A gripping story of forbidden love set during the early seventeenth Century with the backdrop of public fear and hysteria against those who follow supernatural healing and witch craft. A real page turner!
The story is set in the early seventeenth century and focuses on Sarah, daughter of an impoverished supernatural healer and spell maker. Sarah has been brought up to believe that she has been marked out and also has the gift to be a 'cunning woman' but she and her family struggle to make a living as they are ostracised from the rest of the village due to the general hysteria against them. A chance encounter with Daniel, son of a wealthy farmer, as he impresses Sarah with his gift to calm horses, marks the beginning of their forbidden and secret love affair. The arrival of a new magistrate to the village and his determination to wipe out witchcraft after a spate of unusual deaths, makes their situation all the more perilous but they are helped by the local Parson and make plans to escape. Tension builds as you wait to discover whether the couple get their happy ending.
A truly atmospheric and engaging story written around a blossoming love story and set in the fragile and hysterical setting of early 17th century puritan England
The beginning of the book put me in mind of The Wise Woman by Philippa Gregory and the start did make me think it was going to be quite witchy, dark and twisted but it turned out to be a much more gentle story overall. There is a depth of mystic that lurks at the back but the author didn't follow that path as strongly as I thought she might.
Instead it tells of a tentative, growing love story between the young girl of the family and the son of the local farmer. The daughter has been brought up to believe that she has been specifically chosen to live a life of darkness and follow in the footsteps of her mother but gradually she sees a way to break away from those beliefs.
Life back in the early 17th century is fraught for her family as they are seen as witches by the locals and they are publicly shunned although many beat a path to their door under cover of darkness seeking healing potions.
The arrival on the new magistrate is to be feared and it then became a very atmospheric story and it effortlessly transported me back into a time when most women were seen as mere chattels to their menfolk and any form of healing was viewed with great suspicion, and combined fears and hysteria ran riot very quickly. Viewed now from the 21st century their ignorance is understandable but it's also very scary that people could be tried on no more evidence than a thought or a feeling.
The end wasn't what I expected or wanted but I understood it and it was an open ending, and beginning, to another way of life.
Cunning Women is a story of the fears and risks of communities in the times when healers, especially women, were accused of witchcraft. It convincingly describes the hysteria and dangers that these fears can arouse.
Set in Lancashire in 1620, just a few years after the nearby Pendle witch trials, Cunning Women is the story of Sarah and Daniel, from the poorest and the richest families in their community. Sarah’s family are cunning folk, they are healers and beggars, distrusted and feared by most. They live in extreme poverty in the hills beyond the boundary of community. Daniel’s family are wealthy, the owners of the only farm in the village. Falling in love and knowing they will never be allowed to marry, they create a plan which will make Sarah into a suitable bride for Daniel who will be accepted by his father. A dangerous summer follows when a zealous new magistrate arrives in the village and their risk of exposure, as well as the risk to Sarah’s family, becomes intense.
Elizabeth Lee really brings the period to life, with all its social hierarchy, beliefs, fears and dangers. The story of Sarah and Daniel and their plans I found less convincing and this had some impact on my enjoyment of the book. The final section, however, was full of surprises. Several twists followed in quick succession, with a surprising ending that left me wanting to read more of Sarah’s story.
Cunning Women is a story of the fears and risks of communities in the times when healers, especially women, were accused of witchcraft. It convincingly describes the hysteria and dangers that these fears can arouse.
This is the story of love pitted against ignorance and persecution in the seventeenth century when cunning folk were outcasts who were often pursued by the authorities.
In 1620, Sarah Haworth lives with her mother, brother and younger sister in a hamlet that is deserted because the plague swept through it in the past. Her family are ‘cunning folk’ and are outcasts. The nearby villagers either ignore them or publicly revile them because they are afraid of them. However, many come privately for spells and healing potions.
Sarah’s life is set – she will choose a familiar and become a cunning woman. This is her calling. It is a destiny she struggles against but knows it is futile to try and avoid. Her only aim is to protect her family, especially her younger sister, Annie. Then one day, she meets Daniel a farmer’s son. They fall in love and as their relationship grows, Sarah hopes that there might be a different future for her. However, not only is Gabriel, the farm hand, set on retaliation after Sarah curses him but the new magistrate is a stickler for rules and seeks to eradicate ‘unnatural practices’. Can Sarah and Daniel’s love survive not only societal restrictions, but also Gabriel’s desire for revenge and the magistrate’s pursuit?
This book is gripping and absorbing. It is full of evocative and fascinating descriptions of the historical period. As well as this, it is a love story albeit an unusual one, with an atmospheric sense of foreboding. Finally, the female characters are depicted as being strong, even though they exist during a time when everything is controlled by powerful men.
Fantastic quick read. I love all things witchy and this book didn't disappoint. Great read. Definitely recommend.
Cunning Women is my type of book. Packed full of witch craft and love based on a historical setting where the craft is found upon and people put to death for even being accused of something untoward.
Sarah and Daniel are both great characters and little Annie is adorable. I read this book in a day and didn't want to put it down.
Atmospheric and dark
Set not long after the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, this tells the love story of Sarah Haworth, who is marked as a witch, Daniel, a farmer’s son, and their hope for a better future together.
Cunning Women is quite a slow burner of a read. It gets off to a leisurely start and then the action begins to pick up from the middle of the book. It’s beautifully written and quite dark in its composition. It’s very atmospheric and occasionally put a shiver down my spine. It’s written in alternating voices, that of Sarah in the first person and Daniel in the third person. Sarah’s voice is so very believable and I felt for her and her family. It really brings to the fore the ignorance of people in this era. I can thoroughly recommend this engrossing and eerie story to those who enjoy their books on the darker side!
Earthy, dark and addictive. This slow-burning, dangerous book with a hard-to-predict ending, will leave you breathless. Elizabeth Lee’s language, beautiful description and believable characters are simply captivating. I loved it!
Earthy, dark and addictive. I loved this debut novel from Elizabeth Lee. A slow-burning, dangerous book which carefully and seductively plots the paths of each character, during a turbulent time in history, leaving me breathless at times as to the choices each one will make and the consequences of their actions. The love story between Sarah and Daniel is completely believable, and the rich language and description from the author captures their moments together beautifully. The emotive language is key throughout this novel; descriptive phrases, alternate viewpoints and local dialect bring this story to life, along with enter twined historical details — I was completely drawn in to the plight and persecution of Sarah and her family, set in a time when fear of witchcraft and hunting down those seen as witches, must have been utterly terrifying. Thank goodness for characters such as Seth, Bett, and of course, Daniel, who tried their utmost to help and support and love Sarah and her family.
I cannot wait for Elizabeth Lee’s next novel!
This book has a striking storyline and well drawn, likeable characters set during the witch hunts of 1620.
This book has a striking storyline and well drawn, likeable characters
The story is set during the witch hunts of 1620. Sarah and her family live outside the village and, although many people come to their door for the cures and potions created by her mother, they are rejected by the community as witches. Sarah’s bother John is unable to find work in the village because of his family’s reputation and Sarah and her sister, Annie, are reduced to begging.
Sarah meets Daniel, the son of a local farm owner and they fall in love. A new magistrate comes to the village and life becomes even more dangerous for Sarah.