This book was beautifully written. It really gave the sense of a magic grounded in nature. The whole tone of the book was equal parts ethereal and grounded, which for me really demonstrated the tension within our main character of being both connected with the ‘real world’, and also feeling somehow ‘other’.oʻ

It was great to get a more in-depth look at the character of Sycorax – I didn’t really know anything about her beyond the brief mentions in The Tempest and getting more of her background.

However, I found the book to be quite slow going. I didn’t feel as though there was much driving the book forward, which made it feel like it was dragging in places.

I also didn’t feel very connected to any of the characters. The book is written in first person, so we (the reader) obviously won’t be able to learn more than Sycorax herself knows. As she is an outsider and “othered” in many ways, it makes sense that we wouldn’t learn much about many other characters from her point of view, and it does give a good sense of the disconnect and isolation from most of those around her. For me, caring for the characters is an important part of enjoying the book, so this sense of disconnect and isolation of the narrator made it difficult for me to invest in the story.

Overall, the writing was beautiful and the story was interesting, but it lacked some drive to the narrative and connection with the cast of characters.

Writing stories about minor female characters from the literary canon has certainly become all the rage in recent years, with Madeleine Miller's Circe becoming a firm favourite as well as being a fantastic book. Hetherington's Sycorax was instantly reminiscent of Circe for me, but for all the right reasons. Hetherington hasn't sought to take a female character much maligned in literature to make a quick buck as many other writers have since Miller's success. Instead, Hetherington uses the bare landscape left by Shakespeare to create a beautifully written coming-of-age tale that puts chronic illness at its centre.

Having been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis herself, Hetherington utilises the bleak stereotype of cunning and wise women (as old, haggard and gnarled) to tell a story of power, resilience and courage through Sycorax's early life and final arrival on the island where she gives birth to Caliban.

The prose is evocative and atmospherically delicious; each act brims with life through Hetherington's succinct description and level pacing. Hetherington does justice to a character who is but a name in The Tempest and allows us to see how she appears in glimmers of Caliban's characterisation too. Most importantly, however, is the representation of chronic pain throughout the novel. It was incredible to read about a young woman who uses her gifts and knowledge of the earth to aid others, yet requires rest, her own tinctures, patience, and walking aids.

Through this depiction, Hetherington explores how the stereotypes we've applied to women throughout the ages were born out the fear of Otherness; how we other those different from us in order to combat our own insecurities and projected fears. Thus, it is beautiful to have this particular story resolve with Sycorax arriving upon the island. We know that Prospero's arrival will be nothing short of destructive, but Hetherington choses to end this particular tale with Sycorax finally being accepted for the magical being she is.

Sycorax by Nydia Hetherington is an absolutely mesmerizing novel that takes readers on an emotional and thought-provoking journey into the heart of magic, identity, and power. The novel’s rich world-building and deeply human characters immediately draw you in, particularly through its protagonist, Sycorax, whose voice is at once enchanting and powerful. Hetherington has masterfully crafted a complex, multi-layered narrative that not only reimagines a classic myth but also brings to light important social and political themes that resonate deeply in today’s world.

What sets Sycorax apart from other works in the genre is Hetherington’s ability to blend lush, lyrical prose with profound insight into human nature. The themes of exile, survival, and transformation are explored in such a way that readers will find themselves reflecting long after the last page is turned. The way the author weaves myth with reality gives the novel a timeless quality, making it both an engaging fantasy and a deep exploration of identity and legacy.

Hetherington’s portrayal of Sycorax is brilliant and refreshing—far from the villainous figure many might remember, Sycorax is a multi-dimensional character who commands sympathy and understanding. The novel is a wonderful reminder that every story has many sides, and no character is truly “good” or “evil.”

With its captivating prose, brilliant world-building, and deep emotional resonance, Sycorax is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thoughtful, rich, and captivating story that challenges the conventions of mythology.

