Each of the characters springs from the page, vivid in both their appearances and their actions.
You instantly feel drawn into the story, identifying with Fleetwood and Alice. The Familiars is a magical book that pulls you forward as you read. She must save Alice from conviction and death in order to save her own life and that of her unborn child. Eventually, Fleetwood realizes three lives are in her hands, and she can rely on no one but herself. We also watch as Fleetwood’s relationships with her husband, a close friend of the family, and her mother falter after betrayals and cold truths come to light. We don’t know much about Alice, but it’s not long before she’s accused of murdering a child by witchcraft – a crime punishable by death.Įvents draw Fleetwood and Alice closer together before pulling them apart. Alice Gray is a reserved and poor young woman, but she has a way with herbs and healing that instantly improves Fleetwood’s health. She ends up meeting a strange girl she discovered on her property, and decides to hire her as her midwife. She’s desperate to give birth to a healthy baby, but she’s also desperate to survive herself. The first three ended in miscarriages, and she’s learned that her current pregnancy will likely kill her.
She’s strong-willed and active, always riding horses, joining her husband on hunting trips, and playing with her large dog, Puck.īut for all her strength of character, Fleetwood is in dire circumstances: Already four years into her marriage, she’s pregnant for the fourth time. She may stand 4’11” and be only 17 years old, but Fleetwood immediately demonstrates her big personality and self-assurance. The book centers on Fleetwood Shuttleworth, the wife of the wealthy Richard Shuttleworth. The Familiars is set in Lancashire, England in 1612: the year of the famous Pendle witch trials. I’m currently reading through history, working my way forward from ancient Greek mythology – Circe and The Silence of the Girls – through the 1500s with The Secrets of Life and Death.
Though I was in the middle of a non-fiction reading spree, I kept gazing at The Familiars longingly, promising to read it soon.įast forward to last week, and it was the right time. I was drawn to its beautiful cover, then remembered I’d added it to my wanted list on Goodreads sometime in 2019, so I knew I had to get it. (We actually went to several book stores during my visit I have an obsession!) I decided I needed to get a book (or 10) as a souvenir, and the first one I chose was Stacey Halls‘ debut, The Familiars.
Three months ago, I was visiting my sister in Limerick, Ireland when we popped into a book store.
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