{It has been over 8 months since I published one of these. Unsure why, but I do, at the end of the day, like having a record of what I’ve read. So over the next few months, I’ll catch up, probably one every other week or so, and then move forward “in real time” from there.}
Stacey Halls‘ The Familiars (2019) is a fictionalized account of the events surrounding the trial and punishment of The Pendle Witches (only click if you want spoilers).
It focuses on two women, the wealthy Fleetwood Shuttleworth and the somewhat mysterious healer, Alice Grey. I am unsure if it is better to be familiar with the history of witch persecution in England when reading the novel or not–as someone who is familiar, I found the portrayal of the times, including the motivations of King James I and the political maneuverings of the wealthy in his service to be nicely done.
But I think if I were ignorant of the Pendle trials, I would have enjoyed the novel even more, as Halls creates an engrossing world, and one where Alice’s fate feels always in the balance, and subject to powers far beyond her ability to control.
There is nothing very fantastical about the book, although a few encounters with Alice are sufficiently under explained to leave you guessing as to the extent of her abilities. Instead, this would appeal if the notion of historical, female-centered fiction is compelling for you.