Sometimes I do wonder whether I should stop requesting retellings, but no: Sycorax proves there is still a lot to be retold. Sycorax is Caliban's mother in Shakespeare's The Tempest about whom Prospero says:

'This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child
And here was left by the sailors.'

We get Sycorax's story before this event. The love story of her parents, her birth and youth, how she was made to cover het blue eyes, how she found her way in life as a healer and a midwife, with her disabilities... It is an uphill battle which is being told in a very compassionate way.

The style is poetic, the pace slow, but I just adored this book. Themes of empowerment, love, betrayal, managing on your own, finding support in your community always speak to me and are beautifully woven into the story.

Hetherington does not only make an unseen character seen but also the struggle of someone who has to make their way in life when a lot is against her. Having a limp sometimes myself, I heavily connected to Sycorax and her struggles. Wanting to do things yourself, people looking weird at you... I recognised it all. I wasn't surprised to read in the afterword that the author wrote this from her own experience. You feel in every word and in every move the author knows what she is talking about.

Thank you NetGalley, Nydia Hetherington and Quercus Books for the ARC

*Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus Books for providing a digital copy to review*

I am unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the whole lore connected to Sycorax, but it wasn’t a major hindrance in enjoying this book.

This book felt like historical fiction, a genre I love, and it felt warm and familiar as I was reading. This book is a story of a woman who is different from everyone else and has skills that, in the eyes of men, are seen as a threat. As a result, you can guess that her life is not easy.

You really feel for her in this book. She goes through a lot concerning her family and developing a chronic illness, which means she spends most of her days in pain. Despite that, she wants to help the women in her community even though she is seen as other.

I loved seeing her journey in this book and how we get more back story to a well-known character with very little written about her.

What came before The Tempest? The question asked in this blazing feminist novel. Deft and emotional, this is a must read for Shakespeare fans!

3.5/4

Sycorax tells the story behind the mother of Caliban, a woman who is portrayed as a vengeful and powerful witch in The Tempest. So, like all right thinking people I assumed she was actually just a woman who knew how to heal people or a midwife. Confession: I've never read/seen The Tempest.

Of course I was only half right and I was delighted that Nydia Hetherington gives some powers to her heroine. I still like some mystery to my myths. Sycorax is not seen in the play but in the book she is disabled physically and her eyes are kept covered because her mother believes the population would fear her daughter.

As usual Sycorax's gifts are used against her and she is abused by the men and women of her community. She has only two friends- a crow and Yemma, a wise woman. It certainly doesn't take much for dislike to turn to hatred and hatred turn to violence.

In the Acknowledgements Nydia Hetherington tells the very moving and personal story that led her to write this novel. It certainly puts her treatment of Sycorax's story in a new light.

In all I found this novel interesting and with some magical parts it was certainly supernatural enough for me.

Recommended.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the advance review copy.

Sycorax is a slow burn, character driven novel that takes the character of Sycorax, mentioned in Shakespeare's The Tempest and draws themes of loneliness, chronic illness, isolation and the fear of those who are 'other' or different. It's beautifully told, taking Sycorax from her birth through to the beginning of her legend. It shows a very different side of the woman than that told in Shakespeare's tale, where she is a witch and a hag and it draws you into her life and loss in a very real way.

This is one of those novels that draws you in with a gentle hand and then shatters you with unexpected cruelty at a moments notice. One scene in particular comes to mind, although there are several that would fit the description. There's love and friendship and loyalty. There's also pain and cruelty and wilful destruction of innocence and beauty.

It's also a very real telling of chronic illness and the impact that has not just on physical health, but on how we see ourselves in the world and how it can seem to overtake everything else. It came as no surprise to learn that the author struggles with chronic illness as it was done with care and sensitivity whilst not hiding the sharp and cruel edges.

All in all, this is a strong 're-telling' of Sycorax's backstory, a woman who is only mentioned by name in Shakespeare's play. It brings life to the characters and gives a breath of air to a character who didn't even appear in her own play. It is slow, it's more character than narrative based, but it's also beautiful and haunting and strangely compelling.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

I'm prefacing my review to say that The Tempest is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays by far, if not my overall favourite so I was super intrigued to read a retelling of Sycorax who is Caliban's mother.

