4.5 ⭐ rounded up.

This is a little outside of my usual genre, as I generally don't read many mythology retellings, and I knew next to nothing about Irish mythology. This one, though, is great. If you like female rage and feminist retellings of mythology, you'll love this.

Right from the start, the writing style drew me in, it kept me engaged throughout despite a narrative that spans 100's of years.

Honestly, the main draw, though, is the Moriggan herself; she is vicious, fierce and cunning but also bitter, vengeful and manipulative in equal measure. I'd definitely define her as an anti-hero, but god, did I love her perspective. I was rooting for her every step of the way, when she was betrayed or hurt, I felt it with her when that anger kicked in, I felt that too and when she was reaping revenge one shitty man at a time I was cheering her on.

The only downside I had was that with this story spanning hundreds of years, there are a LOT of characters that we meet, and at times I had a hard time remembering who was who and keeping names straight, but it didn't seriously affect my enjoyment.

The premise of this book was really intriguing and I like mythology stories. However, I did find myself struggling with this one. I've seen lots of great reviews but unfortunately I didn't gel with this one.

I’m not familiar with Irish mythology but I thoroughly enjoyed The Morrigan. A feminist retelling of the myth of the Irish War Goddess, it captured my from the start. Highly recommended!

A stunning retelling of Irish mythology and folklore, focused on the Morrigan, the Irish goddess of war. Kim Curran seamlessly weaves together multiple tales of the Morrigan into a novel-length saga, never deviating from the titular figure. I'd recommend this if you want a starting point to investigating Irish mythology, or are just a fan of mythology-based retellings such as Circe.

This was definitely a different type of book that I usually reach for regarding telling an actual story based on so much history.

This novel had heavy feminist elements and the fight for power and equality. From the moment I read the description I was pulled in.
I enjoyed the retelling of Irish mythology that I was more familiar with and with a classic twist to storytelling - this time the story was told through the eyes of Morrigan.

I knew nothing about this myth going into it.

Unfortunately as I have also read a lot of myth re-tellings in general, I found I couldn’t quite get into the writing of this, however I did enjoy the plot.

This was a brilliant read based on Irish mythology and was definitely a change to some other mythological books that I’ve read.
This was a feminist spin to the story and I loved every minute

The Morrigan has intrigued me over the last couple months so reading this as I dive deeper into Irish mythology has been an experience. This retelling was beautifully written even though I most likely butchered all the names along the way. I think I have a soft spot for The Morrigan and I hope she did find the courage to be with her sisters again.

Thank you to NetGalley & PRH for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Penguin/Michael Joseph for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: murder, death, miscarriage, violence, war, injury, abuse, child death, sexual violence

‘The Morrigan’ is a retelling of the Irish war goddess, from the moment she lands on its shores as part of a tribe of long wandering gods, as she finds her place as the goddess of warfare amongst decades of battles and fighting, and as she grows to become legendary. Forced to learn that even goddesses are forced to bow before kings, the Morrigan experiences love, loss, violence and hatred throughout the centuries, watching as the land she loves and the people she helps change and develop over time. This is a beautiful retelling and I followed it very easily despite knowing little about Irish mythology, her character is strongly written and passionate. She is so powerful and angry but forced consistently to shackle her anger and try to conform with the society her fellow gods have built; the moments when she finally lets loose and is completely herself were beautiful. The Morrigan is blunt and stark in its storytelling, even in its most beautiful moments. I loved the idea that she has never truly had a voice throughout mythology, though everyone knows her various names and deeds, and that this is her opportunity to finally have her say. Her different selves were all so engrossing and the relationships she built, whether as a wife, a mother, a friend or a goddess (particularly with women) were a highlight. This is a slow build of a book but it’s worth it, you get to see the Morrigan's relationships with her fellow gods, her family and eventually the legendary humans of myth. It’s a brilliant debut novel that seamlessly retells the various stories around the Morrigan while letting her speak it. I have so many new things to read up on!

This was a fantastic read! I loved reading about Irish mythology and discovering figures I hadn’t known about. The pronunciation guide was excellent and although the Morrigan was my favourite character, I loved reading about her friends and family on her way to become her full self. This is a great exploration of a mythology not frequently written about.

