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Bright I Burn
In thirteenth-century Ireland, a woman with power is a woman to be feared. When a young Alice Kyteler sees her mother wither under the constraints of family responsibilities, she vows that she will not suffer the same fate. When she discovers she has a flair for making money, she soon builds a flourishing trade. But as her wealth and stature grow, so too do the rumours about her private life. By the time she has moved on to her fourth husband, a blaze of local gossip and resentment culminates in an accusation that could prove fatal. Inspired by the first recorded person in Ireland to have been condemned as a witch, Bright I Burn gives voice to a woman lost to history, who dared to carve her own space in a man's world.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2024
About the author
Molly Aitken
5 books111 followersMolly Aitken is the author of Bright I Burn and The Island Child which was longlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award. Molly's short fiction has appeared in Ploughshares winning her the Alice Hoffman Prize for Fiction and has been dramatised for BBC Radio 4.
Follow Molly on twitter at MollyAitken1 and Instagram molly.aitken
Follow Molly on twitter at MollyAitken1 and Instagram molly.aitken
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
June 6, 2024
Molly Aitken was born in Scotland and raised in Ireland, her ongoing fascination with Celtic myth and history informs this vivid reimagining of the life of Alice Kyteler, the first woman in Ireland to be condemned for witchcraft. Set in Ireland during the 13th century, it’s mainly presented from Alice’s perspective, interspersed by a chorus of townspeople’s voices. Alice lives in the monastic town of Kilkenny where her father’s position as innkeeper and moneylender has set her family apart, both envied and despised. When her father dies Alice’s forced to marry in order to take over his business, but the marriage ends in disaster, like the others that follow.
Aitken’s beautifully-observed narrative’s lyrical but never sentimental. Aitken uses Alice’s experiences to explore the plight of powerful, ambitious women in an era of misogyny, where a woman could be lawfully killed if suspected of adultery. It’s a medieval society caught between the old ways – in which witches and cunning folk were an acceptable feature - and rising forces within the Catholic church, resulting in clashes between the secular and the religious. Aitken brings in hints of Salem with her references to local bakeries’ mould-ridden bread known to provoke mania and delusions. But, unlike conventional stories of witchcraft and persecution, Alice isn’t portrayed as a blameless victim of patriarchy. Instead, she’s a far more complex figure, often far from likeable: her scheming and morally dubious actions stemming from her desperation to find some way of navigating the spaces between personal, bodily desires and what’s expected of a woman and a wife, it’s a refreshing perspective. Although there were moments when my attention wandered, I found this a surprisingly compulsive, haunting piece.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Canongate for an ARC
Rating: 3.5
Aitken’s beautifully-observed narrative’s lyrical but never sentimental. Aitken uses Alice’s experiences to explore the plight of powerful, ambitious women in an era of misogyny, where a woman could be lawfully killed if suspected of adultery. It’s a medieval society caught between the old ways – in which witches and cunning folk were an acceptable feature - and rising forces within the Catholic church, resulting in clashes between the secular and the religious. Aitken brings in hints of Salem with her references to local bakeries’ mould-ridden bread known to provoke mania and delusions. But, unlike conventional stories of witchcraft and persecution, Alice isn’t portrayed as a blameless victim of patriarchy. Instead, she’s a far more complex figure, often far from likeable: her scheming and morally dubious actions stemming from her desperation to find some way of navigating the spaces between personal, bodily desires and what’s expected of a woman and a wife, it’s a refreshing perspective. Although there were moments when my attention wandered, I found this a surprisingly compulsive, haunting piece.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Canongate for an ARC
Rating: 3.5
September 6, 2024
Why the author thought we needed the fastest timeline ever with zero character development is a wonder!! The writing was quite literary, but hard to follow. Disappointed bc you know I love witch stories!!
May 3, 2024
Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken is based on the story of the first recorded woman in Ireland to be condemned as a witch. Alice Kyteler is bright and brave and refuses to submit to a patriarchal society. She carves her own path and pays the price.
Bright I Burn is emotional and eye-opening. Alice is just the first in many similar stories throughout history. I found her to be an unapologetically strong character, determined to make her own happiness no matter what others thought.
Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, for early access to read Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken in exchange for an honest review.
