Book Review: Brigid of Kildare by Heather Terrell

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I was initially drawn to Brigid of Kildare because of the amazing cover art.  I’m a lover of all things Celtic, and the design of this one was just amazing.  However, we should never judge a book by it’s cover, should we?  Upon reading the plot description, I was hooked.  As a Christian with Irish heritage, this was right up my alley.

Brigid of Kildare combines truth from documented history, mysterious speculative fiction as seen in The Da Vinci Code and just a hint of romance.  Those interested in early Christian history would find this story fascinating.  I know very little of 5th Century Christendom, but reading this has shown me how much has evolved and remained the same over the centuries. 

Changing perspective every chapter or so, the story is told in three motifs:

• Brigid: the Life is told from the narrator’s point of view, in 3rd person present tense.  These chapters witness Brigid’s time as a child, her baptism by the beloved Saint Patrick and her decision to live a life in service to God.  Eventually her story line merges into the same timeline as:
  
• The Letters of Decius, Roman priest and artistic illuminator of scripture.  His encounter is detailed in his personal writings over the course of a couple of years, beginning in 470 A.D.  These pages are later discovered and are a part of the research found in:
  
• Present Day:  Told from the narrator’s point of view, in 3rd person past tense.  Alex Patterson, while appraising relics for the Catholic Church, becomes intrigued with the story of Brigid and goes on a quest to determine if a particular relic is the mysterious Book of Kildare, predating the famous Book of Kells.

While this novel was not a thriller a la The Da Vinci Code, I found it to be very compelling.  Terrell’s writing enabled me to feel like I’d stepped back in time 1,500 years.  The struggles, beliefs and perspectives of each main character moved the story along, causing me to want to learn more and to see where the plot would lead. Each motif was told in a different voice and style, and I found myself constantly changing my preference for one over the other. 

Kildare moves along and winds up the tale in less than 300 pages.  The plot and characters were well developed and I enjoyed my time with them.  There were some (but not all) elements of spirituality with which I could relate, drama in the plot that kept the pages turning, and a very small sprinkling of romance as well.  And while I may not agree with some of the more heretical beliefs of this abbess, I enjoyed meeting her and discovering the world she inhabited.  If what this book postulates is true, the Christian Church (Catholicism in particular) would have been very different today if Brigid of Kildare had not factored into its history.

This book was provided by Amazon.com as a part of their Vine reviewers program. No other compensation for this review was given. Per Amazon's rules, I am not permitted to offer this book in a giveaway.  :(