I really enjoyed this. Set in my fave time period and great characters I was hooked. The writing style was gorgeous and I could quite happily have carried on reading into this world. Really recommend!!

Mae lives alone with her father, the village pharmacist, in the English town of Eyam after her mother and sister Leah both died. Mae's father Wulfric is strict and doesn't know that his daughter is secretly visiting Isabel, the village midwife. Isabel was Mae's mother's best friend and does not trust Wulfric at all. She has even been branded a witch by him. And then the plague threatens to come to Eyam…

This book is set in 1655 - 1665 during the last major plague epidemic in England. There are three narrative perspectives. One during the epidemic, the diary of Wulfric and short flashbacks from the narrator, Leah.

While the premise really triggered my interest, I found the story a bit all over the place. Leah's odd perspective had little added value and there are a lot of plot lines that are only slowly dealt with. By the middle of the book, it all feels blended into each other and you have no clue to where we're going.

The story revolves around Mae and Isabel, two women with an interest in medicine and then the word witch is quickly outed in the 17th century. But we also get to know Isabel's husband Johan's backstory. He goes to London where he observes the consequences of the plague epidemic. And then there is Rafe, who lives with Isabel and Johan and whom Mae takes an interest in.

Burn has based her story on real historical events in the small town of Eyam. The villagers prevent an outbreak of the plague in the neighboring towns by a brave decision. The author adds a whole cast of fictional characters to this setting. Her writing style is certainly ok. But this is just a story that won't stick. It lacked focus, emotion and originality. I feel that I've read this story before.

Too bad, because there were enough things to like in this story that could have been worked out better to create a gripping read. And that cover is just beautiful, I must admit that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This is really quite a dark book set in 1666 during the plague. It is based predominantly in the village of Eyam which locked itself down for the safety of other towns and villages in the area. This book is a beautifully written historical novel that doesn’t just focus on the plague but also has folklore, and witchcraft at its heart and depicts the era vividly. It would feel wrong to say that I enjoyed this book as it has some very dark parts which you know are historically accurate but that doesn’t stop it from being a really good read, it is definitely a poignant read that will make you think about times past and present which is what any good historical novel should do.

Using the setting of Eyam in the 1600s is a great idea and one that has been used before in novels because of its rich and important history. Not only does The Hemlock Cure touch on the bubonic plague, (which Eyam famously locked themselves down to stop the spread of), there is also the theme of witchcraft in the novel as well. It was these two themes that drew me into requesting the book in the first place although I admit to being a little disappointed with how they were used. The plague element very much just becomes a side element to the main plot. There is no real sense of danger or tension built on if or when characters will get sick. Having lived through an outbreak, even with all the medical strengths of the modern day I found this to be quite unrealistic. I also found it a little disappointing that the plague didn’t really impact any of the main circle of characters. A few of them got sick but then they all survived which seemed like an odd choice. The plague wiped out about 1/3 – ½ of the village (depending on which account you read) so this seemed a bit far-fetched to me. A death of one of the main characters would have had more of an impact.

The witchcraft aspect also felt a little under-used. I liked how the main character has synaesthesia and how this was linked into the idea of witchcraft. I also liked how some of the narration was using Wulfric’s diary entries and how unhinged he sounded in his quest to rid witchcraft from the village. There was a big deal made of eaglestones at one point though without much explanation of what they were.

The writing style is engaging and easy to read throughout which is a refreshing change to some historical fiction stories I have read. I particularly liked the device of having the events narrated through the main character’s dead sister which was an unusual choice. It worked well though and we got a good amount of exposition about the main character Mae without it feeling like too much of an info-dump.

A big issue for me was that the story did feel like it dragged a lot in places - with a ruthless edit quite a few pages could have easily been cut out. I personally didn’t really understand why the Jacques & Johan in London storyline was included. This did nothing to further the plot and I found myself frustrated when we kept going back to it. I also think the plot itself is very simple – not much happens and the conclusion for the main storyline is something that could easily be guessed, either from the name of the book or from the setting of the story. I think it did need more padding to make a more interesting plot, but I would have focussed more on the plague or witchcraft elements rather than smaller side-characters.

Overall, The Hemlock Cure is a well-written and researched book, however with its simplistic plot and unnecessary padding it did feel like it dragged in places. Thank you to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group UK – Sphere for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, this book really surpassed expectations. Set in Eyam, Derbyshire, in 1666, the story revolves around the village that decided to quarantine itself after fleas carrying bubonic plague were brought in on a bale of cloth from London. This is true - the village really did seal itself off for over a year, with 260 dying out of a population of 7 or 800 in that time. I really liked that the book was based around this historical event. A lot of the minor characters were people who really lived and died in that time which also appealed to my little inner history geek! And of course, the theme of self-isolation speaks to us all during these Covid times.

However, the story is mainly based around Mae and her pious but bullying village apothecary Wulfric. Mae has a talent for all things herbal and her ambition is to follow in her father's footsteps he doesn't feel it's an appropriate role for a woman - there's a fine line between medicine and witchcraft! Mae is trapped in a life where she abused by the superstitious Wulfric but as time goes on and she uncovers shocking family secrets, she makes plans for her future.

