Brightly Shining: Ingvild Rishøi on Hope, Hardship & Reimagining a Christmas Classic

This month, for the Service95 Book Club, Dua Lipa speaks with Norwegian author Ingvild Rishøi about Brightly Shining, a contemporary reimagining of The Little Match Girl. The novel follows two young sisters and their alcoholic father, blending social realism with subtle magic to explore poverty, hope, and the emotional complexities of the holiday season.

Told through the perspective of 10-year-old Ronja, the story highlights the resilience of children navigating instability, the blurred lines between truth and denial within families affected by addiction, and the differing ways siblings cope with responsibility and hope.

By weaving Norway’s most iconic Christmas tale into a modern setting, Rishøi creates a narrative that feels both timeless and urgently relevant – a compassionate portrait of childhood survival and imagination.

Warning: Contains spoilers!

Buy the book at Bookshop.org, Waterstones, and Barnes & Noble 

Get in touch:    

📩 Email us – [email protected]    

📲 Follow @service95bookclub on Instagram for updates    

📚 Subscribe to the Service95 Book Club newsletter – introduced each month by Dua – at www.service95.com    

And don’t forget to hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices