This was a great read. You have the sense from the very start that there isn’t going to be any happy ending and it’s like watching a car crash in slow motion. Sarah’s family and their situation was so tragic and the villagers, the magistrate and the general superstitious attitude of society were well described. I have read several books with a similar theme and this one was particularly good.

This book isn’t what I expected it to be. At it’s heart t’s not about persecution or witch-hunting, but knowing and accepting yourself, as well as loving others despite the costs. Initially, I was disappointed when the book went down an avenue I wasn’t expecting, but by the end I was pleasantly surprised by how much I’d enjoyed it.

Based during the horrific Pendle Witch Trials era, Sarah and her family are outcasts and have been accused by villagers of being witches. It’s not an empty accusation – Sarah’s mother is a herbal healer but isn’t adverse to the occasions cursing either. Sarah has the ‘mark’ and knows that if anyone sees it she could be hanged as a witch, another reason for her to keep her distance from the villagers. Then she meets Daniel, a local lad, and things get very complicated!

“I will embrace what I am, accept the power that lies at the heart of this family.”

I found it hard to get into this book for a long while, but the emotion in it is fairly harrowing and it did get to me eventually. I was emotionally involved with the Haworth’s and their fragile life and found their use of herbs and flowers and all things natural, that could be used in potions and balms, very interesting and added further realistic ambience to an already atmospheric existence. More than anything this story really shines a light on the intolerance and cruelty that women or outsiders of any kind were subjected to in this period, for that I think it’s a brilliant and useful read.

Cunning Women is suitable for most ages, teens and upwards. I found this book enjoyable and fascinating and was a slow burn family drama with unique characters.

I wanted to read Cunning Women because I’d read a couple of books in a similar vein last year and found the history of witchcraft and the punishments given to women suspected of being witches really fascinating. The concept of women rebranding themselves as ‘cunning women’ was really interesting and I really liked Sarah and her mother as characters. I fell in love with Annie within the first few pages. The relationships between the main female characters were fierce and strong and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. The love story that ran through the book was sweet and tragic. I found the beginning of the story was quite slow and it took me a while to get into it but the pace got faster as I got further in and the emotion and intrigue got stronger. The ending was also a surprise which I didn’t see coming at all! A great read for those who enjoy a blend of historical fiction and magical realism.

Witches, betrayal, love and cruelty.
Sarah, the daughter of a witch finds the witches mark on her and fights against. The family are constantly striving to survive against prejudice and ignorance, they meet with some acts of kindness including food from Seth the Parson.
Daniel is the son of a farmer, he is kind and weak, does not fit in with the rest of the village and is tormented by the cruel farm hand Gabrielle.. Daniel and Sarah fall in love and he schemes to keep her safe by disguising her as a dairy maid working at her farm, she has never known such luxury. and still manages to look after her family by taking them food.
A new magistrate is appointed, a strict and committed man who seeks to turn out witches and papists. Women who used to come to the cunning women for potions now turn against them.
A thoughtful story with moments of hope and happiness to be snatched away by cruelty and indiecision.

In rural Lancashire memories of the Pendle witch trial still run deep and in isolated villages which thrive on superstition and scurrilous gossip it is not a good time to be known locally as a cunning woman.

The Haworth family eke out a meagre existence on the periphery of village life living in an abandoned hovel which once housed plague victims. Know locally as the cunning women, Sarah Haworth and her mother are considered to be useful for their salves, and potions, but if provoked they can utter a stream of well aimed curses at whoever causes them displeasure. Money is always scarce, hunger is ever present, and the Howarth's uneasy relationship with the villagers means that charity is scarce.

Daniel Taylor is a timid young man who lives with his domineering father on the only farm in the village. Bullied, and often made to feel worthless, Daniel lives his life in an unassuming sort of way, that is, until he meets Sarah Haworth, and is enthralled both by the wildness of her spirit and the plight of her poverty. Whilst Daniel and Sarah's burgeoning relationship is crucial to the story, it is played out against the backdrop of a village which has its own deadly secrets.

What then follows is an atmospheric story about living life in rural Lancashire when memories of the 1612 Pendle witch trial, just eight years before, still runs deep, and with the arrival, in the village, of an over zealous magistrate, who is determined to root out the very presence of evil, life is not safe for anyone but especially not for the cunning women. The story starts slowly as we get to know the characters, we learn their place in this superstitious community, we walk with Sarah as she takes her little sister Annie into the village to sell scraps of potions, we hurt when life goes badly for them, rejoice in their small mercies and are thankful for the innocent pleasure they get in having food in their stomachs.

