Service95 Book Club With Dua Lipa Brightly Shining: Ingvild Rishøi on Hope, Hardship & Reimagining a Christmas Classic
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Dec 2, 2025 Ingvild Rishøi, a Norwegian author celebrated for her empathetic storytelling, discusses her novel Brightly Shining, a modern take on The Little Match Girl. She delves into the complex dynamics between two sisters dealing with their alcoholic father, revealing their resilience and hope. The conversation highlights her unique first draft process and the significance of portraying child poverty and emotional truths. Rishøi also shares insights on adapting her work into film, emphasizing the importance of community support for vulnerable children.
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Child's Voice Anchors The Story
- Ingvild Rishøi wrote Brightly Shining through the eyes of 10-year-old Ronja to show how a child balances hope and reality.
- She intentionally places the reader in Ronja's position to feel empathy for her father while seeing his failures.
Use Playful Drafting Then Brutal Editing
- Rishøi treats drafting like play: write freely without thinking about readers or endings.
- Then print, cut and rearrange the raw material to build a coherent story through editing.
Siblings Divide Emotional Labor
- Rishøi highlights how sibling roles split in families affected by addiction: one child loses hope, the other always hopes.
- That division captures complex simultaneous emotions of love, duty, anger and protection.
