“Help me live, Alice. Please help me be a mother…”
It sold me at witch-hunt. This book is an historical gem coated in a feminine floral spine. This is the type of book I would have picked up on cover and blurb alone; never mind reviews. It is a sleek and gorgeous addition to the shelf. But it also has a meaningful story to tell, one of which involves extinct views on what women should do. It is about the tired eyes of society turning blind when a king calls for all wise women and those with knowledge to be considered the Devil’s spawn. A title that only death can follow.
It is about a Fleetwood; or Little Ghost as she gets referred to, and her recent journey of pregnancy. I will add it now as it is a trigger subject, the tale involves the fear of losing another child and does describe losing a child in a way which might trigger a few buried feelings. I only want to add the warning before you are dying to read the review. Trust me, you wouldn’t be alone if you did; it brought up a few for me. Fleetwood journey’s through a tough pregnancy with the help of a young girl named Alice. A young girl whose knowledge and good heart becomes a curse. The story leads down a dirt ridden path of accusations, curses and familiars.
“He will save me from this miserable life, I thought. I could not like him more if I tried.”
The characters of this book try to break the bounds of captivity of the age it is set. Well at least the women do. The female leads were one of the reasons I fell so hard for the book. Their personalities felt modern, born an era too soon. Take Fleetwood for example. She is the wife to a wealthy husband, someone who should be demonstrating every lesson of etiquette automatically, is a wild spirit. She is a woman who enjoys breaking the moulds and standing up for what she believes. Even if it means more than she own risk.
Our second female main is Alice, a young midwife whose knowledge is questionable. She is Fleetwood’s saviour. A young girl who wants to help her survive. Alice is the mysterious soul of the novel. She is a free spirit who has no anchors. The book screams witch at times. I loved the secrecy behind her character, she always let you in just enough to want more.
Next, we have our main male role – Richard. He is Fleetwood’s adoring husband. Or at least it seems. The book starts with Fleetwood discovering a letter foretelling the potential for death in the childbed. It is a letter that becomes the centre of the story. The first domino to fall. He is the fuel to Fleetwood’s flames. A fuel that burns both ways.
Though these characters are aged, they are still relatable. They are not just words on the page. The pain these characters know and the issues they come to face will be real to you to. I enjoyed this novel. I haven’t read anything like this in a few years and I cannot remember why. I know the term historical fiction can sometimes be off putting, but this one nails its themes on the head. It is written in such a way you want to get on a horse and scream in defence at the gallows. I’m a fantasy reader at heart but sometimes a novel like this helps refresh the palette.
It is the perfect read to relax with a warm blanket in the early evening. It is a book based on our British roots, and reveals a time where knowledge was feared. Just remember the trigger warning; it is slightly graphic in places, yet brilliantly written. I loved everything about this book and hope you do too. It is history told in its best light.
It sold me at witch-hunt. This book is an historical gem coated in a feminine floral spine. This is the type of book I would have picked up on cover and blurb alone; never mind reviews. It is a sleek and gorgeous addition to the shelf. But it also has a meaningful story to tell, one of which involves extinct views on what women should do. It is about the tired eyes of society turning blind when a king calls for all wise women and those with knowledge to be considered the Devil’s spawn. A title that only death can follow.
It is about a Fleetwood; or Little Ghost as she gets referred to, and her recent journey of pregnancy. I will add it now as it is a trigger subject, the tale involves the fear of losing another child and does describe losing a child in a way which might trigger a few buried feelings. I only want to add the warning before you are dying to read the review. Trust me, you wouldn’t be alone if you did; it brought up a few for me. Fleetwood journey’s through a tough pregnancy with the help of a young girl named Alice. A young girl whose knowledge and good heart becomes a curse. The story leads down a dirt ridden path of accusations, curses and familiars.
“He will save me from this miserable life, I thought. I could not like him more if I tried.”
The characters of this book try to break the bounds of captivity of the age it is set. Well at least the women do. The female leads were one of the reasons I fell so hard for the book. Their personalities felt modern, born an era too soon. Take Fleetwood for example. She is the wife to a wealthy husband, someone who should be demonstrating every lesson of etiquette automatically, is a wild spirit. She is a woman who enjoys breaking the moulds and standing up for what she believes. Even if it means more than she own risk.
Our second female main is Alice, a young midwife whose knowledge is questionable. She is Fleetwood’s saviour. A young girl who wants to help her survive. Alice is the mysterious soul of the novel. She is a free spirit who has no anchors. The book screams witch at times. I loved the secrecy behind her character, she always let you in just enough to want more.
Next, we have our main male role – Richard. He is Fleetwood’s adoring husband. Or at least it seems. The book starts with Fleetwood discovering a letter foretelling the potential for death in the childbed. It is a letter that becomes the centre of the story. The first domino to fall. He is the fuel to Fleetwood’s flames. A fuel that burns both ways.
Though these characters are aged, they are still relatable. They are not just words on the page. The pain these characters know and the issues they come to face will be real to you to. I enjoyed this novel. I haven’t read anything like this in a few years and I cannot remember why. I know the term historical fiction can sometimes be off putting, but this one nails its themes on the head. It is written in such a way you want to get on a horse and scream in defence at the gallows. I’m a fantasy reader at heart but sometimes a novel like this helps refresh the palette.
It is the perfect read to relax with a warm blanket in the early evening. It is a book based on our British roots, and reveals a time where knowledge was feared. Just remember the trigger warning; it is slightly graphic in places, yet brilliantly written. I loved everything about this book and hope you do too. It is history told in its best light.