folktale feel on these sections with Cailleach with three eyes and a black and a white will in tow; a magical castle under aurora borealis and lots and lots of magic and godly insights. But the key is the rich friendships these two people who both admit they don’t quite fit in their own worlds bond over. It’s an unusual friendship that we tend not to see in these tales that works really well. I also really enjoy the introvert grouchy Queen of Winter here who feels undervalued by the mortals but just possibly has a few more layers to her than your average Snow Queen.

In the second half Aengus tries to get Brigit and that sets in motion an unexpected direction for the tale. Kinsella adds in the land of the fae; witches and other gods to richly give the story more depth and this turns out not to be the tale I was thinking it is. The reveals are natural and work very well with the wider elements of the story. It’s not a story of villains per se - everyone has flawed reasons for what they do but always refreshing when kindness and learning to listen to one another perhaps is a more useful skill than we tend to praise for example a prowess with a sword.

The storytelling makes this come together and that’s very much down to Kinsella’s use of language; the weaving in of natural and cultural tradition; a little bit of history as we see a time of pagan and Christian beliefs sitting uncomfortably together make the story come alive. Kinsella makes you feel and see the land of long ago and this feels an ancient lost tale retold but for me feels pleasantly at the same time modern.

The Heart in Winter is an apt tale for this time of year that reminds us that Winter has its uses just as much as summer and that being true to who you are and making people learn your own value can be incredibly rewarding. A tale for an almost sunny or rainy evening as the temperature may or may not be rising plus a comfy chair and good drink. Highly recommended and a reminder that Shona Kinsella is an author to watch out for!