The Priest's Wife
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Pub Date 23 Oct 2023 | Archive Date 31 Jan 2027
Talking about this book? Use #IsleFincaraTrilogy #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
In a world like the eleventh century, on an island like the Western Isles, the priest of Caerpadraig falls ill and dies. In this patriarchal society, his widow will soon lose her home, as well as her place in the community. In the face of so much loss and change, Morag sets out on a quest to learn about her mysterious mother, whom she has never known. It's really a quest for her own identity, but at first her journey only leads to frustration, and she fails to recognise the very people who can point her towards the wholeness she seeks.
Meanwhile Father Aidan, her husband's replacement, embarks on a mission to sweep away Caerpadraig's long-held traditions—a blend of paganism and Christianity. As he comes under increasing strain, it's the voice of the waif, Sorcha, that cuts through. ‘It’s yer time, Antie,’ she tells Morag. ‘Ye’ll be needed. Don't ye ken?’
A novel about plumbing the depths and coming out the other side. And the help hidden in community.
#TheSeaborne, “A novel of Celtic quantum time that asks us to consider the ways in which we are all born strangers, seaborne foundlings, living between worlds. A parable for our particularly torn times.” Damian Walford Davies
#ThePriest’sWife, “A beautifully written, well-paced exploration of Morag’s growth. Rivett does an excellent job of putting us inside her head.” Alastair Mabbott, The Herald
#TheShareg, “Immersive. Contemplative. Varied and compelling. About a man elevated to leadership who seeks to balance tradition, tolerance and progress.” Eileen Gonzalez, Foreword Clarion Reviews
Also available in paperback and hardback.
A Note From the Publisher
1 #TheSeaborne. A modern man finds himself adrift on a medieval island. On NetGalley until 15 November.
2 #ThePriestsWife. A woman's quest for wholeness in a patriarchal society.
3 #TheShareg. When a coercive ideology seeks to take over, the Islanders resist. On NetGalley until 28 February 2027
Advance Praise
A vividly imagined journey through an alternative Celtic reality which skilfully combines an intriguing narrative with lyrical description and spiritual depth. Maggie Hamand, author of Virgin and Child and Creative Writing for Dummies
A beautifully written, well-paced exploration of Morag’s growth. Rivett does an excellent job of putting us inside her head, to the point that we start to feel we know her intimately. A positive portrayal of a Christian community clinging to its pagan origins, contrasting it sharply with a bureaucratic, patriarchal church intent on standardising and regulating worship across the world. Alastair Mabbott, The Herald
Suspenseful and engaging. A thoroughly good read that challenges the assumptions that hold us back. Isabel Clarke, author of Madness, Mystery and the Survival of God
Beautifully written and evocative of the culture of the time, no anachronistic language intrudes. This is a misty, green world, where the Otherworld of the Sidhe is not so distant from life among the living. Rivett understands the tight relationship of the peasants to the land and the seasons and their religious ideas and practices. Susie Helme, Historical Novel Society
This novel is unique in its voice, storytelling and setting. A slow burner, it’s a novel that feels warm and personal and very gentle. It isn’t driven by action or adventure, yet still has a sense of pace and purpose, and it always pitches up some new, creative twist. Maddy McGlynn, maddyreadsherstory blog
A skilfully written story of one woman and her journey to discover herself. I felt like I was inside Morag’s head. The characters are well fleshed out and the way the author weaves religion into the novel makes it a layered and interesting read. The exploration of mental health is another sensitively handled subject. It's a novel that’s well-written, with sensitivity but also bravery. Sharon Rimmelzwaan, Beyond the Books blog
Evokes a profound sense of the beauty of place and of the community that is bound to it. The reader is drawn in, and in a way joins the characters on their journey. If the setting is a thousand years in the past, the underlying themes are quite contemporary. Br Daniel OSB, Pluscarden Benedictines
It made me think. I loved the characters and could easily have read more. Michelle Wilde
Marketing Plan
The present NetGalley campaign precedes publicity and advertising scheduled for the launch of The Shareg, final book of the Isle Fincara Trilogy, due to launch on 8 October at the Iona Community Bookshop.
With the completion of the Trilogy, we aim for a Blog Tour and other reviews of The Shareg, supplemented by advertising.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781739362324 |
| PRICE | £4.49 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 453 |
Available on NetGalley
Available to Buy
Buy on Bookshop.org Buy on Kobo Buy on WaterstonesAverage rating from 2 members
Featured Reviews
Sonja C, Reviewer
📚Book Review📚
The Priest's Wife
AG Rivett
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is actually book 2 of The Isle Fincara Trilogy, but the first book that I've read in this series and indeed by this author.
I would normally not read books out of order, but sadly didn't have time to grab and read book 1 before this one.
I feel that this book still worked well as a standalone, although I definitely feel like I would have gained more from the character development than I did on this read through.
When Morag's husband (the priest) passes away, she is not only grieving her loss, but also displaced from her home as the new priest arrives.
When a stranger arrives, claiming to be a prophet, with stories of Morag's mother - she decides to go on a journey to discover where she came from and the truth of these stories.
I found this an interesting read - despite not being religious myself, I enjoy reading about this era where Christianity was just evolving and the contrast here between the traditional paganism that existed on the island previously and the new ideas coming through with the new priest.
Morag was such a strong character and although set in a completely different time, I found that she was still very relatable.
Her journey to discover her identity and to find a place in which she fitted in this new world, was profound and moving.
Also dealing with the topic of mental health, which was sensitively done and well written.
I'm keen to catch up on this series and have since got hold of book 1 - The Seaborne - and hope to get chance to read both of these ready for the final book of the trilogy.
💕Thank you so much to the author and Helen Richardson PR for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕
Fiona A, Reviewer
The Priest’s Wife follows The Seaborne, where protagonist Dhion/John hovers between two worlds as he struggles to adjust to life in the village of Caerpadraig, Isle Fincara. This second installment moves its focus temporarily from Dhion to his adopted mother, Morag.
A strange occurrence prompts Morag to seek the truth about her maternal heritage, as she is reminded of all that has been kept hidden. Her husband Hugh, Fincara’s priest, unexpectedly sickens and dies, just after offering the priest’s mantle to her, unheard of as Fincara priests are always male. After a period of mourning and settling her affairs, Morag returns for the first time, to her family home in Kimmoil, on a lone quest to find out who her mother is or was.
The shareg and the residents of Kimmoil seem unduly reticent to acknowledge her. She is outwardly shunned and even those few who offer lodging seem in fear of retribution. In an age when stories are not written down, they are carried by one person, holding the local ancestry in their mind. This visionary gives Morag vague answers and speculative notions she finds contradictory. One small discovery turns out to be very consequential – a ragged, half-starved young girl, Sorcha. Taking her under her wing, Morag returns to Caerpadraig, to her son Dhion, his wife Shinane and their twin girls. She takes up her husband’s mantle as priest for the town, although this brings inevitable retribution from the Archpriest and his ruthless pelegrines.
The Priest’s Wife’s narrative hangs consequentially on Morag’s quest and discoveries and does not have the plot tension felt throughout The Seaborne. It is like a spiritual fable of female agency, and trust that those you love will stand by you in the worst of times. Having read The Seaborne, I am wavering as to whether this novel can stand alone. To have a wider and more fulfilling experience of character, time, place, and environment, I recommend reading The Seaborne first. A profoundly notable trilogy to be savoured.