A girl at night, a caged monster during the day. Aislinn has lived in darkness as long as she can remember. She is Korrigan— and only by Life-Stealing can she keep her human shape from dawn to dusk. When she finally steps into the sunlight, the first person she sees is Zane. He’s everything she wants— handsome, sweet, and normal. But an encounter with the Far Darrig, the malevolent trickster of … of Old Irish myth, changes Aislinn’s future. He opens a new realm of possibilities that are anything but normal— and with them, brings dreams and desires as dangerous as he is. Above all, Aislinn craves choice— the right to decide her own path. But what if gaining power for herself means giving up something much more precious?
“Aislinn herself is such a unique and interesting character, and her strength is demonstrated throughout the novel. Aislinn’s character grows exponentially but she is given the freedom to make her own choices and be her own woman. When I was reading, I was constantly just punching my fist in the air because finally, that’s the kind of female protagonist I want to read. The story itself is a fantastic and unique take on the usual Fae-type stories that have abounded after the release of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Kenney’s narrative is complex and twists Irish mythology and folklore with the supernatural and the magical. It takes you on the story of Aislinn and her journey of trying to lead a life with some sense of normalcy – but, honestly, what is ‘normal‘?- by the daylight. The reader is met with a myriad of characters, who are written as quite solid characters in themselves, but I want to emphasise the character Far Darrig. As the ‘villain’ of the story, I have to say that he was quite an enjoyable character – he is far more intricate than I initially suspected.” — Allie Reads blog
“I really loved the story. It was unique and my love for fantasy was fulfilled really well. The story developed throughout the book which kept up the suspense and keeps one hooked to the story. It is an interesting mix of Irish folklore and mythology with supernatural elements and magic. Aislinn is a great character and she grows so much during the story. Zane is her human boyfriend who is a sweet guy with a great heart. The villain in this book is the Far Darrig who was also my favourite character. His characterisation is written really well and he is a very intricate character.” –Krisha, Bookathon Blog
“It’s well written, the characters are well defined, and the plot flows smoothly. If YA urban fantasy stories that have a love triangle are your thing, then give this a go. A strong debut. The Far Darrig is a character that piqued my interest a lot. I had not heard of the mythological character before reading this. I did read up a lot about him afterwards. I sure do love me a dark, mysterious, magical, character that holds power in a situation simply by being present. Oh, yes please!” –Jack, Random Melon Reads blog
“Korrigan by Rebecca Kenney is a intriguing work of fantasy that is hard to put down. There’s just something extremely compelling about the plot and characters that Kenney presents. The concept was very intriguing and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. It was filled with twists and turns. The characters were great and I especially loved Zane.” –Read It and Weep Girls blog
A fresh take on Irish myth and legend, with elements of the supernatural and a love triangle that will delight fans of paranormal romance, Korrigan will charm young adult, new adult, and adult readers with its fast-paced plot and genuine characters. Aislinn overcomes the darkness and abuse in her past, transforming into someone much stronger.
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I loved this YA Fantasy by Rebecca Kenney. The storyline drew me in and kept me intrigued the entire time. Aislinn, the main character, was quirky and loveable; I couldn’t help but cheer her on. Kenney did a phenomenal job of creating a diverse cast of characters – some I loved, others I detested (as the author intended, I’m sure). I loved the romance between Aislinn and Zane, the family drama, and the addition of the evil leprechauns. I can’t wait to read more of this author’s work.
Wow. This book was just… wow. Honestly? This needs to be made into a Netflix series like, yesterday, so I can binge watch it all over with the added benefit of Irish eye candy to drool over. (Sorry, Zane, you seem like a great guy, but I’m shipping “Kieran” so hard.) I won’t go into the plot as to avoid spoilers, but it was really well thought out and executed. The pacing was perfection, the writing engaging, and the lore, oh my goodness, the lore. I absolutely loved it. If you enjoy YA fantasy, you need to read this book. End of story.
