ReadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2025

The Morrigan

Kim Curran author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd

Published:4th Sep '25

Should be back in stock very soon

This paperback is available in another edition too:

The Morrigan cover

A FIERCE, WITCHY RETELLING OF IRISH MYTHOLOGY, FROM AN UNFORGETTABLE VOICE IN MYTHIC FICTION

RULER. MOTHER. GODDESS. WARRIOR.

PERFECT FOR FANS OF ELODIE HARPER'S THE WOLF DEN, ROSIE HEWLETT'S MEDEAAND COSTANZA CASATI'S CLYTEMNESTRA
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They called me The Morrigan. I was magnificent. I was multitudes.
They twisted my story, stripped me away. But I will tell it now in my own voice.
It begins, as all the best stories do, in darkness.


From a storm-tossed sea, she arrives on the shores of Ireland. Red-haired, wrathful, shifting from bird to beast to woman.

The Morrigan, goddess of war and fate, endures centuries as invaders come and kings go, rulers shifting like the tide.

She seeks vengeance on Conchobhar and Cuchulainn, legends bent on destroying all that she loves. She watches queens fall, women silenced, and power stolen by men who carve history in their image.

But she is fury incarnate. And she will tear down their rule, shatter their chains, and set the women of Ireland free.

An electric debut retelling of Ireland’s mythic goddess of war, from a bold and powerful new voice.

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Readers are OBSESSED with The Morrigan

'A must read for anyone who is interested in Irish mythology
' 5 ⭐ Review

'My expectations for this book were high but nothing could’ve prepared me for how much I adored The Morrigan' 5 ⭐ Review

'I LOVED this book and it has become an instant favourite' 5 ⭐ Review

'The writing is beautiful, lyrical and evocative' 5 ⭐ Review

Kim Curran’s hair-raising, visionaryThe Morrigan does for Ireland what William T Vollmann’s histories do for America: Reimagining myth into national foundations of rage and fire. Thrilling and bloody from first page to last, this is an extraordinary portrait of a goddess, a warrior, a woman. Welcome to a stunning new voice in literary fiction * Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls *
The Morrigan's strength, frailty, rage and resilience is that of every woman who has ever lived. Curran summons her boldly from the old tales, giving her a voice that is more vital and relevant than ever. The Morrigan may be the most powerful book you will read this year * Lucy Holland, author of Sistersong and Song of the Huntress *
Like Madeline Miller, Curran has taken centuries of Irish legend and harnessed a powerful retelling for modern readers. A timely feminist battle cry with pitch perfect writing * Juno Dawson, author of Her Majesty's Royal Coven *
A fearless and ferocious retelling that does great justice to the original stories, effortlessly navigating an epic scale with heartbreaking intimacy. Kim Curran is an astonishing talent * Kate Heartfield, author of The Valkyrie and The Embroidered Book *
Transported back to ancient Ireland, The Morrigan took me on a breathtaking journey brimming with fury and longing. In her own words, The Morrigan weaves a tale rich with magic, and visceral with female rage, as resonant now as in the age of Gods and Goddesses, and the warring tribes of Ireland. Captivated from start to finish, I dreamed of The Morrigan and her lust for vengeance long after I read the last page. Stunning! * Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardø *
Kim Curran's The Morriganwill do for Irish mythology what Madeline Miller did for Greek. I fell in love with her lyrical prose and the way she brought the complex layers of the Morrigan myth to life in all her fierce fury and glory. An absolute triumph * Amy McCulloch *
Breathtaking in scope, blistering in truth, The Morrigan is a beautifully dark tale of rage, power and love. Razor-sharp, profound and intensely moving, this is more than a retelling. Kim Curran’s writing is lyrical, brutal and sublime - a stunning story of sisterhood as relevant today as it has ever been. I adored it! * Miranda Dickinson *

ISBN: 9781405969376

Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 24mm

Weight: 270g

384 pages