As an English teacher by trade, I was so engrossed by this captivating re-imagining of one of Shakespeare's most famous witches. An enchanting read from start to finish.

This was such a beautiful read with lush prose, gorgeous descriptions and a story that flowed so well
The author took this character and made her interesting and bold with an engrossing backstory and a vividly imagined life
I loved reading this and enjoyed every minute

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

A prequel to Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’? One that brings every sense to life with the spirit, beauty, and sadness of Sycorax, mother to Caliban, who gets only the briefest of mentions in the stage show?

Yes please.

@nydiamadeofwords beautiful novel (coming in Feb 2025), imagines the life of this most fascinating of offstage witches as an outsider in a town governed by a former private, and administered by the beautiful councillor, Afalkay. The natural world plays as great a role in Sycorax’s life as the human, and the two are woven together in lush prose that brilliantly evokes bird song, salt sea air, sandy toes, market scents, sweat, sweet happiness, plus a spectrum of sympathy and pain.

Sycorax endures a lot for being Other and often has little or no opportunity to escape, but I never felt she was defined or defeated by the chronic pain and persecution she faces. There’s a glorious resilience about her and the way she draws strength from the natural world and the glimmers of human goodness. I loved her. And her mother.

It might not be your cup of tea if you’re in a plot-driven phase, but if you like the idea of a beautifully written novel that explores what makes a ‘witch’ in a refreshing, thought provoking way, with a fabulous little epilogue, look no further.

‘The Tempest’ was the first (and for a long time the only) Shakespeare play that really caught my imagination, but I always felt it was a shame we weren’t told more about Caliban and Sycorax. I was delighted when I saw this was due to be published. Heartfelt thanks to @quercusbooks and @netgalley for the review copy.

I really enjoyed Nydia Hetherington's previous novel A Girl Made of Air and was interested to see what she did with this story. It's a reimagining of events prior to Shakespeare's The Tempest.
She's written a beautiful and lyrical fable about the 'crone' Sycorax who's alluded to in the play but is never seen.
I loved the use of language and imagery and liked the twisting of the perspective to show her as someone sympathetic and misunderstood.
Hetherington uses the lens of illness and disability to portray her and this was cleverly and sensitively done. This felt like an ancient fable and worked as a piece of storytelling.