https://lynns-books.com/2022/02/21/the-hemlock-cure-by-joanne-burn/
3.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Mixed feelings for this one

The Hemlock Cure is a story set in 1665/6 in the village of Eyam. If you haven’t heard of Eyam you should go look it up. Basically, during the 17th century, when the Bubonic Plague was sweeping across Europe rightly earning the name the ‘black death’ the villagers of Eyam, took the decision to quarantine their village to try and prevent the disease from spreading to neighbouring villages. Whether the theory was sound or not is not known but during that period many of the villagers died.

As The Hemlock Cure begins the plague is travelling to the village, carried in a bolt of flea ridden cloth intended for the local tailor. Pretty soon after it arrives the disease and death begins.

As the story starts we meet the key players. A young girl called Mae who lives with her father, the village apothecary, Wulfric. Isabel, the local midwife, her husband Johan and their children. Between them there are a lot of secrets and lies.

Now, as I mentioned above, I had mixed feelings for this book. On the one hand the writing is lovely, the attention to detail really pulls you into the way of life and there’s some lovely details about herbs and cures, etc. The story hints at witchcraft and strong female friendships, although some of these unravel when the plague arrives. On the other hand I think I was expecting a storyline that focused more on the events that took place in Eyam after the village went into isolation. As it is the story is essentially about Mae. Mae desperately wants to apprentice with her father as an apothecary but Wulfric thinks otherwise. It soon becomes apparent that Mae’s situation is precarious and that she needs to exercise a good deal of caution in order to stay safe.

I won’t say more about the plot at this point.

I have to hand it to the author, this is a beautiful book, the writing is lovely and although I had issues in some respects I didn’t struggle to complete the book. It’s more that I was expecting something different which is totally on me to be honest. As it is there is a mystery of sorts that is slowly revealed that certainly went in directions that I hadn’t anticipated.

Overall, I found this easy to read but I felt there were issues that prevented me from absolutely loving it. The storyline itself felt a little fractured, I wasn’t convinced with the choice of one of the POVs and I found it difficult to really become attached to the characters for some reason.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Should a woman be accused of witchcraft just because of their use of herbs when a male apothecary does the same but with no accusations?

Set in 1665 during the height of The Black Death epidemic of the Bubonic Plague in the village of Eyam, Mae, the youngest daughter of Wulfric, the village apothecary strives to make her father see that she, herself can follow in his footsteps. Wulfric is however a misogynistic cruel man who deems her to ‘woman's work’ and hires a male apprentice instead.

Mae’s closest ally, Isabel Frith the village midwife, has forever raised Wulfric’s suspicions of witchcraft where he has banned her from his home. Little did he know that Mae not only secretly studies his forbidden books, she also seeks guidance from Isabel. Both Isabel and Mae must tread very carefully as the consequences of being discovered are unthinkable!

I found this book to have a slow start as I wasn’t sure where it was going. The pace does however pick up as the story took form and I adored the lyrical style of writing which made it a delight to read. Mae is a character to be admired as her strength and determination never waned, she knew what she wanted and she wasn’t going to let her father get in her way despite the dangers and obstacles in her path. This truly is a story of determination, ambition and female friendship and one to be loved by all historical fiction lovers or history lovers as it is based on real history!

An interesting history of apothecary and witchcraft interspersed with family loyalty and friendship. I really enjoyed the relationship between Mae and Isabel - they had such a connection from the time of Mae’s birth and I loved how they supported eachother. The relationship between Mae and her father was more difficult to read about though - his thoughts on women generally, including his daughter, were harsh and controlling.
This was a slow burn of a read which ramped up completely in the final third - a must for all historical fiction fans.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for approving me for an ARC of this book. I read this with my fellow Tsundoku Squad member, Wendy. As lovers of historical fiction we were very intrigued by this one and couldn’t wait to buddy read it together.

I really liked the layout of this story. We had the main chapters which followed Mae and her story but interspersed were entries from Wulfric’s diary as well as Leah, Mae’s older sister. These diary entries gave not only insight into Wulfric’s state of mind but the events that lead up to both Leah and her mother’s death.

During the story we are also introduced to Isabel, the local midwife who feels a strong attachment to Mae. As Isabel was Mae’s mothers friend she too feels protective of her and is constantly worried for her safety. As a woman in the 1600’s though there is little she can do without causing too much distress on her own family. I adored the relationship between these two women and it was my favourite part of the story.

I could not help but feel for Mae throughout the story. I was constantly worried what was going to happen to her and did not trust her father at all. At points I was almost scared to read on for fear of Mae’s life! This was a slow burning read where all the small events lead up to a dramatic finale. I kept hoping and praying that Mae would finally be free of that dreadful home but I hadn’t quite imagined events to unfold as they did.

Seeped in history this is a story that is full of mystery, tension and hope. Perfect for any historical fans that lovely a little apothecary and witchcraft thrown in!

