*The Winter Goddess* by Megan Barnard is a captivating fantasy novel that blends mythology with rich storytelling. The book follows a powerful protagonist who must navigate her identity as the Winter Goddess while facing complex challenges and threats. Barnard’s writing is lush and immersive, bringing the mystical world and its characters to life with vivid detail. Themes of power, responsibility, and self-discovery are explored with depth, and the pacing keeps the reader hooked throughout. With its strong character development and enchanting world-building, *The Winter Goddess* is a must-read for fans of fantasy, magic, and epic journeys.

This book was a little too simple for me. I really liked the premise and thought that since it involved gods and goddesses it would be a bit more exciting, but it was very repetitive. There also wasn’t a ton of character development, most of the characters felt pretty flat and didn’t have qualities that made you want to know more about them. I also think it took Cailleach too long to see the value and the lesson of living a mortal life, especially after living so many. She came off very selfish and childish most of the book and when she would start to see the errors in her actions and words, it was time for a new life. I wish there was more depth to the story, the idea is good, but this book was monotonous. Despite all of that, I still kind of enjoyed it, and it was a very quick read,

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC!

4 stars

Well, this book made me cry more than once. I will always cry over animals, but Barnard was able to wring tears from me at multiple points in this book. I've been enjoying mythological retellings, and this one was a good one. I know nothing of Gaelic mythology, however, so I do not know if this accurately depicts the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Cailleach, the goddess of winter, is cursed to live and die as a human as punishment for killing thousands of them after her grief caused a harsh winter. Part of her punishment is that after she dies, those who meet her again in the next life have forgotten her. She becomes a vague memory with no name. At first, she despises everything and has to learn to live as mortals do without her power. Then, she begins to learn and build relationships throughout her lives and begins to cherish those bonds.

The story has moments of joy and then moments of heartbreak. I enjoyed that Cailleach was bisexual and that she wasn't an outcast for her relationships with women. I liked how each time Cailleach died, she was brought back to different times. The writing is really good and doesn't lean too heavily on "humanity is good". In fact, it shows how sometimes humanity is truly evil. I did do some research into Cailleach and Danu which helped me understand the ending. I think that could have been made clearer somehow for those who are not familiar with Gaelic mythos.

I really enjoyed this book and Barnard's writing style. I think I'll check out her other book, Jezebel, when I get a chance.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

If you are a lover of powerful women, mythology, and Gaelic culture, you are in for a ride. I LOVE THIS BOOK! This will take you through the ups and downs of a princess who brings thoughtless distruction to the winter season. This is pure chaos and passion!

The Winter Goddess by Megan Barnard is a beautifully reimagined tale of Gaelic mythology that follows Cailleach, the goddess of winter, cursed to live and die as a mortal after causing countless deaths. Stripped of her powers, she is forced to experience humanity's fragility and learn the value of life. Barnard’s writing is both lyrical and immersive, bringing the cold, harsh beauty of winter to life as Cailleach’s journey unfolds. The goddess’s emotional transformation, from scornful detachment to loving vulnerability, is compelling and poignant. With rich world-building and a captivating plot, this novel explores redemption, empathy, and the true meaning of divinity. A must-read for fans of myth-inspired fantasy!

The premise of this book seemed really promising, and I love anything with mythology, lore, and gods, but I was disappointed with this one. It wasn't a bad book; I finished it, but it was so repetitive. A goddess is being punished and has to live with mortals until she "learns a lesson," but she doesn't seem to really learn it, the "bad thing" she did isn't really discussed much, and the ending didn't make a lot of sense.

This book is definitely successful in what it promises; it has an ephemeral yet infinite quality that’s very reminiscent of Circe. I was “nervous” that the book’s messaging would be too saccharine in its *humanity is good* and *life is worth living* themes but Barnard strikes a really impressive balance of being touching while still pragmatic.

I love Celtic mythology, and this book reminded me of some of my other favorites, like Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, as well as following the same tropes as other "goddess autobiographies" like Circe by Madeline Miller. Cailleach was a great main character, and I loved seeing her grow and change from a cold, remote goddess who dislikes humans, to gaining her own humanity.

I read this in less than a day because I was physically unable to put it down. I enjoyed the author's first novel, JEZEBEL, but it didn't have the same compulsive readability as this one. "One more chapter" became "one more life" became "oh my god I just read this whole book in one sitting." Granted - I know next to nothing about Irish mythology so I can't speak to how "accurate" the portrayals of the Tuatha Dé Danann are, but a novel also has to work on its own apart from the source material, and I think this one does. Megan Barnard is an auto-read author for me from here on out.

Holy shit, I could not put this down. I read it in like three hours, it was so freaking great.

I sobbed way too much while reading this but this is a beautiful, heartbreakingly good story and I need this to be on my shelf pronto.