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A review by ghostboyreads
The Hemlock Cure by Joanne Burn
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.