I’d heard a lot of good things about Rebecca’s writing and I have to say I was not disappointed at all.
I adored Aislinn from the start. She is such a strong character with a real depth to her, and relatable with her thoughts and some of her feelings as well.
Zane, again a great character who I enjoyed reading, even if I had a soft spot for the far darrig more than I did for him. In fact I’m still rooting for him in book 2.
The story was superbly written and beautifully worded. So much descriptive detail.
“The dark tendrils of matter leap out of my body and writhe around me, forming layer after layer. I’m being smashed, smothered, crushed into nothing. Darkness flooding over me. I clench my teeth and try not to scream. Zane’s face is a lifeline, and I grip it with all my might. I will get out of this. I will get back to him.”
The pace was fantastic with something new happening at every corner keeping me gripped and not wishing to put it down.
So many twists and turns that were unexpected.
A fantastic start to the series and I can’t wait to read book 2.
Korrigan is a page-turning blast that brings Irish mythology to life.
Aislinn is a Korrigan–girl by night, monster by day, and forced to steal years from human beings or be forced to never see daylight. Finally turning old enough to steal life and see daylight, she instantly meets falls for the adorable, wholesome Zane. But this love story is far from simple. The rest of the Korrigan are fiercely determined to control her, so “freedom” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Enter the trickster Dar Farrig and his bloodthirsty, creepy leprechauns. This trickster has conflicting and unhealthy plans for Aislinn and plays into her desire for power and autonomy, a way out of the restricting life designed for her. Will the alluring Dar Farrig urge Aislinn to go so far that she loses it all?
I always like to start of with the cons to get them out of the way. Korrigan doesn’t have many, but I wasn’t a fan of the protagonist, Aislinn. Some readers will love her dual personality as she is a monster yet a teenager, so she’s not wholly a good person. I do like that complexity about her. What I didn’t like was how she has strong moral fiber about taking life in the beginning, and yet those morals don’t transfer. She’s willing to hurt others for power with very little regret, refuses to admit responsibility or learn from her mistakes, and then blames the trickster for it. The Dar Farrig is partly to blame, but her lust for power seems limitlessness and unforgivable. Most likely, my main issue is that I’ve never been a fan of the antihero unless there is some redeemable quality. The hero can be morally gray, but I need to see he/she as superior to the villain and here I did not. However, I have a feeling Aislinn is heading for a positive turn in the later books, so I think this is a don’t-judge-until-you-finish-the-series situation.
Not liking the main character might seem like a big hangup, but this book has so many positives it is worth a read. As for the other characters, the trickster’s dual personality is fitting. It is great to see a hero-villain combo and still root for him, and yet know Zane is better for her. Zane is wholly good, so I almost feel bad for him falling for a girl who is monstrous in form and personality. I loved Zane’s character; it was probably the best developed of the novel and although the Far Darrig is appealing, you’re on team Zane because he is so sweet, honest, and accepting.
As for the plot, Korrigan starts off by sucking the reader in with an engrossing moral dilemma, but the main conflict shifts into many others, keeping readers on their toes. The plot is quick and engrossing, leaving you wanting more. The mythology is key. The fantastical is tastefully and uniquely weaved into the real world with a sinister darkness that celtic myths are prone to. A lover of mythology, I was drawn in by the premise and that is what makes the book fantastic. The myths don’t quite line up with what I remember about Irish mythology, but I truly love re-imaginings or re-inventions of myths. To master old texts and reinvent them is a great talent. The dual point-of-view with Zane craftily balances normal teen life among monster myths, making the book interesting and relatable to teens.
Overall, this integration of Irish myth to real teenage life was unique, engrossing, and page-turning. I hope to continue the series to see Aislinn grow into a character that I can love.
Well written fun book. Definitely recommend this. Literally was reading on my phone walking around so I could see how it ended. Loved the Far Darrig! Definitely getting the next book.