“I know the power of stories and of voices. Even silenced ones. So let me end mine with what I have seen of Sycorax, and assure you again that once, she had a voice, and it was loud and melodious and filled with magic”.

As anyone who has read the Tempest will know, Sycorax is a witch and one that we explore in much greater detail in this story. A witch who suffers for most of her life, hated by the towns people, feared, ridiculed and we learn that she's abandoned at quite a young age and only really survives because of the kindness of just a few people. The chronic illness and exceptional chronic pain representation is outstanding and as a disabled reader, this one really hit the mark. I felt her pain, her struggle, and her resolve to keep going. It was also incredibly refreshing to see a true representation of chronic pain, the despair, the pacing, the ebb and flow of pain waves. It was written so sensitively and so truly.

The language in this story is beautiful. Poetic, flowery, waxing lyrically about the landscape, the emotions, the meaning of how and where she is. It was nice to dive into something so though proviking, harrowing and emotionally charged about a character that was so so interesting in The Tempest but was never the focus.

If you want something to stay in your brain after you've read it, Sycorax certainly is it.

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus fir this eCopy to review

I recently read Sycorax by Nydia Hetherington, and it was quite an intriguing experience. The novel reimagines the life of Sycorax, the powerful witch from Shakespeare's The Tempest, before her banishment.

The story delves into Sycorax's origins, portraying her as a young woman born with a deep connection to nature and marked by a malady that sets her apart from society. Hetherington's writing is beautifully descriptive, bringing to life the world of Algiers and the struggles Sycorax faces as she grows into her powers.

Overall, Sycorax is a unique and thought-provoking read, but it took a while for the plot to pick up momentum.

It's not easy to review this novel as it could take a very long review or a very short one that summarize what I felt.
It's an intriguing and lyrical retelling of Sycorax, Caliban's mother in Shakespeare's Tempest. I appreciated how the author turn a role which nearly a name in the story of a witch/woman/mother.
There's plenty of emotions, there's a well rounded and three-dimensional main character, and some heartbreaking moments.
My only note: it's a bit too slow burning at times and I had some issues to keep focused
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

This is inspired by The Tempest and looks to create an origin story for Sycorax. You don’t need to have read The Tempest to read and enjoy this, it very much stands as its own book.

This is quite a slow burn and is one for fans of beautiful, flowing and flowery language. It’s very descriptive, taking time to revel in the landscapes, going into fine detail about the way the character feels in their settings and their experience of the world around them.

This book is often harrowing and Sycorax suffers greatly. She is disdained by the townsfolk, seen as an oddity and never accepted, she’s left alone at quite a young age and only survives through the kindness of a few. An old woman and a crow. I’m always instantly sold on an animal companion and particularly crows! We follow Sycorax as she has to navigate challenge after challenge, often in a bid just to survive. She is frustrating at times as she can be her own worst enemy, but the author provides context to help us understand why she behaves the way she does.

Quite a unique and interesting book in the retelling space to have delved into a Shakespearean character that’s perhaps lesser known. This was certainly thought-provoking.

In Sycorax, Nydia Hetherington embarks on a fascinating journey: giving a voice to a Shakespearean character who never had one. Anyone who has read The Tempest knows that Sycorax is mentioned only in passing—a banished witch, Caliban’s mother, described as cruel and evil. But is that really the truth? Or just the version told by those in power?

This novel reimagines her story, transforming her from a mere name spoken with fear into a complex, passionate, and determined figure. Hetherington explores her youth, her connection to magic, the rejection she faces from society, and her exile. Her Sycorax is a woman fighting for her identity, embodying the fate of many women throughout history—powerful figures who were silenced, demonized, and ultimately erased.

