The Familiars, by Stacy Halls is set in and around Pendle, Lancashire in the early 17th Century and is based on real people, some of whom were caught up in the infamous Pendle Witch Trial of 1612. Our main protagonist is Fleetwood Shuttleworth, the mistress of Gawthorpe Hall, who is 17 years old, happily married and pregnant ... for the fourth time! Despite suffering terrible morning sickness, she hopes that it will be fourth time lucky and that she'll finally produce an heir for her husband, Richard. But when she finds a letter addressed to him from their doctor saying that his wife will not survive another pregnancy, she is crushed - not only by the news, but also as to why Richard hasn't said anything to her about it. But when she has a chance meeting with Alice Gray, a young midwife who promises to help Fleetwood give birth to a healthy baby, she takes her on. At first, Alice prescribes various herbs and tonics, and Fleetwood's health improves, but then Alice is accused of witchcraft (like a lot of "wise" women at that time) and Fleetwood sets out to try to help her, no matter the cost to herself and her baby. I really liked Fleetwood, what a great character - full of determination and heart, and willing to challenge the status quo at a time where women had very little say in what happened to them during their whole lives. Full of vivid characters and imagery, plus a good dose of historical details, this is a well rounded story where you can learn something about the past without really trying. Engaging plot and dialogue, this is an excellent read. I can highly recommend it, despite some of the more grisly and disturbing aspects - welcome to the 17th Century folks! This is definitely an author I will be seeking out again.
My STAR rating: FIVE
Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: £3.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.
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