Over the years Irish mythology has been something I'd loved to have read more, understood more, known more about... Reading The Morrigan was my first insight into Irish Myths and honestly it couldn't have been better!

The Morrigan is a fierce, feminist retelling of Irish mythology, from the perspective of the titular goddess herself. The Morrigan, a key figure in Irish mythology, is a force of nature—both feared and revered. Often depicted as a trio of goddesses, she represents not only war, death, and fertility but also the inescapable thread of fate that weaves through human lives. As one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the ancient race of divine beings, she holds a position of great power. Known as a prophetess and a shapeshifter, the Morrigan can take on many forms, though her most recognizable manifestation is that of a crow, a symbol of battle, transformation, and prophecy.

In *The Morrigan* by Kim Curran, the goddess is given a unique voice, allowing her to tell her own story. The novel spans centuries, weaving through significant moments in Irish history, each one marked by the Morrigan's intervention or presence. This is not just a retelling of myth, but a powerful exploration of the goddess’s role in shaping the world around her.

A central theme in the novel is the exploration of female rage, a force that has often been misunderstood or suppressed. The Morrigan, unapologetically fierce, embodies this rage in a way that is both empowering and necessary. She does not shrink from her role as the harbinger of death and destruction, understanding that sometimes chaos is required to restore balance or to shape a new path. Her actions, though seemingly destructive, are presented as necessary upheavals in the face of injustice or stagnation, highlighting the complexity of her nature.

The novel dives deep into the fierce power of the Morrigan, not just as a goddess of battle, but as a symbol of resistance, autonomy, and the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences. It is a narrative that celebrates the unapologetic nature of the feminine, acknowledging the raw, unbridled force of female energy that is often both feared and celebrated throughout history. Through the Morrigan’s eyes, readers are invited to experience the world from a perspective that is both ancient and timeless—an indomitable force of nature, unafraid to claim her place in history.

As someone who has a general interest in mythology, and has historically enjoyed mythological retellings I had really high hopes for this book but unfortunately, this wasn't for me. I was intrigued by reading about a myth that I had no prior knowledge about but I found the writing style quite dry, almost like reading a textbook rather than being in someone's voice despite the story being a first-person narrative and as a result ended up DNFing this title at about 25%. I'd still be interested in more from this author, but I don't see myself returning to this book.

I have always liked myths and legends but very rarely have read any from Ireland.
A strong telling of The Morrigan, didn’t know what to make of it to begin with but glad I stuck with it. The Morrigan seems to be the goddess of battle or death I think and vengeance. Especially for women who are wronged. Especially in the time of the forming of Ireland when women were there to be used, abused and mainly ignored.

The Morrigan was a fierce retelling of Irish Mythology.

📖 Following The Morrigan Ireland's goddess of War and Fate through 1000's of years.

📖 She doesn’t fit in with her people. She is powerful but cannot heal; her magic causes harm. She longs for bloody battles, for death and destruction. She is used as a weapon in the wars of her people and otherwise largely ignored. She stands alone, apart from them, and apart from the humans who later settle on the same green shores. Until they, too, need her battle cries and fury. They will know her by many names, and she will have many forms, but over a thousand years later, they will not have forgotten her.

They twisted her story, stripped her away. But she will tell it now in her own voice.

✨ Review ✨
I was instantly gripped by the prose, it was captivating and drew me in straight away. The feminine rage, the vengeance was spilling off the pages and I loved it. I would check triggers as this is a cynical violence and the tone is heavy.

The world building was fantastic and I felt transported however I will say somewhere in the middle it lost me a little. This spans such a huge amount of time that some things felt rushed while others things dragged a little.

The highlight of this is Morrigan herself. It's a introspective character study and explores how woman who seek to rule will always be in danger – and that there are far more treacherous figures in this land than the gods who raised her.

If you are interested in a powerful story of Irish Mythology that explores grief, rage and vengeance then I highly recommend.

