Dua’s Monthly Read for December 2025
Brightly Shining is the perfect festive read – full of wonder, hope and magic. But as you might have come to expect from my choices, there’s also a darker side to this story. Written by Norwegian author Ingvild Rishøi and beautifully translated by Caroline Waight, this is a contemporary reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s heartbreaking fable, The Little Match Girl.
“It’s set in Oslo, following sisters Ronja and Melissa who, along with their alcoholic father, are doing their best to keep the household together. Dad adores his girls – their light is so bright it hurts his eyes – and they love him just as much. But love doesn’t pay the rent, put food in the fridge, or keep him away from the pub. As winter bears down and Dad hits the bottle again, things begin to rapidly unravel.
“Around this fragile family orbits a cast of gentle, everyday heroes, providing a warm heart to this small yet mighty book. “Miracles do happen,” the school caretaker tells Ronja. ‘Sometimes there just isn’t any other way out, and that’s when a miracle happens.’
“This book really stayed with me – it made me think about families impacted by addiction, about vulnerable people living at the margins, and about the importance of community, particularly at this time of year. It also made me think of how small acts of kindness can be a genuine miracle.” – Dua Lipa
Scroll down for Dua’s interview with the author and more content related to the book...
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