Cunning Women is an authentic and beautifully described historical novel which brings this shadowy corner of Lancashire to life in a thought provoking way. The author has captured the superstitious mood well and whilst there is an undeniable slowness to the narrative this only helps to build up the tension and creates a sense of stillness which enhances the hidden cruelty of living in this time of superstitious dread.

Cunning Women

Thank you to Netgalley, Windmill (Penguin Random House) and Elizabeth Lee for the review copy

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Review:
Cunning Women follows a Sarah and her family in Lancashire in the 1600s, a family believed to be witches constantly having to watch their backs. Shunned by the village and offered no kindness, fighting for survival. Our 2nd POV follows Daniel, a farm boy and one of the wealthiest men in the village. Belittled at home by the Brute of a farmhand and struggling to find his place in the world. Until their paths cross and each finds comfort in the other.

This was a read that was outside of my comfort zone, and while enjoyable it was quite a heavy, intense read and without the HEA that you would hope for. Annie, Sarahs young sister is a bright light in a dark book bringing a reprieve from the intensity. I found parts to be a little repetitive. This book made me feel things, and to me that’s the sign of a good book. I’d definitely recommend for historical fiction fans and lovers of all things witchy.

This book is a true hidden gem and a must read for lovers of historic fiction. It’s not the bells and whistles and glamour of a lot of recent books featuring witches, but it’s a book and story that could so easily be a true. And with the historic Pendle Witch Trials as a backdrop this only helps to imbue the story with truth. As a side note the Pendle Witches have always fascinated me and the legends that still haunt this part of Lancashire are fascinating. Check this out online.
Cunning Women is a book of grit, of hardship, pain and forbidden love. It’s a story of small town hypocrisy to those who happen to be different. It is a book of shades of grey where the characters tread the boundaries of what is perceived as good or evil. The witches here or ‘Cunning Women’ are shunned from their villages – they live on the filthy fringes. Elizabeth Lee takes her time to build the environment they inhabit. Some may find it slow going at the start, but I loved her attention to detail drawing us into these women’s world and into the story.
A brilliantly intense debut of suspense and suspicion

Cunning women is about a family of maybe witches who have fallen on hard times and are ostracised from their community. They are forced to beg and sell home remedies/cures for different ailments. Women fearing of being in the “family way” also come for brews to prevent pregnancies.

The story centres around Sarah the elder daughter who wages a battle against giving into her dark side in the face of all the unkindness she is faced with. She meets Daniel a young sweet man who is the only person nice to her and they slowly fall in love. They want to be wed but have to deal with the disparity in their backgrounds, the jealousy of Gabriel the farm hand, and Molly the May Day queen. Overall the book deals with the small town mentality and the hypocrisy of the people in the village. No one is purely black or white - even Gabriel (who has a soft side reserved for caring for his sick mother and his sister). With the new magistrate coming into town and turning neighbours against each other, tensions rise into a disastrous end.

Overall it is an interesting tale. Sad and intense. I liked that everyone was morally grey - the villains aren’t completely evil and the good guys aren’t always great. Daniel for all his kindness is weak at the worst moments, and Sarah gives into her rage and dark side at moments when you expect her to be smart and more cunning. The story is certainly complex and makes you think. Fans of historical fiction especially around the point of the witch trials will enjoy this. 3.5/5 stars

The character development in this book is excellent - we see Daniel, a farm boy, display typically “feminine” traits, and not once is Sarah’s strength limited because she is a woman. If anything, the fact that she is a woman is what makes her even stronger. I adored Sarah’s little sister, Annie, and wanted nothing more than to wrap her in cotton wool and keep her safe!

The villains were just as awful as the main characters were good; Lee certainly knows how to make you despise a character. Gabriel definitely made my skin crawl, and the new magistrate was equally horrible.

The small town life of the 1620s was reflected in the setting, and the setting of the Haworth’s hill captured the mystical element that surrounds Sarah and her family.

I think the one drawback for me is that although the romance element was definitely a slow burn in terms of the timeline of their relationship, there was also an element of love at first sight, which is a trope that usually doesn’t do it for me. However, this in no way detracted from the overall reading experience.

Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee

What is the difference between a Cunning Woman and a Witch? How can you make a honest life for yourself when everyone condemns you for your family name? How can you trust when those who seek you out for aid won't acknowledge you in the light of day?