Bright I Burn is emotional and eye-opening. Alice is just the first in many similar stories throughout history. I found her to be an unapologetically strong character, determined to make her own happiness no matter what others thought.
Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, for early access to read Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2024
When i saw this book was about a woman accused of witchcraft, I was all for it! Thankfully my request to read it from NetGalley was granted. When i got comfy to read this, i did read it in big chunks at a time. So i loved it right? Well, not exactly. Alice was a difficult character to like and to sympathize with. At points, the dialogue and storytelling became almost dream like and hard to follow her train of thought. The story is more of her life and only at the end is accusations of witchcraft brought up. The book isn't what i was expecting.
September 1, 2024
Thoroughly delicious writing for this book. Loved it. The only reason it’s 4 stars and not 5 is that the end seemed a little rushed. Interesting insight in to the attitudes of others towards an intelligent and wealthy woman and the 13th century church.
May 10, 2024
I'm not sure "fun" is the right word to use to describe the time I had while reading this, but it's the closest I can get.
Learning about real life Alice Kyteler felt like looking into my past, present, future self; felt like learning about my ancestors, and the ancestors of others. It was sad, terrifying, joyful, and insistent.
Molly's writing took a little getting used to, but it felt reminiscent to how I felt reading Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Weyward by Emilia Hart.
I'll probably think about this book for the rest of my life!
*I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Learning about real life Alice Kyteler felt like looking into my past, present, future self; felt like learning about my ancestors, and the ancestors of others. It was sad, terrifying, joyful, and insistent.
Molly's writing took a little getting used to, but it felt reminiscent to how I felt reading Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Weyward by Emilia Hart.
I'll probably think about this book for the rest of my life!
*I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2024
This was such an unusual book. The writing was haunting, sparse and foreboding. I felt it was an excellent reflection of what we have lost to history and the bits and pieces of what we know have been recorded.
In 13th century Ireland, Alice Kyteler is ready to marry and gather what little independence a woman of her time can possess. When her father dies, she sheds no tears and wastes little time in marrying and taking over his inn in Kilkenny.
What draws attention to Alice is her knack for moneymaking and her several marriages. She also has knowledge of herbs and cures that many of the time see as a sign of witchcraft. Alice will go on to become the first woman in Ireland to be condemned for witchcraft.
Alice is not a likable character, but her story illustrates how many of her time were frightened of a powerful woman with her own resources and what struggles women have had to work to overcome.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and recommend to other readers.
In 13th century Ireland, Alice Kyteler is ready to marry and gather what little independence a woman of her time can possess. When her father dies, she sheds no tears and wastes little time in marrying and taking over his inn in Kilkenny.
What draws attention to Alice is her knack for moneymaking and her several marriages. She also has knowledge of herbs and cures that many of the time see as a sign of witchcraft. Alice will go on to become the first woman in Ireland to be condemned for witchcraft.
Alice is not a likable character, but her story illustrates how many of her time were frightened of a powerful woman with her own resources and what struggles women have had to work to overcome.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and recommend to other readers.
July 22, 2024
A strong 3.75.
Not sure I liked Alice the main character but found I was always hoping things would work out for her, she is certainly brave and bold! I enjoyed the writing, the short chapters and mini dialogues.
Not sure I liked Alice the main character but found I was always hoping things would work out for her, she is certainly brave and bold! I enjoyed the writing, the short chapters and mini dialogues.
August 27, 2024
3.5
This was fiction but based on Alice Kyteler-
In 13th century Ireland, Alice was the first woman to be condemned as a witch.
She was a strong and successful businesswoman which was unusual. The story seemed to focus on how she acquired each of her four husbands and how they all conveniently died.
And she really was not a likeable character.
I enjoyed the book but was hoping for a bit more..
This was fiction but based on Alice Kyteler-
In 13th century Ireland, Alice was the first woman to be condemned as a witch.
She was a strong and successful businesswoman which was unusual. The story seemed to focus on how she acquired each of her four husbands and how they all conveniently died.
And she really was not a likeable character.
I enjoyed the book but was hoping for a bit more..
