Rated by buyers 
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P.C. Cast's "Brighid's Quest" is a good, solid story about a centaur (Brighid) who has run from her family for good reason -- most of them are cruel, sordid sorts who have done horrible things to their own people -- and has forsaken her birthright as a shaman because she quite rightly refused to study magic and religion from her mother (the previous shaman, and the only teacher available), as her mother was an extremely wicked person who was at best extremely narcissistic and vain; at worst, she was cruel and vicious.
In "Elphame's Quest," Brighid the centaur was a minor character; she had come to Elphame's abode, the castle of the Macallen, and had asked for a place as a Huntress. (This is a job that's not as sacred as that of a shaman, but it's just as important and necessary. Without an adequate food supply -- including fresh meat -- no castle or city would be able to survive.) Her family name, Dhianna, gave everyone pause -- the Dhianna Herd is known for being closed-minded, sheltered, and obstinate (those being its best qualities; see above for its worst) -- but Brighid more than proved her mettle in the previous book.
Because this is a sequel, I have to mention at least a little bit of "Elphame's Quest" in order to review this; otherwise it makes no sense. (I'll try not to discuss too much of Elphame's story; that's for a later review.) In that story, one of the secondary plots dealt with Elphame's brother, Cuchulainn; he had always been a rough and ready "love 'em and leave 'em" type, but had inexplicably fallen in love with the shy, needy, talented and scarred healer, Brenna. They intended to marry, and had consummated their relationship and pledged before witnesses, but were unable to enjoy a marital relationship because Brenna was killed by some malicious fools who wanted to hurt the community at large (going after a Healer is fair game in war).
Cuchulainn was shattered; he'd never expected to find love, much less with Brenna, and giving so freely of himself was extremely and extraordinarily difficult -- but worth it, so long as she was alive.
At the start of "Brighid's Quest," Brighid the Huntress, being Cuchulainn's friend, is trying to help him through his grief. As a centaur -- someone who cannot shapechange -- she doesn't even think about Cuchulainn as a possible mate; how could she?
But Cuchulainn notices her, and feels guilty; Brenna isn't long-dead, and they should've had years ahead of them. Instead, all he has to remember are a few, short months of intense joy -- then intense sorrow, as her life ended so violently. Cuchulainn knows that shamans can shapechange; his own father is a centaur shaman (his mother being the priestess of Epona, who mates with a centaur of her choosing/Epona's choosing), and he has no prejudices about mixed-marriages.
Brighid, gradually, falls in love with Cuchulainn, but doesn't realize it until about halfway through the book. There's a precipitating event; the Dhianna Herd is causing problems, and with Brighid's mother being dead, the head shaman is now her brother, a very difficult and bitter man who does nothing but harm.
Brighid, consequently, has to endeavor to become a shaman -- not because she wants it, necessarily (even though her romantic interests have definitely made her wish she could; shamans, after all, can shapechange), but because she knows it's better for her people and everyone else on the Plains where the Dhianna Herd makes its home. (Brighid doesn't believe in maurading, or taking what she wants that isn't hers; as a Huntress, she believes in hunting animals within season, and is a conservationist/ecologist.) That the Dhianna Herd has more or less raped the land they live on is part of her reasoning as to why she finally decides to become a shaman; she figures no one can do worse than her brother has, and that someone must try to do better.
Cuchulainn, of course, supports her, but his own journey isn't over. He still feels guilty over it all, and needs the help of a shaman to put himself back together.
The way these two come together in what seems from the start to be a star-crossed romance is extremely sweet, but not saccharine; Cuchulainn is able to build on what he'd learned about himself with Brenna and take all the good from that relationship into his new one with Brighid, and both become better and wiser people as they take up their burdens.
I found this book to be a very good, solid romantic fantasy; it is believable, the characterizations are excellent, and Brighid is a woman worth knowing -- kind, wise, resourceful, but with a hot temper and the variety of faults you'd find in a real person. (Cuchulainn, as previously stated, is obviously no saint. I find that refreshing in fantasy literature; far too many heroes are saintly, and that doesn't ring true to my mind. People are not meant to be saints, even in fiction.)
I think this is Ms. Cast's second-best book, behind solely "Goddess of Spring;" I rated that a four as well, but that one has some odd wordings at times that threw me out of the reader's trance. This one doesn't; it's better-written, better laid out, better plotted, and yet uses all of Ms. Cast's strengths -- her writing of dialogue, her humor, her characterization, and her knowledge.
In other words, "Goddess of Spring" would've been a five without the problems I found in it; this is a very strong four that's nearly a five, and is just short of the pathos and romance I enjoyed so heartily in "Goddess of Spring."
But it's very good; very well-written, very enjoyable.
Four-plus stars (just short of five stars), highly recommended.
Barb Caffrey
Rated by buyers 
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On a quest to escort the orphaned New Formorians (children born with wings) back to the land of their ancestors, Brighid, a centaur huntress, discovers a complication she hadn't anticipated: her quest companion, the warrior Cuchulainn, needs her help as well. Still grieving from the death of his love, it's begun to threaten his soul.
I enjoyed this series' very first book, Elphame's Choice, reasonably well, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Unfortunately, it's too predictable and not especially satisfying. I think I'm through with P.C. Cast.
Rated by buyers 
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I love all of PC Cast's books. It helps to do a little research and read the books in order to help track the characters and how the intertwine through each book. I liked this one in part because it stays in one time space. Each of her books asks that you stretch your imagination and they bring folklore alive. Can't wait for the subsequent one!
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I didn't come away from Elphame's Choice with a great liking for Brighid as a character, but I'm glad I picked this up anyway because it completely changed my mind abouut her. I was so impressed with her development, as I read and the power of her emotional conflict. There are so many moments in this book that make it well worth the length, not just involving Brighid and Cu's interaction. but also the absolutely amazing sequences regarding the New Fomorians. Plus you gotta love a cliff hanger ending. Brighid's Quest really adds to the depth and richness of the Partholon saga. and only adds to the anticipation for future books.
Rated by buyers -
After hearing wonderful reviews for the works of P.C. Cast and one glowing one for this novel in particular, I rushed off to buy Brighid's Quest, intrigued by the premise of a centaur heroine.
I cannot in any way fault P.C. Cast's writing. Her prose is beautiful, her descriptions lush. The word she built is unique and detailed. It's a fascinating mix of mythologies with Goddesses Incarnate, centaurs, and Fomorians.
However, as lovely as the world and writing are, they can't make up for the total lack of conflict in the story. Everyone is just wonderful and lovely to everyone else. The children and bright, happy, and exuberant, not a brat in the bunch. Their leader is sweet, understanding, sweet, powerful, sweet... It's almost mind-numbing how perfect everyone is.
250 pages into the book, Brighid and Cu have helped bring the perfect children and their perfect leader through the Fomorian land and across a pass. Thinking back on it, I'd be hard pressed to remember anything else that occured over those pages... And those pages were a trial to get through because I kept putting the book down out of sheer boredom. Nothing about the characters made me want to explore their futures.
If you enjoy books where everyone is lovely and wonderful to each other, rather like a literary version of heaven, then this is the book for you. If you like something with conflict, characters making mistakes and learning from then, then you might want to give this a miss.