Review – Cunning Women

"His dark power is in me, I have felt it, waiting to be unlocked. I am marked, my fate one day to conjure my own familiar and spin curses"

Summary:

Set in England in the 1600s, in a plague Hamlet, there lives a family of cunning folk. The villagers from the nearby villages use them only when needed, otherwise shun them. And then, forbidden love starts to blossom.

What I loved:

This is not only a story of forbidden love, but also of a woman discovering and embracing her inner wild and coming onto her own.

The narrative is even paced. Characters are very well written. Character descriptions are excellent and the visuals she creates transports you to a time long gone by, a tumultuous period of religion, superstitions and witch trails.

You'll get deeply involved with the characters, feeling their fury, fear and love. And feeling for their love, loss, victories and heartbreak.

What I'd have liked to see:

I’d have loved to read a bit more Sarah's mother and her backstory.

Final words:

"Happen they ask for nowt but kindness"

While on the surface Cunning Women is a story of forbidden love during a tumultuous time in history, it carries a subliminal message - one that urges us to examine and question the injustice of the witch trails and the unfairness with which people, especially women who wouldn't conform to the norms, were hunted down and punished.

Elizabeth Lee, by conjuring the wild beautiful Sarah, also compels us to examine and embrace our own inner wild.

A big massive thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for sending me an Advanced Readers Copy.

I don’t usually pick books that are set in the past but I am really pleased I chose this one. It is set in a village and era where people were classed as witches if they had any skills for healing etc. A family lose their husband (dad) to the sea and have no support or money. The children beg and the mother makes potions which lead to many problems and they move to a part of the village away from people to stay safe. Daniel, the son of a farmer and Sarah, the daughter living away from the village meet and that sets the story in motion for a love affair which cannot be seen by anyone. The only person in the beginning to help the family is the Pastor but it does not sustain their needs food wise but tries to support Daniel and Sarah. The children beg on the streets and the middle child, John, steals to keep them going. Sarah has been “chosen” and seems to have powers which she does not want or understand. Daniel and Sarah plan to get married but things take a terrible turn for the family. Gabriel works with Daniel on the farm and causes so much trouble that the lives of the family are threatened several times. The youngest child, Annie, is a timid little thing and Sarah’s mission in life is to keep her safe as she does with her brother but the story continues down a spiral of sadness. This book is a definite good read and I enjoyed it even though in parts it made me very sad

I don't think I've ever read a book like this one. I read books set in the 20th century as a rule but this was based in Lancashire where I live in the 1600. It was a magical book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Having grown up with the stories of the witches of Pendle Hill this book felt really close to home and I'd definitely recommend if you want to read something different from the usual crowd pleasers.

Beautifully written and a good story, but I did have an issue with it. It introduces the idea that these women really did use curses to do harm, had familiars and were capable of 'witchcraft'. So why did they have to live in abject poverty when they had the power to do something about it? I couldn't understand why they had to pretend to be what they weren't on the one hand, while they really were what people feared on the other.

This book perfectly melded together all the possibilities for how and why accusations of witchcraft came about in the early 1600s. From the demonising of cunning folk to the suspicion of women (and men) who didn't fall into line within the community. And the rage-inducing blaming of men's shortcomings on women and their wiles! I loved how the author wrote about the confusing feelings that grow between Sarah and Daniel. The intensity of first love and being fully seen by another is deftly written; it's both sweet and sad as we know the two cannot be together. Sarah's inner battle with herself is particularly compelling, The story successfully explores the psychological nuances of what happens when you’re told you’re something particular, how that affects what you believe about yourself, and whether that is disadvantageous or advantageous and why. Big questions that are still extremely relevant today. I loved this book and the writing, I got totally lost in it and could perfectly envisage the village and its environs, the characters that make the community, and their moral conundrums. The fear that finger-pointing and tale-telling produces was palpable. I hope this début from Elizabeth Lee receives the acclaim it deserves.

An interesting love story set in the shadow of the 17th century witch trials. There were parts of this book that worked well, but in the whole it felt quite rushed. A nice quick read, with some definitive promise.

Cunning Women review

5/5⭐️’s

A Fishing community in Lancashire,1620, eight years after the Pendle witch trials. Sarah Haworth has found an unforgiving mark on her body, a sign, that like her mother, indicates that she too is a witch.