The writing is evocative and poetic, filled with powerful imagery that transports readers into a world suspended between myth and reality. The pace is slow and meditative, leaning more toward literary introspection than traditional fantasy, but for those who love atmospheric, thought-provoking stories, Sycorax is a compelling read.

A must-read for fans of classic retellings, unconventional heroines, and narratives that shine a light on the forgotten corners of literature and history.

This was extremely atmospheric and mysterious. I was so intrigued by the premise. But I could not get into it at all.

This book is absolutely gorgeous. I love retelling of female characters that didn’t get enough recognition or consideration in their history, in real life but also in literature.

I am a fan of the retakes of Greek women such as Medusa, Circe, Clytemnestra. Powerful fictional women that have been portrayed like witches, monsters, villains. Therefore I was really attracted by the synopsis of this book, and it did not let me down!

What’s in a name? Sycorax, the unseen witch from Shakespeare’s Tempest is a voiceless archetype. Her name alone is enough to conjure fear and supposition. Nydia Heatherington gives Sycorax a voice, a body, and a life. Growing up in Algiers, she has a father, a mother, and a secret. Born of the Sun and the Moon, young Sycorax is blessed and cursed with gifts that scare those who cannot understand. In a conservative and patriarchal society, she is feared for her foresight and independence. Physically othered by her piercing violet eyes and a genetic disease that causes her crippling agony, she is again placed on the outside. Unlikely to marry, what place has she in her world? Living beyond the bounds of civilisation, she represents a threat to order, a manifestation of the uncontrollable natural world, and an easy scapegoat for people’s fears.
In this gently ferocious novel, Hetherington tells a timeless story of female oppression in a new voice. A captivating tale that will leave you wishing for more of this fresh new character.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC copy. Available for general release on February 27th!
#Sycorax #NetGalley #ARCreader #bookreview #bookstagram

Sycorax

Seer. Sage. Sorceress. 

“I know the power of stories and of voices. Even silenced ones. So let me end mine with what I have seen of Sycorax, and assure you again that once, she had a voice, and it was loud and melodious and filled with magic”.

I was entranced by this beautifully lyrical tale of the unseen sorcerous of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. This is my favourite Shakespeare play because I love its atmosphere and the use of musical sounds to conjure up this enchanted island, ruled by the magician Prospero. Sycorax isn’t even present in the play, but is mentioned as a sorcerous and mother of Caliban who is depicted as a monster and a slave to Prospero. The author wants to give Sycorax a voice, one that she doesn’t have in the play, to tell us in her own words what it was like to be treated with suspicion and cruelty. Sycorax’s story is an emotional one as she wrestles with her identity, her powers and the loneliness of being an outcast. Each time her powers grow the more isolated she becomes.The author is clearly so passionate about this book and giving her central character a voice and I think she achieves it beautifully.

The story unfolds slowly while the author immerses us in the world Sycorax inhabits, at first with her parents. Taking her cue from Shakespeare her prose is lyrical and poetic. I really felt like I was in the presence of a magical being and it was the sounds that really grabbed me - the tinkle of sea shells on her mother’s anklets, the sounds of the sea, the lazy buzz of the honey bees they keep. I felt as if I was cocooned on a Caribbean island and strangely relaxed too. Everything is so aligned with nature, nothing interrupts because even the market is just laying a blanket at the side of the road and selling in the open. By creating this mindful and harmonious background the author makes sure that when something does interrupt, it tears through this idyll and comes as a shock. So when Sycorax goes down to the marina and sailors are unloading goods, the noise is a huge contrast and the roughness of these men who are filthy and covered with lice makes us realise what a feminine energy the rest of the book has. The assault on her senses is violent and the unmistakably male. Despite the beauty of it’s language there are tough subjects here, that are based in misogyny and how women with healing skills are misunderstood by society. There’s also an element of colonialism here, over women’s bodies as well as where they live.

“Women are used as an instrument of war. Our bodies are another land to be invaded, destroyed and conquered.”