I have always liked myths and legends but very rarely have read any from Ireland.
A strong telling of The Morrigan, didn’t know what to make of it to begin with but glad I stuck with it. The Morrigan seems to be the goddess of battle or death I think and vengeance. Especially for women who are wronged. Especially in the time of the forming of Ireland when women were there to be used, abused and mainly ignored.

What I loved: the underlying premise of this story is The Morrigan reclaiming her own story, telling it from her perspective, and this was a powerful narrative tool throughout. It was enjoyable to be exposed to so much of Irish mythology, but have it told from a more inter-connected perspective. The Morrigan is unflinching in her love of war and violence, but has a deep devotion to those she loves, almost to the edge of her undoing. She burns fiercely bright, incandescent in her feminine rage, and it makes it hard not to feel your own taste for vengeance rise alongside hers. It's a darker story, but a satisfying one.

What I didn't love: this felt more like a series of short stories, rather than a novel, and so felt a bit disjointed at times. The Morrigan isn't exactly a lovable or relatable character, which made it hard to read the book in longer stints, but that it a personal preference.

A feminist retelling from Irish mythology of the Morrigan - a shape shifting goddess of war. I know nothing of Irish mythology and I was slightly daunted by the long list of characters at the start of this book but I need not have been. The writing just swept me away into the world of avenging gods and war and a goddess who at times seem to be in search of herself herself and her place in the world. A fabulous tale that left me wanting more and I highly recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review

I love the premise of this book, and how the author has taken rich Irish mythology to bring something different to the crowded mythology market. I’m not familiar with ancient Irish stories so it was fascinating to see Kim Curran bring them to life, and in such a fierce, dramatic and exciting way.

The Morrigan is portrayed as a very complex character and is a difficult figure to write. The Goddess of War and Death is shown to be bloodthirsty and violent, but also feminine, fierce and full of rage. Curran portrays her as both human and deity, and tackles the challenge of presenting this nuanced goddess well.

I did struggle with the pace of this book, as it’s fast and there’s so much going on. It draws on a collection of short stories, but the result is quite a staccato read which I struggled to stay focused on. The stories themselves are fascinating to learn about, as I really enjoy history and myth but I didn’t feel these were woven into the arching narrative as smoothly as they could have been. It felt like we were trying to race through all of them in a limited space.

It was a fun read rich with lore and tradition, with a lot of energy, but I struggled with the pace and structure of this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the eARC.

I am a proper mythology nerd and love a feminist retelling, so this request was a no brainer. I really enjoyed Kim Curran's version of The Morrigan's story and the careful way she spun nuance into this complex character that has often been purposely misrepresented after christianity came to Ireland.

Kim weaves a brilliant character, a paragon both of female rage and an outsider who unlike her sisters and the other women of the Tuatha de dannan does not fit the classic nuturing, healing, romantic roles. She is a goddess of war and death, but she also appreciates life and love. I enjoyed her complex relationship with the Dagda and the way their natures balance each other but also the way they don't need to cling to one another drifting in an dout of each others spheres over the aeons standing in stark contrast to her toxic relationship with Lugh.

I loved how she interacted with the human women, often becoming one and living a human life and learning the hard, brutal nature of life as a woman, going on to fuel her support of Mabh when the story reaches the ulster cycle.

This is a brilliant, reweaving of a ancient story giving a voice to a character who is well-heard of but not so well known.

A feminist retelling of The Morrigan, a celtic God of war, death and fate. I've never read anything related to The Morrigan before, and I'm definitely not caught up with Irish mythology, so this was a great insight into early Irish history.

This was a fast moving book packed with action, the years of The Morrigans life flew by. The book was brutal and bloody, I didn't hold back anything from the brutal nature of battles and war, nor did it hold back from the war women were used and abused.

I felt like I learned a lot, and I really enjoyed reading about her journey into what she eventually became.

Initially quite confusing, there are so many names throughout this book, and obviously none I'm familiar with. But I eventually let this go and just focused on the story as a whole. I loved the feminist feeling of this book, in a world dominated by men, The Morrigan still help the women. But she was learning too.

The Morrigan was fierce, brutal and unapologetically herself. This is great for anyone wishing to learn more about Irish history and mythology with a book full of female rage.