The Familiars by Stacey Halls

 

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Zaffre (7 Feb. 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1785766112
• ISBN-13: 978-1785766114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

In a time of suspicion and accusation, to be a woman is the greatest risk of all . . .

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir. When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn’t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy.

Then she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife. Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong.

As Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the north-west, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye?

Soon the two women’s lives will become inextricably bound together as the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood’s stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake.

Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

 

Review

The Familiars is the debut novel from Stacey Halls, and one I have really been looking forward to reading.  Set in Lancashire in 1612 the plot is narrated by Fleetwood Shuttleworth who at seventeen years of age has been married for four years and in that time suffered three miscarriages.  One day fate intervenes and she meets Alice Gray, a young midwife who she believes can help her through her fourth pregnancy successfully. These two women find their lives entwined, where each needs the help of the other to survive at a time when being a midwife or wise women can be construed to been a witch.

The setting of Lancashire in 1612, is an interesting and controversial  period in history.  James I is on the throne, a King who in Scotland had been on a witch hunt after believing his ship to be cursed after a voyage to Denmark.  When he became King of England, this persecution continued and famously in Lancashire there were the famous Pendle Witch Trials that saw twelve women hung.   Stacey Halls cleverly has two strong female characters at the centre of this novel in Fleetwood and Alice, who fight for their beliefs and independence, against the backdrop of this mistrust of women by men. The male characters, Richard who is Fleetwood’s husband and Roger, the magistrate who rounds up the witches, demonstrate how hard it was for women in this male dominated period, and how misunderstanding and fear of the unknown can be twisted into something suspicious.   The main characters in the book were living in Lancashire at this time, and Alice Gray was tried as a witch.

Fleetwood is only seventeen, but already has had three miscarriages, and finds herself mistress of a large house; quite a lot for someone so young.  There is a hint that her childhood was not particularly happy, so Richard is her chance to escape that and be happy.  She is headstrong and will not be dictated to or shut way in the house, but prefers to be outside riding her horse and being with her dog, even when heavily pregnant.  However I’m not sure that in reality this would be a luxury afforded to her as pregnant women were sent into confinement.  Alice is also young, but older than Fleetwood, and uses her knowledge of plants and herbs to help the sick and women through childbirth.  She has nothing, has to work at an Inn for extra money to look after her father.  Both women seem to break the constraints of the time in their self belief and desire to have freedom.

Stacey Halls writes beautifully and brings both the characters and period to life.  My only complaint was that I would have liked more details and information on the Pendle Witch Trials, is seemed hurried and glossed over for me.  I felt the same with the characters.  I really liked Fleetwood and Alice, but did feel there was room for more development, to make them more rounded.  However, I do think this is a well written and fascinating tale than had me gripped.

The Familiars is an intriguing and compelling read of two women whose lives cross at a dangerous period in time for women, but who have a strength of character, and self belief to stand up for themselves and for each other. There is a sense of unease throughout as to Alice’s status, and Stacey Halls captures the atmosphere of fear and mistrust of the ‘other’ and women of that time.  This is a powerful debut novel, full of intrigue and suspense; a captivating read.

I would like to thank Bonnier Zaffre for my copy of The Familiars in return for an honest review.