The tale of Fleetwood, a young wife to a wealthy merchant, is set in the early 1600's. Fleetwood is pregnant for the third time and desperate to carry this child to term. She has already lost two babies and has discovered a letter from a doctor which states that if she tries for another then she will surely die. Terrified by this, Fleetwood meets Alice, a local girl, by chance and employs her to be her midwife.
The backdrop to the story are the witch trials which are taking place in the local area of Pendle. Alice's country remedies seem to Fleetwood suspiciously like witchcraft but she is desperate to keep her child and so becomes more and more reliant on Alice's expertise and friendship.
This book was a slow starter, Fleetwood appears a bit of a weak character at first, pathetically adoring to her husband, wary of her mother and with an inability to run her household and its staff properly. However, as you get to know Fleetwood better (and accept that she is still a child of 17), then her true character starts to blossom.
The story of the Pendle witch trials made for a great historical read, especially as all of the main characters and settings were based on real people. I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, but found myself immersed in this tale and time which the author really brought to life.
The backdrop to the story are the witch trials which are taking place in the local area of Pendle. Alice's country remedies seem to Fleetwood suspiciously like witchcraft but she is desperate to keep her child and so becomes more and more reliant on Alice's expertise and friendship.
This book was a slow starter, Fleetwood appears a bit of a weak character at first, pathetically adoring to her husband, wary of her mother and with an inability to run her household and its staff properly. However, as you get to know Fleetwood better (and accept that she is still a child of 17), then her true character starts to blossom.
The story of the Pendle witch trials made for a great historical read, especially as all of the main characters and settings were based on real people. I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, but found myself immersed in this tale and time which the author really brought to life.