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jazhands's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
zoesinclair's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
whimzycal_pages's review
5.0
4.5 stars
A dark and compelling read.
This book is based on the true events of The Great Plague of 1665-1666. It's set in the city of Eyam where they quarantined themselves to prevent further spread of the disease. The main characters are purely fictional, however, there are some side characters based on real people too.
This book will hook you in and not let you go until you are done. It's dark and suspenseful and eery; the atmosphere created in this book is like none other. The book is paced in a beautiful way with the story unravelling so satisfyingly. There was not a moment while reading that I was bored. The characters are mysterious and intriguing. This author did an excellent job of keeping the reader interested. The way the POV of Mae was written was also very unique. I loved the use of diary entries and past memories to help slowly unwind the story. I could not have predicted where the story would go in the end, and finally finding out what the title meant was extremely gratifying.
All in all, it was a very satisfying read and I commend the author for this amazing piece of work.
Surrounded now by so many broken wings, who is to carry me?
A dark and compelling read.
This book is based on the true events of The Great Plague of 1665-1666. It's set in the city of Eyam where they quarantined themselves to prevent further spread of the disease. The main characters are purely fictional, however, there are some side characters based on real people too.
This book will hook you in and not let you go until you are done. It's dark and suspenseful and eery; the atmosphere created in this book is like none other. The book is paced in a beautiful way with the story unravelling so satisfyingly. There was not a moment while reading that I was bored. The characters are mysterious and intriguing. This author did an excellent job of keeping the reader interested. The way the POV of Mae was written was also very unique. I loved the use of diary entries and past memories to help slowly unwind the story. I could not have predicted where the story would go in the end, and finally finding out what the title meant was extremely gratifying.
All in all, it was a very satisfying read and I commend the author for this amazing piece of work.
samturnspages's review against another edition
4.0
Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was unfamiliar with the story of Eyam prior to reading; plague era fiction isn't usually my go-to but I was drawn in by a pretty cover, and you know what? I wasn't disappointed.
We're sent back in time to 1665 just as The Great Plague is gripping the nation; Eyam decides to shut itself off from the rest of the country once they discover plague has already infiltrated it. Given the past couple of years in the present day, you can't help but relate to that!
But, our focus is upon Mae, the apothecary's daughter and Isabel, the local midwife who is teaching our young protagonist her craft. But pious, controlling Wulfric doesn't want his daughter associating with the midwife let alone befriending her. Wulfric blames Isabel for the loss of his wife and all but deems her a witch. Over the course of the novel we learn that Mae and Isabel have more to fear than just the plague.
What I enjoyed
- Isabel has to tread such a careful path between practicing midwifery and avoiding attention and this is done so well.
- What really captivated me about this was the fact that it's all told from the perspective of Leah, Mae's older, and long dead, sister. I cannot stress enough how well this was done. Leah's character, despite not being able to directly interact with any of the other characters, is so well thought out. She is flawed and sometimes really unlikeable, but altogether human.
- Wulfric terrified me; well done, Burn, well done.
- The pressure really amps up out of nowhere and made me want to read on quicker.
What was ok:
- It was a bit of a slow start for me. But that's just me, and I don't think that in itself should put you off reading. But for me personally I needed a bit more time with the first 50 pages.
All in all I really enjoyed The Hemlock Cure.
Will I reread? Yes. I really feel like this will be an autumn read for me - but perhaps post-pandemic next time.
I was unfamiliar with the story of Eyam prior to reading; plague era fiction isn't usually my go-to but I was drawn in by a pretty cover, and you know what? I wasn't disappointed.
We're sent back in time to 1665 just as The Great Plague is gripping the nation; Eyam decides to shut itself off from the rest of the country once they discover plague has already infiltrated it. Given the past couple of years in the present day, you can't help but relate to that!
But, our focus is upon Mae, the apothecary's daughter and Isabel, the local midwife who is teaching our young protagonist her craft. But pious, controlling Wulfric doesn't want his daughter associating with the midwife let alone befriending her. Wulfric blames Isabel for the loss of his wife and all but deems her a witch. Over the course of the novel we learn that Mae and Isabel have more to fear than just the plague.
What I enjoyed
- Isabel has to tread such a careful path between practicing midwifery and avoiding attention and this is done so well.
- What really captivated me about this was the fact that it's all told from the perspective of Leah, Mae's older, and long dead, sister. I cannot stress enough how well this was done. Leah's character, despite not being able to directly interact with any of the other characters, is so well thought out. She is flawed and sometimes really unlikeable, but altogether human.
- Wulfric terrified me; well done, Burn, well done.
- The pressure really amps up out of nowhere and made me want to read on quicker.
What was ok:
- It was a bit of a slow start for me. But that's just me, and I don't think that in itself should put you off reading. But for me personally I needed a bit more time with the first 50 pages.
All in all I really enjoyed The Hemlock Cure.
Will I reread? Yes. I really feel like this will be an autumn read for me - but perhaps post-pandemic next time.
ghostboyreads's review against another edition
4.0
In late 1665 the deadly plague finally arrived in Eyam, to battle the outbreak, the villagers locked themselves away in isolation, choosing to suffer alone. This is where the story of The Hemlock Cure starts.
It's clear that a stunning amount of research has gone into crafting this novel. Everything is so wonderfully detailed, from the use of drugs and herbs as remedies, to the ever rising death toll, and even Eyam's history, it's all here, fleshed out across these pages. Though this novel was a little slow to start, it turned out to be quite the intoxicating read. The atmosphere made it easy to envision myself walking the streets of Eyam, interacting with the characters of this story.
