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A review by sabrinaslivingliterature
Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee
3.0
*Trigger Warnings*
*Rape, paedophilia, physical harm, murder, beating, Abortion*
In the spring of 1620 in a Lancashire fishing community and the memory of the slaughter at Pendle is tight around the neck of Sarah Haworth. A birthmark reveals that Sarah, like her mother, is a witch. The Haworth family live in the plague village near a God-fearing community presided over by a seedy magistrate. A society built upon looking the other way, the villagers’ godliness is merely a veneer. But the Haworth women, with their salves and poultices, are judged the real threat to morality.
When Sarah meets lonely farmer’s son Daniel, she begins to dream of a better future. Daniel is in thrall to the wild girl with storms in her eyes, but their bond is tested when a zealous new magistrate vows to root out sins and sinners. In a frenzy of fear and fury, the community begins to turn on one another, and it’s not long before they direct their gaze towards the old plague village … and does Daniel trust that the power Sarah wields over him is truly love, or could it be mere sorcery?
The start of this book is a bit slow but once things start to happen it is very difficult to put down. The writing is well done and the story flows well. The tension and fear of the people in the village is conveyed well and the feeling of everyone being able to tell the new magistrate something to get him off their back and move the blame to another is captivating to read. The feelings of prejudice, fear and helplessness is intense and I really enjoyed this book overall.
However, I had a few issues with parts of the plot the "I'm not like other girls" narrative is weak and the only other girl we are introduced to is Molly, who is portrayed as bitchy and unlikable but also as boring where Sarah is wild. For a "feminist" book I think this trope is out of place and would rather it not be present.
As well as this the overdone romance plot of misunderstandings to create tension and conflict is overdone and seems out of place again, Daniel is not described as stupid and knows how Gabriel is yet believes him over Sarah? I found this difficult to believe.
Overall the writing was good and atmospheric but clichés kept it from being a great read but I look forward to reading more work by this author
*Rape, paedophilia, physical harm, murder, beating, Abortion*
In the spring of 1620 in a Lancashire fishing community and the memory of the slaughter at Pendle is tight around the neck of Sarah Haworth. A birthmark reveals that Sarah, like her mother, is a witch. The Haworth family live in the plague village near a God-fearing community presided over by a seedy magistrate. A society built upon looking the other way, the villagers’ godliness is merely a veneer. But the Haworth women, with their salves and poultices, are judged the real threat to morality.
When Sarah meets lonely farmer’s son Daniel, she begins to dream of a better future. Daniel is in thrall to the wild girl with storms in her eyes, but their bond is tested when a zealous new magistrate vows to root out sins and sinners. In a frenzy of fear and fury, the community begins to turn on one another, and it’s not long before they direct their gaze towards the old plague village … and does Daniel trust that the power Sarah wields over him is truly love, or could it be mere sorcery?
The start of this book is a bit slow but once things start to happen it is very difficult to put down. The writing is well done and the story flows well. The tension and fear of the people in the village is conveyed well and the feeling of everyone being able to tell the new magistrate something to get him off their back and move the blame to another is captivating to read. The feelings of prejudice, fear and helplessness is intense and I really enjoyed this book overall.
However, I had a few issues with parts of the plot the "I'm not like other girls" narrative is weak and the only other girl we are introduced to is Molly, who is portrayed as bitchy and unlikable but also as boring where Sarah is wild. For a "feminist" book I think this trope is out of place and would rather it not be present.
As well as this the overdone romance plot of misunderstandings to create tension and conflict is overdone and seems out of place again, Daniel is not described as stupid and knows how Gabriel is yet believes him over Sarah? I found this difficult to believe.
Overall the writing was good and atmospheric but clichés kept it from being a great read but I look forward to reading more work by this author