September 9, 2024
Bright I Burn is an engrossing story about one badass woman, Alice Kyteler, who ruled in a man’s world. 1200s Ireland was rife with danger for such a woman, whether in be from disease, marriage, childbirth, or machinations of others. I loved the pacing of this story and interspersed town gossip. It’s dark. It’s feminist. It’s surprisingly funny at times. It’s not as witchy as one might infer, though all badass women are usually accused as witches (or bitches).
Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
May 6, 2024
Now this is the type of feminism I can read all day. After finishing the book, I did look up more information about Alice. The things she and her servants were accused of were insane. Molly Aitken's thorough research shines through and she did a great job giving a voice to a woman who was lost to history.
Thank you to Netgalley as well as Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this arc
Thank you to Netgalley as well as Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this arc
September 12, 2024
Lord forbid a woman have power.
Alice Kyteler had a problem: Her mother died when she was young, and her father raised her at his side as a moneylender. When he passed, his fortune and business passed to the experienced, well-taught, and cunning Alice (along with her new husband). Now Alice had all of the power and prestige of her own house and had joined it to that of her husband’s.
Alice also had another problem: She didn’t trust anyone, she especially didn’t trust men, and she wasn’t too thrilled with the trappings of her gender. Life was hard enough without being a female on top of it. Money became the only armor she could reliably wrap around herself and those few she chose to protect, so extracting herself from relationships in which she had wrought most of the benefits from became her number one priority.
Times change though, and you don’t live that kind of life without making enemies. In Alice’s case, a lot of enemies. Mix the rise of the Catholic Church in Ireland with a lot of people looking for revenge on a female moneylender, and you can see the writing on the wall.
The writing in this book was absolutely lovely, interspersed with ballads, poetry, folk recipes, small stories, and pages of gossip being exchanged back and forth between townspeople that grow more and more vociferous the longer the book goes on. The prose is lyrical, with an elegant flow and evocative imagery. Some passages grow more heated or more violent, but even those are elegant in word choice and structure.
It’s a great autumnal read, but know Alice Kyteler isn’t a good person. There are no heroes or villains in this book: there are just people who are driven in certain directions by circumstance. That’s one of the things I liked the most about this book.
I was provided a copy of this title by the publishers and author via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction
Alice Kyteler had a problem: Her mother died when she was young, and her father raised her at his side as a moneylender. When he passed, his fortune and business passed to the experienced, well-taught, and cunning Alice (along with her new husband). Now Alice had all of the power and prestige of her own house and had joined it to that of her husband’s.
Alice also had another problem: She didn’t trust anyone, she especially didn’t trust men, and she wasn’t too thrilled with the trappings of her gender. Life was hard enough without being a female on top of it. Money became the only armor she could reliably wrap around herself and those few she chose to protect, so extracting herself from relationships in which she had wrought most of the benefits from became her number one priority.
Times change though, and you don’t live that kind of life without making enemies. In Alice’s case, a lot of enemies. Mix the rise of the Catholic Church in Ireland with a lot of people looking for revenge on a female moneylender, and you can see the writing on the wall.
The writing in this book was absolutely lovely, interspersed with ballads, poetry, folk recipes, small stories, and pages of gossip being exchanged back and forth between townspeople that grow more and more vociferous the longer the book goes on. The prose is lyrical, with an elegant flow and evocative imagery. Some passages grow more heated or more violent, but even those are elegant in word choice and structure.
It’s a great autumnal read, but know Alice Kyteler isn’t a good person. There are no heroes or villains in this book: there are just people who are driven in certain directions by circumstance. That’s one of the things I liked the most about this book.
I was provided a copy of this title by the publishers and author via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction
May 31, 2024
Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken is an extraordinary novel that weaves a rich tapestry of myth, magic, and raw human emotion. Aitken's storytelling prowess is on full display as she crafts a narrative that is as enchanting as it is profound.
The novel follows the journey of Rós, a young woman who finds herself entangled in the ancient, mystical traditions of her homeland. Aitken's ability to blend folklore with contemporary issues is seamless, creating a world that feels both timeless and utterly relevant. The prose is lush and evocative, painting vivid images that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.
What truly sets Bright I Burn apart is its depth of character development. Rós is a compelling protagonist whose growth is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each bringing their own unique perspectives and adding layers of complexity to the story.
Aitken's exploration of themes such as identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling is handled with great sensitivity and insight. The novel resonates on a deeply emotional level, making it a powerful read that stays with you.
