The evolving alliance of seventeen year old Fleetwood Shuttleworth and a remarkably talented young midwife, Alice Gray, enticed me to settle down for the evening and read on until the wee hours.
The exceptionally exquisite cover of "The Familiars" holds all the secrets of the story within. As you read you will begin to recognise the little elements from their world incorporated into the design. But no matter how captivating the cover seems it can never mask just how chilling and perilous this era was, especially for females with a medicinal herb garden who found themselves on the wrong side of a ‘neighbourly’ dispute.
The pages are peppered with curious little co-incidences that give credence to accusations of witchcraft. It cleverly introduces subtle phenomenon that should have a perfectly logical explanation, yet it invites doubt to creep in and fester like an infected wound.
Well, this book does say “rumour spreads faster than disease” and certain individuals must watch both their tongue and their conduct throughout to avoid any unwanted attention in that regard. It also highlights how the social classes find that their domestic arrangements, attire and education may differ, but the way they are perceived by those with power and authority is a challenge familiar to them all.
To say I found "The Familiars" riveting would be an understatement. It’s filled with misconceptions, injustices, and a despicable keenness for some people to carry out orders regardless of what it may cost others. My only reservation would be Fleetwood’s repeated recklessness, particularly after the many tragedies she has endured previously.
So putting that very minor objection aside, both fact and fiction merged seamlessly and was a genuine pleasure to read. I'd gladly read another book by this author.
The exceptionally exquisite cover of "The Familiars" holds all the secrets of the story within. As you read you will begin to recognise the little elements from their world incorporated into the design. But no matter how captivating the cover seems it can never mask just how chilling and perilous this era was, especially for females with a medicinal herb garden who found themselves on the wrong side of a ‘neighbourly’ dispute.
The pages are peppered with curious little co-incidences that give credence to accusations of witchcraft. It cleverly introduces subtle phenomenon that should have a perfectly logical explanation, yet it invites doubt to creep in and fester like an infected wound.
Well, this book does say “rumour spreads faster than disease” and certain individuals must watch both their tongue and their conduct throughout to avoid any unwanted attention in that regard. It also highlights how the social classes find that their domestic arrangements, attire and education may differ, but the way they are perceived by those with power and authority is a challenge familiar to them all.
To say I found "The Familiars" riveting would be an understatement. It’s filled with misconceptions, injustices, and a despicable keenness for some people to carry out orders regardless of what it may cost others. My only reservation would be Fleetwood’s repeated recklessness, particularly after the many tragedies she has endured previously.
So putting that very minor objection aside, both fact and fiction merged seamlessly and was a genuine pleasure to read. I'd gladly read another book by this author.