This is a book about love, acceptance, intolerance and power set in one small village and told from the perspectives of two very different characters. Sarah is the eldest daughter of the village cunning woman, shunned and poverty stricken. Daniel is the only son of the local farm owner the richest man in the village. Following them as they go about their lives one summer we get a snapshot of life in an English village in the 1600s. What happens to a village when a stranger comes and starts asking questions? Who will turn on who when sin and witchcraft are mentioned?

I've loved books about witches and witchcraft since I was in my teens, reading those which are firmly in the fantasy category as well as those that would be considered historical fiction. This book seems to me a romance set to the backdrop of witchcraft accusation as well as a comentry on the imbalance of power between men and women, rich and poor. Witchraft seemed to me to take a backseat to these issues. Lee highlights the dangers that women of the time faced, how they were vulnerable to the accusation of men, particularly those without a husband to protect them. Through the minor character of Phyllis we see how society and the law blame and ostracise women for the actions of others beyond their control.

Thanks NetGalley, @EKLeeWriter and @WindmillBooks for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[TW rape, suicide and death]

I was sent a copy of Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee to read and review by NetGalley. This is a superb book which I enjoyed immensely. It has everything that I love in a novel: complex, well drawn characters, a real sense of place and even a sprinkling of magic! I really liked the way that the main protagonist Sarah’s chapters were in the first person. It cemented the fact that this story was fundamentally about her and her yearning for a ‘normal’ life. Beautifully written, for me it is one of my favourite reads this year so far.

<b>Scraping a living is dangerous for the family who sell herbal remedies and curses.</b>

Cunning Women is set in a Lancashire fishing village in the 1620’s, not long after the nearby Pendle Witch Trials. A dangerous time to be an outcast, especially for women. The Haworth family are in this position. Sarah lives with her mother, brother, and young sister in an abandoned plague hamlet on the edge of the community. They are destitute since her father drowned at sea, and the family went from respected villagers to outcasts who scrape a living selling herbal remedies and curses. Both Sarah and her mother have a birth mark, enough to be persecuted as witches. Sarah is torn between the call of her dark powers and the simple pleasures of belonging in the village, while her mother has embraced her Devil’s mark and her invisible companion creature. The whole family are feared and shunned by daylight, but sought out under cover of darkness for their wares.

In this way they survive, taunted on the streets while the villagers turn a blind eye to their witchcraft, mostly through fear of retribution. That is, until a moral and God fearing magistrate comes to town. With villagers turning on one another in order to deflect from their own sins, selling herbal remedies becomes dangerous enough, not to mention curses. An accusation of witchcraft is enough to be hung for. Sarah meets local village boy, Daniel, who realises that there is more to her than her reputation. Despite their differences, they fall in love. But this only adds to the danger, as who can say she didn’t bewitch the innocent village boy?

Despite a slow start, the tension really ramps up in this book, with chapters alternating between Sarah and Daniel. The villagers fear of the Haworth’s, and of the family simply trying to survive with their very real struggles, came across well through the narration. It was good to read from the viewpoint of both sides. I found Sarah and Daniel realistic and relatable characters, even though they existed hundreds of years ago.

It was sad to see the transformation within mother and daughter, whose only way to survive was through their knowledge of herbal medicine. The superstitions of the time formed them, and in their position they could either become what others feared or fight against it with little hope of an alternative. All Sarah wants is to be accepted by the village. The family once were, but unlucky circumstances and a judgemental society built around superstition and sexism made the Haworth’s into cunning folk, and cemented them as outcasts. Belief in their powers is what made them real. Sarah’s mother is indeed cunning to find a way for her family to survive in a world which is cruel to lone women.

‘<i>If we run our troubles will follow, for there’s no place that will see a bedraggled group of desperate women and not cry witch.</i>’

There were some situations which seemed unbelievable based on the time period and attitudes, or simply did not seem feasible. It was possible to put these moments aside though, and none were so outrageous that they took me out of the reading experience.

Overall an engaging read which kept me needing to know how the events could be resolved, and thinking about the characters beyond the last page. The sense of magic becomes very ordinary when you’re close to it, and with modern eyes it’s clear that this is a family simply trying to survive. This makes their treatment and isolation all the more painful. I felt easily drawn in as a witness to the attitudes and beliefs of the time. This made the danger of the Haworth’s situation all the more real.

