The letter Y was the next out of the bag and it took me a while to hone in on a book, but I found The Hellion, by Harriet Young in a random search on Audible and I am mightily glad I did. The story starts in 1537, when youngsters Elizabeth and best friend Anne, witness a devastating fire. Following this, they are raised by Anne's grandmother, who teaches them the ways of a wise woman. This leads them to being able to earn a living for themselves by providing healing remedies, spells and the odd curse! A feud develops between them, and Elizabeth finds herself living in the grim Malkin Towers, on the edge of Pendle, where, in 1612, the most notorious witchcraft trials in England are taking place. Elizabeth's granddaughter, Alison, becomes embroiled in a scandal and she is accused of witchcraft. Before long, her whole family and that of Anne are also accused, thanks to the evidence of a nine year old girl - who is not as innocent or sweet as she appears! This is a gripping debut novel and gives a real insight into the prejudices and misunderstandings of the time where a woman earning an independent living was always viewed as suspicious. Love, betrayal, misunderstandings and manipulation all feature among a cast made up primarily of strong females, who, despite their strength, will always be at the mercy of men. Full of historical detail, you will learn something about that era, without realising it! It isn't always an easy read, but it is well worth the effort. If this her debut, I can't wait to see what Ms Young does next.
My STAR rating: FOUR.
Length: 300 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.
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