In summary, Bright I Burn is a masterfully crafted novel that captivates from beginning to end. Molly Aitken has delivered a stunning work of fiction that is sure to appeal to fans of literary fiction and fantasy alike. Highly recommended!
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the advanced readers copy!
The novel follows the journey of Rós, a young woman who finds herself entangled in the ancient, mystical traditions of her homeland. Aitken's ability to blend folklore with contemporary issues is seamless, creating a world that feels both timeless and utterly relevant. The prose is lush and evocative, painting vivid images that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.
What truly sets Bright I Burn apart is its depth of character development. Rós is a compelling protagonist whose growth is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each bringing their own unique perspectives and adding layers of complexity to the story.
Aitken's exploration of themes such as identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling is handled with great sensitivity and insight. The novel resonates on a deeply emotional level, making it a powerful read that stays with you.
In summary, Bright I Burn is a masterfully crafted novel that captivates from beginning to end. Molly Aitken has delivered a stunning work of fiction that is sure to appeal to fans of literary fiction and fantasy alike. Highly recommended!
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the advanced readers copy!
May 28, 2024
Bright I Burn is the second novel by Molly Aitken. It tells the story of Alice Kyteler, the first recorded person in Ireland to have been formally charged with witchcraft. Given both the subject matter and the fact that I loved Aitken's debut novel, The Island Child, I had a feeling that I was going to really enjoy this book and, happily, that turned out to be the case.
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In a market that is saturated with witchtrial stories, Bright I Burn manages to be both compelling and genuinely distinctive. Unlike a lot of similarly themed books, the witchtrial aspect of Bright I Burn comes quite late in the story, meaning that it's Alice and her life rather than the accusations that are leveled against her that take centre stage. That coupled with Aitken's lyrical writing and her depiction of Alice as morally complicated (to say the least) make Bright I Burn a definite standout in the genre.
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At the heart of Alice's story is the relationship between womanhood and power. In Alice, Aitken creates a capable and conniving protagonist, often reduced to her gender by the limitations of the time. It's a story as old as time but one that has undeniable relevance in today's world where reproductive rights are under fire and graduating women are told that their life will only truly start when they get married and have children.
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Bright I Burn is beautifully written, well-researched and nuanced, exploring the exercise of personal morality in the context of the broader societal injustices that arguably necessitate immorality. Alice is not always a likeable or sympathetic character, and Aitken doesn't give any easy answers, but her story is one that will get you thinking. I'd highly recommend ordering yourself a copy, particularly if you're as interested in the witchtrials as I am - this isn't one you'll want to miss out on!
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Bright I Burn will be published on the 6th June 2024. Thank you to @molly.aitken and @canongatebooks for the advance review copy.
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In a market that is saturated with witchtrial stories, Bright I Burn manages to be both compelling and genuinely distinctive. Unlike a lot of similarly themed books, the witchtrial aspect of Bright I Burn comes quite late in the story, meaning that it's Alice and her life rather than the accusations that are leveled against her that take centre stage. That coupled with Aitken's lyrical writing and her depiction of Alice as morally complicated (to say the least) make Bright I Burn a definite standout in the genre.
📚
At the heart of Alice's story is the relationship between womanhood and power. In Alice, Aitken creates a capable and conniving protagonist, often reduced to her gender by the limitations of the time. It's a story as old as time but one that has undeniable relevance in today's world where reproductive rights are under fire and graduating women are told that their life will only truly start when they get married and have children.
📚
Bright I Burn is beautifully written, well-researched and nuanced, exploring the exercise of personal morality in the context of the broader societal injustices that arguably necessitate immorality. Alice is not always a likeable or sympathetic character, and Aitken doesn't give any easy answers, but her story is one that will get you thinking. I'd highly recommend ordering yourself a copy, particularly if you're as interested in the witchtrials as I am - this isn't one you'll want to miss out on!
📚
Bright I Burn will be published on the 6th June 2024. Thank you to @molly.aitken and @canongatebooks for the advance review copy.
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August 18, 2024
This is an odd book, but one I still thoroughly enjoyed. It is a fast read and an emotional one. I would recommend it to people looking for a quick, unique story.