There’s a big hint that her mother was aware of men’s need to conquer and control. In fact, her mother blindfolds Sycorax from a young age, covering the incredible violet colour - I imagined them like Elizabeth Taylor’s amazing eyes. Yet she doesn’t hide them because something is wrong with them, but more because they are extraordinary and it might draw male attention. This could mean a sexual possession, such as the attention Sycorax experiences from Alifax ?? However, nothing makes men more fearful than a woman with knowledge and if she won’t behave or remain hidden might they attempt to silence her? In spite of everything she faces, Sycorax remains strong, a strength that could be attributed to her upbringing with her tenacious and otherworldly mother. Sycorax’s ongoing inner strength and determination to find her own identity in a world that shuns her, is something to truly admire. Because of this she is vehemently hated among the townsfolk, especially men because she won’t disappear.

I admired Sycorax’s strength, just her ability to keep getting up each day and going on. Everything they try to be rid of her just doesn’t work. Described as born of the sun and moon and shaped by fire and malady gives us a sense of her resolve, she’s hard as forged iron. Of course my main interest would be disability and chronic illness, being a fellow sufferer. I wrote my English Lit dissertation on disability representation and my Renaissance literature exam on Caliban and a potential reading of his character as someone with a disability. Yet somehow I hadn’t picked up on his mother and here we see her as stiffened, bent over and in chronic pain. This is Nydia’s purpose in writing this story, she beautifully dedicates her book to readers with chronic illness. This is so moving to me because we’re so rarely seen these days in an empathic or positive way. We’re so rarely seen. I mean really seen by someone who knows our struggle. It’s important to point out that Sycorax is a woman with chronic illness and this is a very different experience to a man - it’s shown in research that women’s pain is taken less seriously when presenting at A and E. Even when when women visit multiple times, doctors are slower at ordering tests or referring to a consultant.

There’s a constant sense of give and take between Sycorax and her universe. Strangely the more she’s affected by illness, the more powerful she becomes. The power comes in the shape of wisdom, because people with chronic illness understand things about life that other people won’t get in a lifetime. It’s also about resilience, something that comes with time and getting to know how your illness affects you. By working with it, Sycorax knows what her body can do and how much activities will take out of her. Everything is a bargain and when she has to take to her bed she counts rest as an activity. I love that Nydia puts her own wisdom into the character, in the need to measure out energy daily and live with constant pain. Everything Sycorax goes through and learns about her illness, we follow and it was moving to hear words that have gone through my own head. I’ve woken up in agony, out of nowhere, trying to work out what tasks are absolutely necessary and which can wait. I was moved when Sycorax was taken to a woman in labour by a friend of her mother’s, teaching her how to help and support. The woman is screaming and thrashing, so Sycorax goes and kneels by her head, holding it gently and singing a song in a rhythm. She slows down the woman’s breathing and draws her attention to the ebb and flow of the pain. It calms the woman and allows her to work with contractions rather than fight them. This is something I do when in pain and something Ive taught clients with chronic pain. Even severe pain is rarely continuous agony. It has a pattern, a shift, an ebb and flow. If you tune into the ebb and flow of pain you can go with it rather than fight it. That’s what I’m going to take away from this beautiful book, to remind myself of the ebb and flow in life and in my own body.
Nydia has written a beautiful piece of work that takes us full circle to The Tempest. She’s managed to bring 21st Century injustices to the forefront without losing any of the magical beauty of the original play.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a beautifully written book, which was really the only thing to keep me charmed to the end. As it was otherwise a bit over long and certainly on the depressing side.

I thought the writer using her personal experience of chronic illness was one of the most compelling parts of this work, and praise the ambition of the style.

I have come to the conclusion that the next time I am tempted by a feminist retelling of a long dismissed story I should just not pick it up. I cannot keep survive the endless sensation that, no matter what I do, fate will always have such cruelty in store for me as has been suffered by the women who came before me. Which is the inherent issue with a retelling rather than an original story, the bones of where we are headed have long since been laid and no matter how powerful we make our heroine, she will still end up there.