This book was of interest to me not only because of the subject matter generally - plague, suspected witchcraft, men's persecution of women who healed in the 17th century - but also because it is based on a historical event which occurred not far from where I live. In 1666 the bubonic plague came to the small Peak District village of Eyam, carried by fleas in a bundle of cloth sent from London to the local tailor. As disease ran rife, the incumbent rector and the ousted Puritan minister (this being the Restoration period) join forces to persuade the villagers to go into a lockdown that looks a lot like the Covid measures of the past two years. History tells us this was successful in stopping the spread of the plague to larger nearby cities like Sheffield and Buxton, but at a terrible cost to the village which, the author's note tells us, lost a third of its residents - a death toll twice the national average.

Against this background, the author brings the local characters vividly to life. Fifteen-year-old Mae is the daughter of the local apothecary Wulfric, a twisted religious zealot who suspects his household to be tainted by witchcraft and takes drastic measures to deal with it. Their neighbour Isabel is the local midwife and healer, much sought after by the villagers in spite of a scandalous past, much to Wulfric's disgust. Since the death of Wulfric's wife some five years earlier, Isabel has taken on the role of a mother and mentor to Mae, protecting her as best she can from what she suspects Wulfric to be capable of. But all this is threatened when the village as a whole, and every household within it, locks down.

Like an astonishingly high percentage of novels I've read in recent months, this one deals with illicit love, both same-sex and inter-racial, touches upon gender role reversal, and it's got a ghost. It's a well-written tale that wears its extensive research lightly - the historic events and facts, as well as some of the characters who really existed, are seamlessly woven into the fiction which is never less than gripping. Well worth a read.

What an interesting historical book this was. I found it fascinating and very informative. The pages just sped by and I found myself thinking that those times were so dangerous what with the plague and horrible diets and sanitation. I really enjoyed this book very much. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Hemlock Cure was a refreshing and unexpected read. I haven't read many books from this time period and I enjoyed reading the bits referencing the plague and the unnusual medicines people turned to when trying to protect themselves and their loved ones.

I felt that it was quite slow to start but once it got started I was intrigued to find out what happened to Mae and her mysterious sister Leah. I found the main plot of the story was secondary to me compared to the relationship between Mae and her father. She had an uneasy existance with him since the death of her mother and sister and despite being a well respected member of the community it is clear to the reader she has something to fear.

The Hemlock Cure was one of those books that is filled with vivid characters and the kind of writing that transports you directly to the scene being described.

"The baby, when it eventually it came, slipped from her body like St Margaret from the dragon's belly. Mother's groan was death itself. And the little scrap, like a skinned rabbit, lay lifeless on the linen between her legs."

The Hemlock Cure is a winning book in my eyes.

The Hemlock Cure is part historical fiction, part coming-of-age and part love story, making it a book that will appeal to different people on many different levels.

Joanne Burn’s decision to have the book narrated by Mae’s dead sister Leah as she watches over the people of Eyam made for a compelling hook, making me very curious as to how she and her mother died. The flashbacks to Leah’s own memories and the excerpts from Wulfric’s diary built on this mystery as Mae’s own story unfolded, making for a tale that I found hard to put down. Mae is a character that I quickly became attached to, and my heart broke for the life that she found herself living.

Whilst reading about a community ravaged by the plague, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to the situation the world has so recently faced. It was startling how little has really changed in the intervening years. Knowing that the book is based on fact, and that the people of Eyam really did lock themselves away from the world in an attempt to limit the spread of the plague made it all the more fascinating to read.

I think I went through the entire emotional spectrum whilst reading this book as I fell under the spell of the wonderful characters stored within its pages.

Beautifully descriptive and engaging. This book was fascinating from start to finish, with great character development and an interesting plot.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

I started off enjoying the plot and was excited for the development of the characters but I felt that the book moved too slowly for me. I got to about halfway, when I seriously thought about putting it down and trying a different book.

I felt the synopsis of this novel was a little misleading, and although I enjoyed the writing style, I felt overall it was too slow for me.

This was written well and I enjoyed following the variety of characters in this. I liked how this was so focused on the historical detail and the writing by burn helped accentuate this. The girls were written really well and they seemed to have an air of reliability about them. I really like Mae and found her a compelling character to follow. However, i didn't love this entirely and felt that at times it was a little boring and had an inconsistent tone. It wasn't a bad book at all but it just missed the mark at times for me.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it, and I really wanted to love it as plot contains all the elements that I look for in historical fiction; witchcraft, magic and an unusual but interesting time period.

The story is set in Eyam, a village which famously quarantined itself to prevent the bubonic plague from spreading to surrounding towns and villages. Something we can all relate to in the times of covid. However I didn't feel the sense of fear that the villagers would surely have felt during this time. The plague seemed almost like a sub plot where I feel it should have been centre stage.

The witchcraft/magical elements were there in the book but a lot of attention on the herbs used. While this was interesting,
I felt it made the story drag.

I was engaged with the story but I wasn't on the edge of my seat and eager to read on. It's a shame as it is obvious how much time and research the author has put into this book.

A book to get totally lost in! I loved the combining of real events with fiction, it made for a brilliant read.

Huge thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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The Hemlock Cure is one of the most unique stories I've read to date!

