Review: Brightly Shining

Brightly Shining by Ingvild Rishøi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Brightly Shining is a beloved Scandinavian Christmas tale. Its rave reviews and recent English translation seemed to make it a perfect match for my love of Christmas and all things merry and bright. However, in hindsight, I probably wouldn’t recommend picking up this book to get into the Christmas spirit.

The story follows 10-year-old Ronja who lives with her sixteen-year-old sister Melissa and their father in the Norwegian town of Tøyen after the passing of their mother. Shackled to the yoke of alcoholism their father tries to throw off his demons to give his girls the Christmas that they long for and takes a job selling Christmas trees. His resolve lasts only as long as it takes to get an advance on his wages then the siren's call of the pub leaves the two young girls to pick up the pieces and pay his debt by working his job themselves.

Written from Ronja’s perspective, the author does a wonderful job of capturing an innocent and naive voice. Personally, I found it a bit too naive for a ten-year-old, especially one forced to grow up quickly. It would have felt more realistic if Ronja were around six or seven. The father is depicted in an interesting way. While it’s clear he is failing his children terribly, neglecting them to the point where they know child services might take them away, he is not portrayed with any malice. It’s evident that the grief from losing his wife and the strain of parenting two young children pushed him into alcoholism, but his love for his girls is still palpable

The girls' neglect is heart-wrenching. With scarce food and warmth at home, hiding from their father’s creditors, the two girls cling to each other. Melissa has to grow up quickly to care for her sister, which leaves her vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous people willing to use her situation to their own advantage. It’s a sadly common narrative in today’s society.

There are many comparisons to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl," and this does feel like a modernised retelling. Sadly, like the earlier story, the plight of those most in need hasn’t improved much with societal advancements. There are plenty of kind people around the girls who want to help but are held back by modern society’s hesitation to intrude. The story highlights this "neglect by politeness."

Some of the translations feel a bit off. Often it’s the phrasing, which I assume reflects Norwegian speech patterns but feels disjointed in English. At times, literal translations are confusing, like when characters have to straighten the "glitter" on their head or wear "glitter" around their neck, which I can only assume means tinsel. These little things broke the narrative for me.

The ending is deliberately left open, which might not appeal to everyone, but however you interpret it, this book will leave you heartbroken for two little girls trying to survive in a “kind” but ultimately ineffectual society.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own.


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