<b>Rating: 3.0/5, good.</b>
<b>Publishing date: 27/02/2025</b>
<i>Thank you Nydia Hetherington and Quercus Books for the digital copy.</i>

<i>Sycorax</i> is a fantasy retelling that reimagines the life of the powerful witch from one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, <i>The Tempest</i>, but no previous knowledge is necessary to read this standalone novel. In the play, Sycorax is mentioned but never seen—known only as the powerful sorceress and mother of Caliban, who is later enslaved by Prospero. Nydia Hetherington gives a voice to this mysterious figure, adding depth to her character by exploring the reasoning behind her physical appearance and shedding light on chronic illness—challenging her portrayal as a villain. She also includes a historical note that inspired Shakespeare to write <i>The Tempest</i> to give context. The novel follows Sycorax from birth to her transformation into the legendary witch, offering a compelling first-person perspective that immerses readers in her world.

The book explores themes of chronic illness, solitude, womanhood, and more. Hetherington’s prose is lyrical and immersive, creating a world that is both magical and compelling. <i> “It is cold. The island hums. It knows I cannot sleep and tries only to soothe me. Moonlight touches my face. I lift my chin a little, bathe in the brightness, and blink. White beams reach like arms into my cave as I crouch on the smooth rock at its mouth. As always, the Moon’s beauty makes me gasp. Hairs rise on the back of my neck. I like the sensation. Resting heavily upon my staff, my trusty aid, still fragrant with the sap of the tree it came from, I enjoy the fresh bite of the cool night air. It will be hot when daytime comes, sweat will cling to us.”</i>

The narrative, initially, tells the tale of Atlas and Sunny, told through Sycorax’s perspective. <i> “My mother was of the Moon. My father was of the Sun. Together they were night and day.”</i> As the story progresses, we learn that Atlas’s ancestors suffered from a physical malady passed down through generations. <i> “Every evening she’d ask her friend the Moon to save her from a family malady, a cruel, painful stiffening she’d watched many women in her family struggle with.”</i> Hetherington cleverly interprets the hunchback posture and the use of a cane for support due to arthritis, though the name is never explicitly mentioned. Chronic diseases are rarely explored in ancient tellings, making this book unique in that aspect. <i> “When I tried to move, I couldn’t. Where once I was made of flesh and bones, now agony seemed the very fabric of my being. I named the illness Aamon. For truly, it was the devil prince, and I was its prey.”</i>

The slow pace of <i>Sycorax</i> might not be for everyone, and even though the writing is of high quality, and the character development is strong, not much happens. Sunny’s characterisation, as well as that of Sycorax’s father, felt unfinished, superficial, and inconsistent. The choice of words at times felt odd, in my opinion. <i>”... scattered with human and equine meat.”</i> "Equine" is a scientific term and does not fit well here, although this might be nitpicking. The historical aspect serves only as a backdrop, a missed opportunity to ground the tale more firmly. Perhaps this is why the novel reads like fantasy YA from the middle to the end.

Overall, <i>Sycorax</i> is an accomplished retelling that may appeal to fantasy readers who enjoy strong character development (but little plot), feminist retellings, and Shakespearean reinterpretations.

I was quite excited when I saw this book pop up. It's only been in the last couple of years that I started to enjoy Shakespeare, after struggling with it in school. 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Macbeth' are the only works of his that I truly enjoy, but there was something that drew me towards this book, despite me not being as keen on 'The Tempest'.

I love stories about misunderstood women, and 'Sycorax' was honestly brilliant for this. Hetherington has cooked up a truly interesting back story for Caliban's mother, and although it took me some time to get into, I smashed through half of this book in a few hours. The friendship between Raven/Sycorax and the crow was heartwarming, and I found myself getting very emotionally invested in the last 100 pages of the novel.

I really do think 'Sycorax' is worth a read, even if Shakespeare isn't your thing!