Thank you to Windmill Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book, which I have rated based on my own opinions.

This is a sort of "Marmite" book and your rating depends on the expectations because I was expecting a story about witches, magic and witch hunt.
There are references and the life of the characters is strongly affected by magic but at the end of the day it's more a woman fiction set in specific historical frame.
I like the style of writing and the character development even if the pace is a bit too slow at times.
I want to read other books by this author this one is recommended to anyone who want to read a good women's fiction story set in the past.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was completely engrossed in this book and read it in a day. Elizabeth Lee's "Cunning Women" is a searing debut about small minds, suspicion and duty, all bound up in a heart-wrenching love story. It's a tale of finding the courage to do what is right. Set in a post-plague village in the aftermath of the Pendle witch trials, we see a family bereaved, living in extreme poverty and doing what they can to survive whilst ostracised by their community. Lee's prose is haunting and evocative. Parts of the story, and the characters' fates, broke my heart. Great read!

My thanks to Random House U.K. Cornerstone/Windmill Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Cunning Women’ by Elizabeth Lee in exchange for an honest review.

This work of historical fiction is set in 1620s Lancashire where in a small hamlet, abandoned since the Plague, only one family dwells. The Haworths are a family of cunning folk and while considered outcasts by day, the villagers secretly visit them at night for healing balms, charms, and more.

Sarah Haworth is the novel’s narrator and lives with her mother, older brother, John, and little sister, Annie. One day Sarah meets Daniel, a gentle farmer’s son. The two begin a secret relationship and Sarah starts to dream of a normal life with him. Then a new magistrate arrives with an agenda to root out both papists and witches and it isn’t long before his eye falls upon the Haworth family.

While witchcraft is very much a part of Sarah and her mother’s lives, I felt that the story centred more on the forbidden love between Sarah and Daniel. It is quite a slow moving novel and I didn’t find myself overly invested in their relationship. However, the pace did pick up in the final chapters.

Although taking place only eight years after the Pendle Witch Trials it seemed a bit strange that there was little awareness of these tragic events in the Haworth household; whereas I would imagine that there would have been a network of communication between cunning folk especially in the same area of the country.

‘‘Cunning Women’ was beautifully written, yet I found that I wanted more magic and witchcraft as it felt rather pushed into the background as the focus was on the star-crossed lovers. It was a moving love story but overall the kind of novel that I liked rather than loved.

I did find the cover art impressive and the chapter titles very imaginative.

Cunning Women is a richly described historical epic from a mesmerising and magnetic new voice in the genre. Spring of 1620 in a Lancashire fishing community and the memory of the slaughter at Pendle is tight around the neck of Sarah Haworth. A birthmark reveals that Sarah, like her mother, is a witch. Torn between yearning for an ordinary life and desire to discover what dark power she might possess, Sarah’s one hope is that her young 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. But the Haworth women, with their salves and poultices, are judged the real threat to morality. Their neighbours publicly shun them while privately seeking their counsel and medical expertise. Yet the Pendle witch trials, organised by the zealous forces of the patriarchal law, seek to expose anyone “other”, and so Sarah and those she loves are confronted with a terrifying reckoning. When Sarah meets lonely farmer’s son Daniel, she begins to dream of a better future. Daniel is in thrall to the wild girl with storms in her eyes, but their bond is tested when a zealous new magistrate vows to root out sins and sinners.

In a frenzy of fear and fury, the community begins to turn on one another, and it’s not long before they direct their gaze towards the old plague village … and does Daniel trust that the power Sarah wields over him is truly love, or could it be mere sorcery? Set in the shadows of the Pendle Which Trials, this searing novel follows the trials and tribulations of a family deemed ”cunning” - an euphemism for witches. It is timely in its depiction of hysteria and persecution, and beautifully evokes a historical period poised between dark ignorance and long-overdue enlightenment. It offers up an alluring and admirable heroine: unrelentingly brave, nuanced and unforgettable; I found that long after the final page I was reliving scenes in my head for weeks - a surefire sign that a book has left an indelible imprint on you. Cunning Women is a beguiling, enchanting and bewitching novel touching on the dangerousness of ideology and of demagogues feeding the public their hate manifesto and propaganda. Nothing short of breathtaking, I adored the rich yet oppressive atmosphere and the author’s celebration of the stunning and untameable natural landscape of the setting of 1620s Lancashire and the vivid portrait she paints of the surrounding scenery where she immerses you in the ‘wild’ of the woods, forests and nearby countryside. Elizabeth Lee is a rare talent; I simply cannot wait to read her upcoming offerings. Highly recommended.