“Definitely a Better Love Story than Twilight”
All right, that title may not set the bar high for this review, but believe me, we’re going big with this one. I make that comment in part because I thought it was a catchy title, but also because for every second I was reading Korrigan, by Rebecca F. Kenney, I was thinking, “Why does a book like Twilight get a multi-million dollar movie deal, and not this book?”
Anyway, let’s dive into the review!
I’ve had Korrigan on my “To Be Reviewed” list for months, since well before Rebecca gracious crafted a blog for The Book Builder’s Blog! As many of you know, my review list is crammed with books, so it took me awhile to reach Korrigan.
I don’t read a lot of young adult novels. And since diving into the world of independent literature, I’ve not been particularly impressed with the young adult works thrown my way. They’ve not been bad, per se, but nothing has yet blown me away.
I think Korrigan may have hit the mark, but we’ll see what the scores say below.
The novel follows two POV characters: Aislinn, a seventeen-year-old girl trapped by her guardians because she (SPOILER – well, not really, it’s in the Amazon description) turns into a beast every night. At the same time, we see the narrative through the eyes of a young man named Zane, a regular human who’s path intertwines with Aislinn.
Like any good young adult novel, a love triangle forms. A mysterious character known as the Far Darrig appears, goading Aislinn into various dastardly situations with temptation and power. And throughout the tale, Aislinn learns more and more about her true nature, her family’s history, and a world (or really, more than one world) kept secret from her for all seventeen of her years.
The story’s pace draws you from chapter to chapter, and the crisp, first-person present POV keeps each scene grounded through the eyes of the POV character. The closeness of the story to both Aislinn and Zane was both a strength and weakness of Korrigan, for Aislinn’s chapters definitely outshined Zane’s.
That’s not to say Zane’s chapters were bad. They were necessary to provide an additional POV in moments when Aislinn wasn’t around. But they definitely felt like secondary chapters, and Zane’s voice was much weaker than Aislinn’s. It made me want to push through them to reach the true power of Aislinn’s story!
What makes Korrigan truly shine, however, is its ability to tackle an incredibly complicated and heart-wrenching concept: abuse. I don’t want to spoil how everything goes down by the end of the book, but Kenney expertly weaves elements of stockholm syndrome into Aislinn’s mind, ensuring readers don’t truly understand how broken she is until the right moments.
Kenney deals with a few interactions that might make some readers uncomfortable; but that’s the point. Aislinn is broken. She’s working through her brokenness. She’s not ever experienced real love from anyone, and so her emotions and mind are a jumbled mess.
So in her search for a future and freedom, Aislinn’s story will stick with me for quite some time.
So – a better love story than Twilight? Absolutely! Now when’s Kenney getting her movie deal?
Writing: 9/10. Writing in first person present for two different POVs is incredibly difficult, just as writing in present tense effectively is difficult! And Kenney pulls it off. I didn’t notice a single typo, grammatical mistake, or moment where the writing pulled me out of the scene. Well done!
Character: 7/10. Aislinn is a character I’ll always remember; as is the Far Darrig. In some ways, even Maeve. But Zane and the rest of the supporting cast didn’t hit home for me. They’re written well, but they lacked their own distinct voice to latch onto.
Plot: 9/10. The characters drove the plot. The whole way. I never felt like there was a destination we were headed, and into the final moments of Korrigan, I didn’t know how it would end. That’s how you write a compelling plot.
Setting: 9/10. Kenney seamlessly weaves Irish mythology into the present day, pulling from the old and expertly inserting the new. It felt natural to the story, and nothing felt out-of-place, essential to a “real-world” fantasy.
Overall: 8.5/10. All right. I’m in that sticky situation where I must decide between a four star review and a five star review. I’m going to give Aislinn 5 stars, and Zane 4 stars, and since Aislinn is the true main character, Korrigan receives 5 STARS!
If you’re looking for a young adult fantasy with romance, fantastical magic, and an ever-expanding mythos, then Korrigan is a must-read!