Perhaps the most captivating thing about this novel is how it's not told from the perspective of our main character, but from her older, long dead sister, and it cannot be stressed enough how amazingly this was executed. The author choosing to take a risk like that made this a fresh, exciting piece of historical fiction that stands out above the rest.
It's clear that a stunning amount of research has gone into crafting this novel. Everything is so wonderfully detailed, from the use of drugs and herbs as remedies, to the ever rising death toll, and even Eyam's history, it's all here, fleshed out across these pages. Though this novel was a little slow to start, it turned out to be quite the intoxicating read. The atmosphere made it easy to envision myself walking the streets of Eyam, interacting with the characters of this story.
Perhaps the most captivating thing about this novel is how it's not told from the perspective of our main character, but from her older, long dead sister, and it cannot be stressed enough how amazingly this was executed. The author choosing to take a risk like that made this a fresh, exciting piece of historical fiction that stands out above the rest.
mariasmusings's review against another edition
3.0
The Hemlock Cure is set during a time of real events when the Great Plague was ravaging through England in 1665. There have been numerous books around the topic of women/witchcraft/herbal remedies set in the 16th and 17th centuries. As a result, it takes a special novel to rise above the variety of books available and to ensure that it can be sufficiently unique to hold the attention of the reader.
One of the more unusual aspects of this story is that our narrator is the deceased sister of the central character Mae. Mae herself, is living with her father, the village apothecary and helping him with his work. She hopes that he will eventually come to accept her as his apprentice. She is also studying with the village midwife (and wise woman) Isabel, the village midwife. Many of the villagers are keepingg secrets and as fears of the plague grow daily, the people find themselves turning against each other and soon Mae finds that there is only one person that she can reply on.
This is a multi-layered and entertaining story. I was a little concerned about reading this tale in the light of the corona virus pandemic as I felt that I might not be able to enjoy the storyline but there is much to savour here with complex and well-rounded characters, each with their own secrets and fears.
One of the more unusual aspects of this story is that our narrator is the deceased sister of the central character Mae. Mae herself, is living with her father, the village apothecary and helping him with his work. She hopes that he will eventually come to accept her as his apprentice. She is also studying with the village midwife (and wise woman) Isabel, the village midwife. Many of the villagers are keepingg secrets and as fears of the plague grow daily, the people find themselves turning against each other and soon Mae finds that there is only one person that she can reply on.
This is a multi-layered and entertaining story. I was a little concerned about reading this tale in the light of the corona virus pandemic as I felt that I might not be able to enjoy the storyline but there is much to savour here with complex and well-rounded characters, each with their own secrets and fears.
maitaylor01's review against another edition
4.0
The Hemlock Cure is part historical fiction, part coming-of-age and part love story, making it a book that will appeal to different people on many different levels.
Joanne Burn’s decision to have the book narrated by Mae’s dead sister Leah as she watches over the people of Eyam made for a compelling hook, making me very curious as to how she and her mother died. The flashbacks to Leah’s own memories and the excerpts from Wulfric’s diary built on this mystery as Mae’s own story unfolded, making for a tale that I found hard to put down. Mae is a character that I quickly became attached to, and my heart broke for the life that she found herself living.
Whilst reading about a community ravaged by the plague, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to the situation the world has so recently faced. It was startling how little has really changed in the intervening years. Knowing that the book is based on fact, and that the people of Eyam really did lock themselves away from the world in an attempt to limit the spread of the plague made it all the more fascinating to read.
I think I went through the entire emotional spectrum whilst reading this book as I fell under the spell of the wonderful characters stored within its pages.
Joanne Burn’s decision to have the book narrated by Mae’s dead sister Leah as she watches over the people of Eyam made for a compelling hook, making me very curious as to how she and her mother died. The flashbacks to Leah’s own memories and the excerpts from Wulfric’s diary built on this mystery as Mae’s own story unfolded, making for a tale that I found hard to put down. Mae is a character that I quickly became attached to, and my heart broke for the life that she found herself living.
Whilst reading about a community ravaged by the plague, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to the situation the world has so recently faced. It was startling how little has really changed in the intervening years. Knowing that the book is based on fact, and that the people of Eyam really did lock themselves away from the world in an attempt to limit the spread of the plague made it all the more fascinating to read.
I think I went through the entire emotional spectrum whilst reading this book as I fell under the spell of the wonderful characters stored within its pages.
lochanreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
loved the vibrant imagery of the writing but the language felt a bit too soft and unexciting. thought it was interesting how synesthesia is explored in this book (the main character see scents as colours) the queer representation was too cursory, but at least it had a happy ending and ended up being a strong comfort read in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Death
Minor: Biphobia
bookskamila2022's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
The Hemlock Cure is taking place 1665 in Eyam - and it is based on the real story of an English village during the Great Plague. It is based around the stories of women in the village, however also presented through the eyes on male pastor ( who was at the centre of the plot).
These were time when women who were different and were interested in herbs, medicine etc were at great risk of being called witches and executed - this was illustrated by one of the main female character - Isabelle.
The main character Mae is a daughter of pastor - she is studying the herbs medicine and is terrified to tell her father. We go on Mae's journey of discovery and fight for her independence with a father who turns out to be a monster.
I felt the book was little rushed and although the build up to the final was very good, the finale itself lacked for me. I was not able to connect to any of the characters in meaningful way which was sad as I loved the premise of the book.
Thank you net galley for this gifted copy in return for honest review