I had fairly high hopes for this book, especially since it was recommended to me by a few friends. The book was good, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Many of the characters are completely one-dimensional and are more like caricatures. The author really hits the reader over the head with anti-Christian sentiment time and time again; this prevented me from enjoying the book as much as I could have had she been more subtle with her criticisms (I say this as an atheist, by the way). ( )

Interesting tale of the transition during the conversion of Ireland from paganism to Christianity- makes the reader think about how ideas change and their impact on society. ( )

What a tragic story! If you want an example of how Christianity transformed native populations, then read this book.

synopsis:
Gwynneve is a nun who lives in a small stone cell at the monastery of St. Brigit, a formerly pagan goddess turned Saint at the behest of St. Patrick. Brigit has the ability to read and write and her task at the monastery is to transcribe the writings of St. Patrick & St. Augustine. She takes time, however, in between her task to set forth the details of her old life prior to the monastery, in which she lived among the native tribes of what is now Ireland with her family. She also tells of her desire to become a druid and her time with the Druid Giannon, who knows that the coming of the Christians means the death of the old ways. The story is truly about how the old peoples had to adapt to the new Christianity; how the Christians were able to take over through vague promises, threats, showing the natives new ways to cultivate & increase their productivity, etc. It tells about the diminishing power of what were once revered healers (the Druids) in the face of promises of no pain & death in the afterlife.

The writing is very well paced; it is almost poetic. Dialogue is kept to a minimum since we are reading the memoirs of Gwynnevethe.

A very fine book; one that I know I'll want to read again. I recommend it. People who are interested in the effects of Christianity on indigenous populations will probably enjoy this one. ( )

A fabulous, evocative, though-provoking, and beautiful book with a really stupid title. Do I detect a publisher's hand in that choice? ( )

Eh. Decent, but not overly compelling. ( )