Torn between a strong desire for an ordinary life and one to discover what dark power she might possess, Sarah’s hope is that her younger sister Annie will be spared this fate.

The Haworth family eke out a meagre existence in the old plague village adjoining a God-fearing community presided over by a seedy magistrate. A society built upon looking the other way, the villagers’ godliness is merely a veneer.

When Sarah spies a young man taming a wild horse, she risks being caught to watch him calm the animal. And when Daniel sees Sarah he does not just see a strange, dirty thing, he sees her for who she really is, a strong creature about to come into her own. But can something as fragile as love blossom between these two in such a place as this?

And when a new magistrate arrives to rid out those behind the strange ends that keep befalling the villagers, he has his eye on one family alone. And a torch in his hand.

Elizabeth Lee writes so beautifully and with such emotion that by the end of the book I was in tears. The story is brilliantly crafted and I absolutely loved how well the key events all played out, with twists and turns. It definitely kept me guessing and surprised me nonetheless. I was so fearful for Sarah and her families life, I had grown to adore them, especially little Annie. I really enjoyed the romance between Sarah and Daniel too and the way they go about their romance is just Whimsical and just genius.

The pacing of the book is fast, but so cleverly done. Each event leads to another and each has a consequence which I loved. It kept me turning those pages for sure.

This is an outstanding debut by Elizabeth and I am really looking forward to her future books.

I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. If you loved The Familiars by Stacey Halls then this one is a winner too.

I think you all should go and give this one a read.

This book tells the story of Sarah and her family who have been shunned by their community because of their “cunning ways”. It’s set against the backdrop of the Pendleton witch trials. Sarah and the son of a local farmer fall in love and the story focuses on them both.

I found it very slow and the it speeds up towards the end with everything seeming to happen at once. Although I finished it, I was on the verge of giving up on occasions and the only reason I stuck with it was because it was for review. Sadly not for me.

“Observe your womenfolk for wantonness above their usual failing, watch for the meeting of covens without a man to give spiritual strength. You must keep an attentive eye for secret knowledge of herbuse, the mark of the Devil upon the skin, for these are the signs of Wickedness”
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1620 in Lancashire, only 8 years after the infamous Pendle witch trials. Sarah, her mother, little sister Annie and brother John, have taken over one of the stone dwellings on the hill left empty by plague. Made poor by the death of their fisherman father in a storm, their mother has made ends meet in whatever ways she could. Alongside her hare familiar, Dew-springer, she now makes potions and charms for the villagers although her intentions can also be turned towards hurt and harm. Although the locals use Mam’s powers, they mistrust her and are afraid of her family. The “Haworth Hag” and her brood are the first to be blamed for any misfortune or thievery, a rift the new magistrate is keen to turn to his advantage


Secretly marked as a witch, Sarah has an opportunity to change her life and support her family thanks to Daniel, the son of a local farmer. Their fledgling relationship blossoms, but has to remain hidden in the face of parental disapproval and increasing unrest in the village stoked by Magistrate Wright; hanger of papists and discoverer of witches


Star-crossed lovers indeed. I had to read this one in increasingly shorter bursts as I came to care for Sarah and Daniel. Their fragile hope in the face of everything that conspired against them was hard to witness and was a counterpoint to the greed, lust and envy of the people around them. Elizabeth Lee did a fabulous job of weaving together the two narrative viewpoints whilst continuously ratcheting up the tension. There was also enough detail about the historical setting and the secondary characters to create a richness to the story that I enjoyed, particularly around the uses of herbs and superstitions of the time. A fantastic debut novel and if you enjoyed The Mercies or The Familiars you may well love this one too
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

This book was a pleasant surprise. I tend to be wary of any stories with any 'magic/bewitching' titles and unfairly discount them as unbelievable. Something had attracted me to this book and I am glad it did, as I really did enjoy it. There was no magic, except the effect it had on me.
The story was set in the seventeenth century, in the north of England. It seemed a very believable story of a family who were struggling to make ends meet, despite their difficulties there was also a love story threaded throughout the pages.
I liked the way I couldn't predict the ending and whether it would be tragic? I will be looking for other books by this author.
Overall I think I would describe this book as mesmerising and one that touched my heart.