Love potions, healing remedies – and cursed poppet dolls 3.5 rating,

Set in 1620, James 1st is on the throne, and it is not a good time for those of independent thought. Particularly independent female thought.

‘Cunning Women’ (really, a politer way of avoiding using the fearsome term ‘Witch’ centres round a desperately poor, outcast family, living on the margins of destitution, and particularly on the oldest daughter, Sarah. She comes from a family of healers – who also turn to the dark side, in their rage and lay curses as well as heal ills.

I had some mixed views about this book. In some ways it is because it is more of a ‘Women’s Fiction’ tale – i.e. the main focus is very much on the difficult romance between Sarah and the almost impossibly fine and principled Daniel, son of the richest farmer.

I didn’t always completely believe in the historical time, despite the employment of regional (Lancashire) , and old fashioned language, periodically. At times, I felt sensibilities were those of more modern times. This was particularly true of the most sympathetic male character (other than Daniel) who I am avoiding naming as there is quite a shock connected with him. One which seemed a little like an authorial trick, kept from us, as readers, for too long

It took a while for the style – Sarah sections told first person narrator, Daniel sections third person to settle for me.

I enjoyed reading this, even if not completely surrendering to it. The book is enriched by the evocative drawings at the head of each chapter

I received this as a digital ARC from the publisher Random House, via NetGalley

With the final words of this breathtaking novel, I feel I left a little bit of my heart behind. I fell in love with the story of Daniel and Sarah, but it was a love story that could never be.

The year is 1620. Sarah's family live in poverty, shunned from a god-fearing society that looks with suspicion upon any rumours of witchcraft. Her Mam makes potions that heal. But she also has the ability to lay curses on those who cause injury to her family. And Sarah also begins to learn the craft.

When a new magistrate is appointed, he is determined to stamp out any godlessness and Sarah's family live in increasing danger.

But when Sarah and Daniel, the farmer's son fall in love, it seems there might just be a chance for an escape from their life of fear. Hope springs in Sarah's heart. But tragedy strikes and all hope is lost for them.

An absolutely beautiful story, crafted with heart and soul, Cunning Women is a book that will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

With many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.

Set in the aftermath of the Pendle witch trials, Elizabeth Lee blends romance, historical fiction and fantasy.

The novel is centred around Sarah, who is conflicted between the life she wishes to lead with Daniel the farmers son, and the life she was chosen for...marked as the daughter of a cunning woman.

The plot takes a long time to build, and at around three quarters of the way through the novel I felt it was still building and it was just a little slow for me. However, it was an easy and gentle read, and did pick up pace towards the end.

I didn’t find myself particularly fond of Sarah, and although I felt empathy towards her and her family, I felt frustrated at her naivety. The same was true of Daniel, and Sarah’s family and I just felt myself getting irritated with their choices and, at times, stupidity. I did, however, love the character Bett. She was kind and brave, and I thought she was a brilliant addition to the novel.

I did long for a little more magic, and witch-craft...and I felt that instead, a lot more of the novel centred around the romance. However, I thought that Lee very cleverly introduced themes of fate and the impact of our decisions, prejudice, isolation, duty and fear (and I will add a trigger warning for sexual assault).

I would like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel. On balance, it was an enjoyable, easy read, that I would recommend if you enjoy historical fiction and romance.

This is such a well constructed, moving, unpredictable and immersive story that I raced through it and didn't want to put it down. The importance of family is portrayed so beautifully and the protagonist's struggle to find a better life for herself while remaining loyal to her mother and siblings was handled really well.

Living on the outskirts of a community, in a village that has been deserted due to plague, Sarah is an outsider in every sense of the word. Shunned by the local community, Sarah and her family are feared to be witches yet sought out by some for the healing properties of the herbs and balms they cultivate. The various members of the community, from the local pastor to the village farmer's family, were all well developed and really brought the setting to life.

The story had so many elements that I enjoyed, from the romance between Sarah and Daniel, the farmer's son, to the menacing presence of the villain of the story and the dark yet fascinating exploration of a community's collective fear and judgement aimed at Sarah's family. There were more magical elements to the story which were balanced just right and could be interpreted in many ways so these were used cleverly in the plot too.

Overall, a brilliant and well written story and for a debut novel I am really impressed. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.