The struggles of physicians and herbalists in medieval times have always fascinated me and yet I have not found many stories about them.

Burn does an amazing job of presenting seemingly disparate events and stringing them together seamlessly to teasingly unveil the mysteries in The Hemlock Cure. The author's writing style is part of what carries this story and its the setting and characters that heave it to perfection.

To say any more would be spoiling some of the best storytelling I've had the pleasure to immerse myself in. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for fiction based on real events with many unpredictable twists and turns.

Overall rating: 5/5 stars!

The strong women are not only those who put on a fight. Not only are these which are visible with the strong voice. But there is also a group of women who suffer in silence and survive day by day dying inside from fear and the lack of possibilities.

The Hemlock Cure is about that. About a genuine female friendship in hard times and situations that seem to be hopeless. It is also about a society in the small village then the only right voice is the voice of men and their decisions. Where women should be invisible, submissive, and do not fight for any rights.

It was hard to read not because of the writing which is excellent but because of the brutality of the old times and the life portrayal. There is reality and it hurts. Even though I am fully aware that these kinds of behavior was common and still is in some parts of the world.

I ranked it like 4 or even 4.5/5. It is so important and I'm glad that this book was in my library.

Although rurally isolated, the Derbyshire village of Eyam did not escape the pestilence when it arrived from London in 1665 and for those who called this rural backwater home it was to be a time of great fear and isolation. Isabel Frith is the village midwife whose interaction with Wulfric, the belligerent, and deeply religious, village apothecary, is fraught with challenge and distrust.

Caught in the middle is Wulfric's daughter, Mae, who only wishes to be allowed to work alongside her father, using the medicinal skills her deceased mother passed on to her. Wulfric, however, has little time for his daughter, nor of the secrets which swirl and scatter around him and which place Mae in as much danger from her father as from the plague which steals over them. That there is no love lost between Wulfric and Isabel is obvious from the offset, and with accusations of witchcraft screaming in the air, the deadly secret which festers between them is set to destroy one, or other, of them.

Well researched, and wonderfully atmospheric, we imagine the desperation of those caught by the disease in a time when the use of plants and herbal remedies stood little chance against such a fearsome contagion. What happened to the villagers of Eyam in the momentous year of the plague is well documented, their self imposed isolation in order to safe the neighbouring villages is as admirable today as it was then, no doubt saving the lives of many people in the neighbouring communities.

The Hemlock Cure brings history, and the village of Eyam, alive in a very special way.

Beautifully written book. The book jumps back and forwards and at times I found it hard to tell where I was in the story. However I found this an intriguing tale set during an awful time. You cannot help but draw some parallels to the last two years. The setting is indeed a true life plague village which adds some realism. There’s a tension in the tale that builds throughout making this a captivating read.

Thank you Netgalley

I live near Eyam and am aware of its history and how many books have been written about it- some better than others!
I'm pleased to say this was one of the really good ones, the author has obviously done a lot of research but weaves fiction well into historical facts without sounding like a textbook. I particularly liked the descriptions of the herbs used in "cures" and obviously the whole idea of lockdowns and quarantine is very prescient.
Thank you to netgalley and little brown for an advance copy of this book

This book is set in Eyam in the 1660s, in the village that rose to fame due to the selfless and sacrificial decision of its inhabitants to self-isolate in order to stop the spreading of the bubonic plague. In essence however, the book is not primarily about the plague.

The story it tells is Mae’s, the apothecary’s daughter, who is smart and ambitious and – against better knowledge - would have loved to become her father’s apprentice who, of course, wouldn’t have any of it. It is also Isabel’s story, who is the village’s brave, knowledgeable and wise midwife, mistrusted and despised by Mae’s father Wulfric who not only perceives her as a threat to his own business but suspects witchcraft and foul play. Although respected in the village, within his own four walls Wulfric is righteous, judgmental and totally controlling, a ‘despiser of women’, as Isabel would have it. He is pious and his piousness is of the worst kind, fanatic and self-serving at the same time.

When Mae discovers her father’s darkest secrets, which had been suspected for a long time by Isabel, she knows that she needs to act quickly to save herself if she wants to become the person she knows she can and wants to be. The bond between the two women is based on mutual respect, female intuition and driven by Isabel’s strong believe that ‘We must have our own wills and find our own way’.
To me this book is very atmospheric, its language evokes an almost sensual experience of what is describes; together with its protagonists I felt the sun on my skin, smelled the peculiar scent of the dampness of their clothes after the rain, could taste the warm ale they drank to warm up again … . It appears to be a very well researched story regarding historical facts and most impressively, herbal and botanical details as well as midwifery knowledge.

I really enjoyed reading ‘The Hemlock Cure’, which is certainly not just another story about the plague but turned out to be a bit of a thriller set in the 17th century.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette UK (Little/Brown) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great historical read!

The plot and characters had such depth! It was especially wonderful reading about Eyam in the 17th Century. I thought is was a great insight to what life was like was then- you could really tell that this was such a well researched book!

The plot flowed really well, and the pacing never felt sluggish either!

Definitely worth taking a look at 😍