The book follows a beautiful young woman in thirteenth century Ireland whose father refuses to accept a marriage proposal for her. When he dies, she takes over her father's lending business and finds a man to marry because she knows she won't be taken seriously as a business woman without a husband. We follow her through several unsatisfying relationships over decades and see how life hardens her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
The book follows a beautiful young woman in thirteenth century Ireland whose father refuses to accept a marriage proposal for her. When he dies, she takes over her father's lending business and finds a man to marry because she knows she won't be taken seriously as a business woman without a husband. We follow her through several unsatisfying relationships over decades and see how life hardens her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
September 8, 2024
A fascinating and engrossing story of Alice Kyteler, supposedly the first woman to be condemned as a witch in Ireland. The story is set in Thirteenth century Ireland and reimagines the life of Alice through her childhood, her several marriages and her ultimate tryst with fate. I loved Alice, she was a strong-willed independent-minded woman fighting to hold her own in a society dominated by men and biased against women. She probably was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. The book is short and the prose is simple. Overall the atmospheric descriptions reminded me about the writings of Lauren Groff and the non-Tudor novels by Phillipa Gregory. I loved the book and I am definitely looking to read more from the author.
Thank you Netgalley, Knopf Publishing and Molly Aitken for the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley, Knopf Publishing and Molly Aitken for the ARC.
September 28, 2024
5⭐️
Engrossing, beguiling, lyrical.
It's a bit different to a lot of current WitchLit, which is refreshing.
Engrossing, beguiling, lyrical.
It's a bit different to a lot of current WitchLit, which is refreshing.
June 9, 2024
I read this entire thing in one day. It's safe to say I am obsessed with how Molly brought Alice Kyteler to life. Historical fiction books rooted in real people or events are becoming a favourite subgenre of mine, and this ticked all the boxes.
Yes, Alice Kyteler was condemned as a witch, but I want to make it very clear that this book has nothing to do with witches. We follow her through the years as she makes a name for herself, becoming a successful business owner and having many an admirer. Morally grey characters are my absolute favourite. I loved Alice, but my gosh, did she do some very questionable things👀
I just wanted to touch on the fact that the writing style took me by surprise at first, but I soon settled into the narrative, and then I couldn't read it quick enough. There are town gossip chapters scattered throughout the book, and I love how these added another layer to the story. It felt very reminiscent of books I've loved previously in narrative style, like The Wall and I Who Have Never Known Men, and one for lovers of historical literary fiction like The Dance Tree and Cursed Bread.
Thank you so much to Canongate and Molly for my gifted early copy. Bright I Burn is out now!
Yes, Alice Kyteler was condemned as a witch, but I want to make it very clear that this book has nothing to do with witches. We follow her through the years as she makes a name for herself, becoming a successful business owner and having many an admirer. Morally grey characters are my absolute favourite. I loved Alice, but my gosh, did she do some very questionable things👀
I just wanted to touch on the fact that the writing style took me by surprise at first, but I soon settled into the narrative, and then I couldn't read it quick enough. There are town gossip chapters scattered throughout the book, and I love how these added another layer to the story. It felt very reminiscent of books I've loved previously in narrative style, like The Wall and I Who Have Never Known Men, and one for lovers of historical literary fiction like The Dance Tree and Cursed Bread.
Thank you so much to Canongate and Molly for my gifted early copy. Bright I Burn is out now!
September 13, 2024
I really enjoyed this story of Alice told through little glimpses of the stages of her life. She was fiercely independent & anything but ordinary as she navigated the loss of her mother, took over her father’s business when he passed, lost a child and was married 4 times. A wealthy, smart, cunning woman was definitely not the norm in the 13th century and rumors and accusations swirled. I loved how this book was written. It completely drew me in and now has me looking up more about this woman and time. All the stars!
