When Fleetwood discovers a letter from her physician to her husband stating that she will not survive another pregnancy, she feels horrifically betrayed that he is willing to risk her life for an heir. Petrified and distraught, she stumbles off into the woods and comes across Alice - a local midwife - who promises to do everything she can to help Fleetwood deliver a healthy baby and survive.
As Fleetwood's pregnancy nears its end, Alice stands accused of witchcraft, and Fleetwood must risk everything to save her friend, and therefore, herself.

I was absolutely enthralled by this book, and loved the historical setting. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in the witch trials, as Stacey Halls has made this as historically accurate as possible, and it makes for a very interesting read!

Everyone should be familiar with witch hunt trials that took place in both England and America in the 1600's - because it is an excellent example of what happens when ignorance and misogyny unite. This book was an excellent tale of two women caught up in the dangerous times, where just being a woman was enough to condemn you to trial and death. Gorgeously written and quite a thriller, I was captivated.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

This engaging historical fiction novel deals with infertility, midwifery, wise women, and witchcraft, in a time when witchcraft was punishable by death. Developed characters and relationships makes this a page-turner.

First, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an e-arc of The Familiars by Stacey Halls. I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this, the writing, and the friendship between our main character and her midwife. It tugged at my heartstrings a bit. Overall, I don’t feel like too much happened in the book. Despite that, I still enjoyed what was all in the book. I enjoy learning about the Pendle Hill witch trials and this was a little look into that. Overall would recommend for a brief glimpse into that time period, if you’re interested in that.

Good debut novel that blends history with the paranormal in this suspenseful tale. Well crafted, and smartly written.

I was captivated by the story that Stacey Halls created within, The Familiars. It's an excellent telling of the challenges and tribulations that many women often faced in the 17th century and helped you feel as the reader, that you too were involved in the Pendle Witch Trials. I was pleasantly surprised with this debut novel by the author.

I had a really hard time getting into this story. I usually like historical fiction with the promise of witches, but I just didn't connect with this one. I hope to try again at a later date,

A bewitching debut novel! Stacey Halls’s The Familiars tells the story of an isolated 17 year-old named Fleetwood in a 17th century Lancashire, England setting with dark arts — and a dark patriarchy. This engrossing historical fiction work made me want to know more about the real historical Pendle witch trials. And look forward to reading more from Halls!

This was an interesting read though admittedly not what I thought it would be. It’s hard to believe this is Halls’s first novel because her voice is very confident and I love that in debut novels. Though it takes place in the past it does what the best historical fiction does and comments on the present, especially the lives of women.

This was a captivating, well-paced read that I enjoyed more than I thought I would when I started it. It's pretty straight historical fiction set during the Pendle Hill witch trials in England in the 1600s which is not something I'd typically go for (I mean, I love most things with witches but this wasn't my usual fantasy fare; it was realistic with maybe a tiny hint of magical realism at times), but the story of Fleetwood and Alice was so compelling that I had trouble putting the book away when it was more than past time to go to sleep. I liked that both Fleetwood and Alice were unique in their own ways and how their uniqueness and need for one another led them into a deep bond of friendship, friendship so strong that Fleetwood was willing to buck societal conventions and even jeopardize herself at times to try and save Alice. I loved how Fleetwood grew as a character and how the mystery of the Pendle witches unfolded. Overall this was a fascinating and compelling book that I recommend to anyone who likes well-done historical fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Familiars is a well crafted debut and a perfect blend of historical fiction and the paranoia of the witch trials. I can't wait to read the next book!

I absolutely love books about Witch trials for the fact that they highlight the misogyny in the past and how women struggled for an identity separate from men in the past. This book is no exception - beautifully written and well-researched. The story centres around Fleetwood Shuttlewood, a young noblewoman, who despite her best efforts, cannot seem to carry a child to term. She feels repressed by her husband, her mother and friends. While pregnant with her third child she meets Alice Grey, who is a skilled healer.
But her friendship and pregnancy are placed in jeopardy when her friend and other women in the area are accused of witchcraft.
Based on true events, the story follows Fleetwood's struggle for independence, freedom and a voice in a time of superstition and ignorance.
Well worth a read.

3.5 Stars. Historical fiction set in 1612 England. Fleetwood is only 17 and has had 3 miscarriages. She meets a strange woman in the woods on her husband’s property. They become friends and Alice is charged with witchcraft. Fleetwood becomes bolder in the face of vast adversity to try and save herself, her unborn child and Alice. Can she do it?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

Firstly, I think that this book has one of the most seductive covers I’ve ever seen; so beautifully detailed with the eye-catching gold foil. Secondly, I’ll make it clear from the beginning: I was genuinely spellbound by this novel and The Familiars is a definite contender for my book of the year. This book is everything.

Halls tells us Fleetwood’s tale in a beautiful, almost musical narrative which is steeped in mystery and surrounded by suspense. Fleetwood’s world is unashamedly opulent. We are enveloped in sumptuous feasts, decadent clothing and reds, blues and emerald greens punctuated by rings and rubies. This is in stark contrast to Alice’s life of greys and browns and dirty whites.

Fleetwood has a lot to deal with, and despite already being married, this also feels like a “coming-of-age” novel. Fleetwood embarks on a journey to grow up and stand up for herself. She also manages to find the meaning of true friendship. Teamed up with her magnificent canine friend; a fiercely loyal Tibetan Mastiff called Puck, the formidable Fleetwood becomes a force to be reckoned with.

Halls cleverly creates a moody, misty and murky atmosphere. It is spooky and eerie and evokes ominous, shuddery feelings and a shimmering sense of foreboding from the very beginning.

