Scan barcode
booksforbrooks's review against another edition
4.0
This has been sat on my kindle for aaaaages and it turns outo to have been a little gem. Unlike other dual time storylines I've read, I was just as invested in the modern storyline than the historical. The timeslip element was done particularly well, and the climax had me reading well into the night. Glad I finally cracked this one open!
abeth_parker's review
3.0
This book was much darker than I anticipated. It's not just about a connection over time, it's about a possession. One that almost costs everything. But, I have to say, it was a fascinating look at life in York, England in the 1500s. Although I didn't read the book I thought I would, it was interesting and eye opening.
splat's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zoe_werdy's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book. Set vividly in York, both present and past if transported me back to the city I love and fit perfectly into my current obsession with the history of witchcraft. Flicking between past and present you saw the way history can repeat itself. You empathised with both Hawise and Grace, I was gripped to know how it would end and satisfied by the dramatic conclusion. It helped that I read this in the sunshine on the riverbank in seville.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Rape
miadorey84's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bibliophilogy's review
5.0
I can't stop thinking about this book so I changed it into a five star rating <3 definitely an under hyped book!
aditurbo's review
3.0
Not a masterpiece, but still very enjoyable. As I've written before, Hartshorne is a great storyteller who knows how to set fast paced and tight plots, build characters that are easy to identify with and high suspense throughout her novels. My only rant this time is that the plot is basically the same as in her latest book, The House of Shadows, which I've read before this one. This bothered me a lot at first, but I was so pulled in and cared so much for the characters that I enjoyed it anyway. In both books there is a young woman who is haunted by another young woman from the past, who is worried about the fate of their child. It worked amazingly well in The House of Shadows, and a little less well here, and the settings and times are different, but still - how many times can you pull the trick of hearing the ghost whisper the child's name? In BOTH books? Hartshorne is a fantastic writer and historian, but if this goes on in a third book, I'm out.
krisrid's review
2.0
This sounded like my kind of thing - a present and past dual story, someone falling into the past and living another life [I mean, I LOVED Outlander a million years ago when I read that]. Unfortunately, this book just didn't hold me.
I didn't really connect to either Grace or Hawise, which was a problem because I find I most enjoy books where I can connect in some way to at least one of the main characters so I can get into what's happening to them. I found Grace self-involved and Hawise just clueless.
I made it to page 80, but realizing I was bored and didn't really care what happened to Grace or Hawise, I just couldn't bring myself to keep going when this was a 450+ pages overall. With the number of books on my TBR I just couldn't justify the commitment of sticking with this in hopes it might get better for me. I'm moving on.
I didn't really connect to either Grace or Hawise, which was a problem because I find I most enjoy books where I can connect in some way to at least one of the main characters so I can get into what's happening to them. I found Grace self-involved and Hawise just clueless.
I made it to page 80, but realizing I was bored and didn't really care what happened to Grace or Hawise, I just couldn't bring myself to keep going when this was a 450+ pages overall. With the number of books on my TBR I just couldn't justify the commitment of sticking with this in hopes it might get better for me. I'm moving on.