August 29, 2024
This was a historical fiction retelling and reimagining the life of Alice Kyteler, the first woman to be persecuted as a witch in Ireland. I was incredibly excited to get an eARC of this because I had done some research into wise women in medieval Ireland and Britain for a course during my MA studies, but this just fell incredibly flat for me. 😔
Alice as a character was flat, rather one dimensional, and didn’t really go through any character development. I was almost bored by her at times and I feel horrible for saying this because I really wanted to like her and her desire to rule her life by her standards. Her apathy towards other villagers, while described as a need for self-preservation, just felt cold in general. I was also not particularly happy that Aitken teased a sapphic love between Alice and her servant that took her place on the pyre, Petronilla de Meath, and then never did anything with it. 😡
The time jumps in this short book felt stunted and rushed. The reader never gets a sense of Alice as a character and narrator because of this, and you end up as apathetic towards her as she is towards others. In all honesty, I would rather have stuck with Petronilla as a MC instead because she stood out more on the page than Alice did. 😬
The last thing thing that I didn’t particularly like was that Aitken makes all these links to wise women and their ways, especially the connection to the lynxes of Ireland (which, also why would she claim the Romans hunted them while they were there, which is also weird because Rome never conquered Ireland!), but then never once goes into detail about how Alice learned how to make homeopathic remedies. 🫨
All in all, I’m just left rather stumped. I felt like nothing happened in the plot and there were so many missed opportunities to really make this book shine. Big thank you goes out Canongate Books, Knopf, and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to like this. 🥲
Publication date: September 10
Overall: 1.5/5 ⭐️
Alice as a character was flat, rather one dimensional, and didn’t really go through any character development. I was almost bored by her at times and I feel horrible for saying this because I really wanted to like her and her desire to rule her life by her standards. Her apathy towards other villagers, while described as a need for self-preservation, just felt cold in general. I was also not particularly happy that Aitken teased a sapphic love between Alice and her servant that took her place on the pyre, Petronilla de Meath, and then never did anything with it. 😡
The time jumps in this short book felt stunted and rushed. The reader never gets a sense of Alice as a character and narrator because of this, and you end up as apathetic towards her as she is towards others. In all honesty, I would rather have stuck with Petronilla as a MC instead because she stood out more on the page than Alice did. 😬
The last thing thing that I didn’t particularly like was that Aitken makes all these links to wise women and their ways, especially the connection to the lynxes of Ireland (which, also why would she claim the Romans hunted them while they were there, which is also weird because Rome never conquered Ireland!), but then never once goes into detail about how Alice learned how to make homeopathic remedies. 🫨
All in all, I’m just left rather stumped. I felt like nothing happened in the plot and there were so many missed opportunities to really make this book shine. Big thank you goes out Canongate Books, Knopf, and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to like this. 🥲
Publication date: September 10
Overall: 1.5/5 ⭐️
September 5, 2024
★★★¾ — “inspired by the first recorded person in ireland to have been condemned as a witch, bright i burn gives voice to a woman lost to history, who dared to carve her own space in a man's world”—by sucking the souls of every woman around her. this isn't a feminist story in the modern sense of the word. alice is many things, but a girl's girl she is not. which obviously makes this a more realistic and immersive experience than certain other works of historical fiction because who in the year 1280 was? alice is not necessarily a sympathetic character, but she is raw and angry and real, a woman who claws for every breath she takes, a woman who burns the men in her vicinity before they can cage her first. her character and the plotline were impressively crafted, but i wasn’t the biggest fan of the prose. hence, the lower rating.
also, i opened this expecting absolutely nothing because i forgot to read the blurb. but if you're expecting anything about witch hunts, that's barely the last 15% of the book. this chronicles alice's life from when she was a child to after her fourth husband, and the witchery is a rather small part of it all.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
also, i opened this expecting absolutely nothing because i forgot to read the blurb. but if you're expecting anything about witch hunts, that's barely the last 15% of the book. this chronicles alice's life from when she was a child to after her fourth husband, and the witchery is a rather small part of it all.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
August 4, 2024
It’s a huge bonus especially for women to have wealth no matter what year it is.
This book is based on the true story of Alice Kyteler. It takes us back to a very long time ago; the year is 1279. After her father died in Kilkenny, Ireland, she inherited the ownership of his profitable inn. It gave her a good living but she constantly had her eye on getting more coins and doing whatever she needed to aim high in her life with four marriages and one son.
This book opened up my eyes to this woman’s life and what a struggle it must have been. Each husband called her “wife.” Women had to obey and yet, Alice had a way of getting whatever she wanted. The setting took us to a place where there was a great fear of war with the Gaels. Women needed protection from a man. Yet, Alice wasn’t afraid of walking alone.