I freely admit to being seduced by the mystical allure of this novel: I was totally, utterly and obliviously lost in it. The Familiars is sultry and seductive and full of so much witchy goodness.

Dogs, horses, witches, a spiky mother-in-law, and a suspicious husband; this book has it all. Every time I see the auburn flash of a foxtail (fairly frequently) I think back to this book and all of the wonderful autumnal feelings it evokes.

Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to find myself a Tibetan Mastiff so I can live my best life (Fleetwood Style).

Read this because I loved the cover and the premise, but unfortunately this was not as good as I hoped. It is an easy read and I 'liked' the witch hunt part but I did not connect with the main character and was annoyed with her severa times.

3 out of 5 stars

The Familiars is a historical novel about a young married noblewoman, Fleetwood Shuttleworth, who has suffered from several miscarriages and is now pregnant again. She meets a midwife named Alice Grey who helps her through her difficult pregnancy. Only problem is that Alice Grey is accused of witchcraft at a time when witchcraft trials were taking place and ‘witches’ were put to death for their ‘crimes’.

The author excels at creating a gothic atmosphere that is oppressive and tense while slowly developing the characters and revealing what is at stake for the protagonist Fleetwood and her new friend, Alice.

I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere that the author brought to life and enjoyed the slow but tense unraveling of the story, piece by piece.

The main issue that I had with the book was the protagonist, Fleetwood Shuttleworth (apparently a real person who lived in Lancashire at the time the novel takes place). Fleetwood had the personality of a wet noodle. Though she grows and matures as a person by the end of the novel, it is not enough for me to salvage her as a character. I think that is the result of the first person narration. One one hand, the first person narration was great because we, the audience, learn what is going on at the same time as Fleetwood does but on the other hand, she was so childlike and naive that it was frustrating being in her mind.

I think the author was going for historical accuracy by making her complacent and dependant on the will of her husband but I think she took it a bit too far and made Fleetwood more foolish than she needed to be. I think Fleetwood’s naiveté was also used as a tool to add to the reveal of what is going on but at times it was hard to bear her lack of awareness.

For example, she sticks her foot in her mouth by assuming that Alice Grey, who is clearly dressed as a peasant, can read. The story takes place during 1612. Most men of peasant stock were not literate during that time, never mind women who had even fewer rights. Even women of nobility, such as Fleetwood, were only somewhat literate and it was common knowledge that peasants were illiterate (the nobility partly justified their ruling over the peasants/serfs on the basis that they were intellectually superior so even if Fleetwood did not share that opinion, she knew about it) so her starting position when meeting someone dressed in rags would never be that this person could read. That is just one example of Fleetwood being made dumber than she needed to be so that she fumbles along the way and doesn’t learn what is going on under her nose until it is literally in front of her face.

To be honest, I found Fleetwood so frustratingly stupid that I almost DNF’d the book. The only reason I didn’t was because I was intrigued just enough to keep going. In the end, I’m glad that I finished the book because I enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and Fleetwood’s growth as a character. I think the book would have been better overall if Fleetwood started off as a stronger (but still flawed) character and grew from there but there was enough going on to keep me interested regardless.

I received a digital review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review but I ended up listening to the finished copy as an audiobook so I am reviewing the finished copy instead of the uncorrected proof.

I was highly anticipating this read and was very grateful to be able to read an early review copy. I have since re read this book twice as it was so good. I would rate this book a full 5 stars. After reading this book I found out that this was a debut novel by Stacey Halls. Well this is very impressive due to the intricate and well suited to the genre. We follow our main characters Alice and Fleetwood. This is a very emotive read about grief, loss and friendship. Overall the friendship aspect was very lovely and I appreciated reading it. I enjoyed how this book raised many questions and you did not know what was going to happen next.

Stacey Halls has done an excellent job of creating a cast of characters and integrating them into an era of history that would scare off most fiction writers. Readers are first introduced to the central characters then taken on an unusual trip through a time in history where women had very little say in their lives. The back story of witch trials draws readers into the center of the conflict. How will the women manage to escape their certain doom? Make sure you have no distractions when you start this book.

Do you know the story of the Pendle witch trials?

It is a story that has almost become mythologised yet in The Familiars, Stacey Halls breathes new life into a well worn tale. We see this piece of history through the fictionalised protagonist Fleetwood Shuttleworth, (based on a real historical figure of the same name) a naive young woman who, through her burgeoning friendship with local woman Alice Gray, is forced to see the world outside of her upper class life. However, life is not so simple for Fleetwood either as she faces her own struggles as a woman in the 17th Century, from her lack of legal standing, to her precarious health as she attempts to produce an heir.

Halls deftly integrates modern day feminism into her historical fiction narrative, highlighting the injustices women faced without having to crowbar modern ideas into the story. In fact, it becomes quite effortless, achieving this simply by painting the picture of Stuart England from the eyes of a 17 year old woman. The atmosphere Halls evokes is a tense, mysterious one, finely balanced between reality and the real possibility of witchcraft, a state which is never quite resolved and leaves the reader wondering.

The Familiars also stands out for the friendship of its central female protagonists, which is the kind of relationship which is rarely depicted in literature. The characters were well rounded and complex, each having their flaws and with some their redeeming features. Despite the tale of the trials being a well known one, the novel was original and the plot wasn’t in any way predictable, instead often leading down a new trail which made you wonder where it would take you next.

For me the gothic style, the build up of suspense, and the topic of witchcraft paired with a deft handling of feminist issues made this a perfect read. I adored this book and cannot wait to see what Halls does next!



I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own. 

Image from Amazon.