Set in the 1600s, Cunning Women tells the story of Sarah Howarth and her family, who have been ostracised from their community as, due to their “cunning ways” — herbalism, healings, hexes, and cures — they are believed to be witches. Sarah meets a local farmer’s son, Daniel, and they fall in love, but the locals cry bewitchment. The story is quite slow and doesn’t really pick up until towards the end, when everything seems to happen all at once.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Random House UK, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is well-written, but it's a slow read. There were parts where the story dragged a bit. But the characters were believable and engaging.

This was an interesting read. It focuses on Sarah the daughter of a cunning woman, someone we might now call a herbalist practitioner, but back then they were feared.

Daniel is the other main character and he really grows on you. He is a farmer's son and expected to behave a certain way.

The language used is old fashioned as the story is based in 1620.

This book made a change to my usual reads.

I received an advanced copy of this novel thanks to #netgalley.

Set in the 1600's, this is the story of Sarah and her family, who have fallen on hard times since the death of Sarah's father. The family do what they can to make ends meet, and are know as the 'cunning women', creating potions and salve's to help the local villagers.
Sarah meets the quiet Daniel, son of the local farmer and he cannot decide whether he loves or whether she has bewitched him.
I loved this story from the offset, the characters were well rounded and dragged me into their world. It was refreshing to read a historical novel from the point of view of the normal, common person and not the rich , wealthy ones in the big homes. I loved the little touches of their home life and the life of the villagers.
Lee has obviously researched the time period well and the dialogue really brings the period to life.
I adored the characters of Sarah's family, especially little Annie with her love of all things natural. She felt like a real part of the land she lived within.
The settings are described clearly and bring the rural setting to life. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Cunning Women is a dark, captivating story set during a particularly dangerous time for women. I found the characters of Sarah and Daniel to be realistic and fully formed, if a little naive, and I would love to read more of Sarah's mother, who suffered so much and is ultimately a fierce mother protecting her young. Beautifully written and atmospheric.
A promising debut.

Not really my cup of tea although from the synopsis I was looking forward to reading it.
Rather slow going, heavily descriptive and alternating present/past tense. I did have some sympathy for Sarah. The book is not badly written and the characters are well drawn. I strongly suspect that there will be a lot of people for whom this is an excellent read. My attention did wander and I found myself re-reading bits. The cover of the book is very similar to Essex Serpents-in fact the cover almost put me off reading it
Not for me but not a bad read

This story is told from the perspectives of Daniel and Sarah. He is the son of the only farmer in the village, therefore a well-to-do young man in the local social hierarchy. Sarah, is an outcast, living in the plague village, regarding with fear and suspicion as the daughter of the local cunning woman.

What follows is not simply a love story (Daniel and Sarah are our very own Romeo and Juliet), but also a look at the impact of prejudice and ignorance on not only individuals, but society as a whole.

At first, I found this to be quite a slow-paced read and it took me a while to really get in to it. However, as I got used to the style of writing, and the characters developed, I found myself getting drawn in deeper. About half-way through I found myself determined to read just one more chapter before moving on to the real world.

Whilst other reviewers before me have shaken their heads at Sarah and Daniel’s initial deception, I think it works. Yes, it is ridiculous. No, as an intelligent bystander, you can’t see it working. However, for me, it lends to the idea that those with predetermined beliefs will see what they want to. It is entirely fitting with the theme of prejudice and the casting out of “others”. If you look like one of us, you are one of us. If you don’t, then you are not.

As a whole, I found this is an interesting story, with interesting characters, and a lot of depth throughout. A strong debut novel, and I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author.

I found the style quite difficult initially, but persevered. The book has lots of detail of living condtions, superstitions and fighting for survival in the times of witches in Lancashire.

I really enjoyed this historical novel, written about an unlucky family in an English fishing village in the seventeenth century. It really drove home how some women could be forced into cunning work (healing and curses) because of their circumstances, and how difficult it would be to break away from the village's opinion of you. I was rooting for Sarah as she tried to build a new life with the farmer's son, and the plot carried me along like a whirlwind. This is gritty, realistic historical fiction, not romance , and the life of of the poor was vividly brought to life here. A great read.

A brilliant opening chapter is followed by a slow but intriguing start. While this is a slow burn, the writing is captivating and the uncertain fate of the characters alongside the building sense of unease and suspicion makes this a compelling read. The characters feel fully fleshed and utterly believable and the setting and atmosphere are realised brilliantly. I read the last 20% hardly daring to blink and loved how the author chose to close the narrative.