Alice wasn’t someone I liked. I wouldn’t want to put her on my friend’s list with an attitude of importance and ongoing goal of reaching more riches. Women with successful husbands had to be nervous of her presence.
At times, I was confused about what was happening wondering if I may have missed something. It helped me to read accounts on Google to get more background of her life. I wish there was more in the book about how Alice was accused of using dark magic. She knew that to have control with her life she needed money and powerful friends. Not all women were as fortunate especially servants. It made me think about women’s rights of today. Maybe there’s not a trial of witchcraft these days but money sure helps with any legal situation.
My thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this book with an expected release date of September 10, 2024.
This book is based on the true story of Alice Kyteler. It takes us back to a very long time ago; the year is 1279. After her father died in Kilkenny, Ireland, she inherited the ownership of his profitable inn. It gave her a good living but she constantly had her eye on getting more coins and doing whatever she needed to aim high in her life with four marriages and one son.
This book opened up my eyes to this woman’s life and what a struggle it must have been. Each husband called her “wife.” Women had to obey and yet, Alice had a way of getting whatever she wanted. The setting took us to a place where there was a great fear of war with the Gaels. Women needed protection from a man. Yet, Alice wasn’t afraid of walking alone.
Alice wasn’t someone I liked. I wouldn’t want to put her on my friend’s list with an attitude of importance and ongoing goal of reaching more riches. Women with successful husbands had to be nervous of her presence.
At times, I was confused about what was happening wondering if I may have missed something. It helped me to read accounts on Google to get more background of her life. I wish there was more in the book about how Alice was accused of using dark magic. She knew that to have control with her life she needed money and powerful friends. Not all women were as fortunate especially servants. It made me think about women’s rights of today. Maybe there’s not a trial of witchcraft these days but money sure helps with any legal situation.
My thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this book with an expected release date of September 10, 2024.
May 13, 2024
I loved this quick read. I had never heard of Alice’s story, but have since gone down a further rabbit hole to read more about her after finishing this. Alice was written with such emotion and power in her voice and actions. Aitken’s research and care for her story are shown clearly in every detail of this book. Will be recommending this to others! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
June 24, 2024
A fictional account of the life of Alice Kyteler, owner of the renowned Kytelers Inn in Kilkenny.
Would highly appeal to fans of Lauren Groff with it's lyrical prose and it's 13th century Irish setting.
Would highly appeal to fans of Lauren Groff with it's lyrical prose and it's 13th century Irish setting.
July 7, 2024
3.5 stars
July 28, 2024
Felt like the goal of this was to get through her life story as quickly as possible. Too much jumping in time, too little detail surrounding the murders, no deep look at any of the characters, not even Alice.
Read
September 15, 2024for so many reasons….no
September 22, 2024
very fun read, lots of irish folklore and witchy vibes. The narrative could have been a bit smoother, but the story and world building was just so fun that I enjoyed reading it anyways.
August 5, 2024
Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken is a historical fiction novel set in 13th century Ireland. The story of Alice is complicated, she had aspirations to be independent and successful as a business woman in a time period that did not allow women to make their own decisions. Her greatest downfall was how she was perceived and accused which could be anything a man wanted to contrive without evidence.
This book was not for me, I found Alice’s life to be a consequence of her actions. She was promiscuous, her husbands die under unusual circumstances, she was quite vindictive and cruel to people around her. Ultimately, her maid pays the price for her discretions. She gave people reason to talk badly about her with her behavior and reputation. This novel does give an accurate view of a woman’s life in medieval Ireland, the struggles of women to be safe, to give birth and raise children, and to have a say in their lives.
I will decline sharing my review on my social media accounts due to my rating.
Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
This book was not for me, I found Alice’s life to be a consequence of her actions. She was promiscuous, her husbands die under unusual circumstances, she was quite vindictive and cruel to people around her. Ultimately, her maid pays the price for her discretions. She gave people reason to talk badly about her with her behavior and reputation. This novel does give an accurate view of a woman’s life in medieval Ireland, the struggles of women to be safe, to give birth and raise children, and to have a say in their lives.
I will decline sharing my review on my social media accounts due to my rating.
Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
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