What stood out for me in The Hemlock Cure was the detail and amount of research which went into the book. From the history of Eyam, to the plants and their preparation used for drugs, to slightly more morbid details, like the bodies floating down the Thames as the boats crossing from side to side tried to dodge them! I liked that I felt that I connected with Mae and other characters in the book, they were accessible and normalised.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book, it was certainly worth the read. Set in the real-life village of Eyam during the plague of 1665/6, Burns interweaves the story of Mae, much-abused daughter of the apothecary, with that of the local midwife and her family. Unlike many stories about either witches or the plague, the author lifts this far above average by pure dint of her excellent historical research. Whilst not as terrifying as Connie Willis' The Doomsday Book, Burns depicts very convincingly the state of sexual and religious politics of the time: where women, no matter how helpful in society, had to be extremely careful that they were not seen to digress from the religious norm in this time of zealotry and superstition.
The villagers' interactions with each other as a huge percentage die, and their willingness to find any scapegoat, are exaggerated in Wulfric's religious mania and savagery, and while Isabel, the midwife, and Mae strive to find a solution that will keep them and their loved one's safe, the practical details of medicine at the time offers a completely believable denouement.
Burns' research is well above par, in the politics of the time, the use of herbal medicine, the religious anguish fallout from the Reformation, but mostly in the practical everyday details of life without electricity, advanced food preservation or education, and she manages to include it all without being didactic. The only thing I didn't like about the story was the inclusion of Leah, Mae's dead sister; this makes the first few pages confusing, and adds very little to the narrative.

The Hemlock Cure by Joanne Burn is set in an English village of Eyam from 1655 to 1666. The story follows the characters as they navigate their lives during the time of the plague.
The story focuses on Mae, the village apothecary Wulfric’s youngest daughter, Wulfric himself, and Isabel, a midwife, and her husband Johan. Mae has a difficult relationship with her father. This is the reason she hides a lot of secrets from him. She read his forbidden books at night, meets Isabel and a few other ladies to study herbs and other things, and her feeling towards Rafe, Isabel’s ward. Isabel cautions Mae about her father many times. From the beginning, it seems like she knows something about him that Mae doesn’t. As the plague reaches Eyam, things start to change for both the women.
The story is narrated from a third-person point of view, but it doesn’t seem devoid of emotion. It took a couple of chapters to figure out the narrator. It makes the story feel more personal, yet it seems like we are observing their lives along with Leah. The characters are the main draw of the story. We never get their first-person point of view, but you can feel and understand their trials and struggles in such difficult times. The setting changes from Eyam to London for a few chapters in the second half of the book when Johan travels to London.
I haven’t read any of Joanne’s Burn’s other works, but I enjoyed the writing style. The way the story follows is completely natural and maintains a good pace throughout. It keeps you intrigued with the plot and makes you want to continue for the characters. It was a different kind of historical fiction than I normally lean towards, but I loved it.

This amazing tale is based on a real historical story from an English village. Set during the Great Plague this book shows the trials and tribulations people had to face during this time. Witches (or wise women) we not thought Of well and so any cures took their time to find and people didn’t always trust what witches said. The hard work and perseverance of these two women change the course of history for the village.
Such a gripping tale!

2.5-3 ***

This wasn’t a bad book but it just didn’t capture my attention.

This book is set in the town (village) of Eyam in the 1660’s when the bubonic plague was sweeping through England. Eyam rose to fame for their measures of self-isolation at that time- meaning the plague was less likely to pass on to other towns/villages surrounding it. This was also a time where religion and witchcraft were warring heads with each other, and accusations of witchcraft arose.

While a lot of this is set in historical fact, the characters and some events are fiction.
The centre of this novel follows Mae. A character I really enjoyed as she wanted to learn and work in an apothecary, however, due to her domineering and violent father, this way is barred to her (as she is female, he only thinks she should do womens work).

This book also follows Isabel and Johan who know something is wrong with Wulfric (Maes father) and that Mae is in danger.
With the backdrop of the plague and isolation, the tenseness of family relationships and secrets do come out.

While I believe this book was marketed as “female friendship” to survive, I found this was much more of a lesser theme to this book. I found most of this was book was about Mae’s independence and actions, as well as her interactions/issues with her father.
This also delved into a character, Johan, and as he is outside of Eyam when the lockdown starts, he must decide whether to go back to Isabel or chance it outside.

While this didn’t grab my attention and was a bit of a slog to read, I really enjoyed learning about the different plants and poisons and their effects on the body.

I wasn't sure I would like this at first but once I started reading it and got into it, I found it hard to put down! The first scene is a flashback which really caught my attention and straight away made me want to figure out who the narrator was and understand the backstory. The storytelling reels you in just enough that you're wondering what's going on without being able to figure out the plot straight away, which I loved.
There are themes similar to our modern day 2020/2021 situation with quarantines and lockdowns and people blaming others in the 1600s, so this may be upsetting for some readers, although it is not the main storyline.

Slight Spoiler:
By the end I was really rooting for Mae and wanted her to succeed in doing what she needed to, I was literally gripping my book terrified of what might happen 😱. I read the last half of the book in a few hours and I haven't done that in a really long time with a book so that's why The Hemlock Cure gets five stars. Loved it!

The subject was interesting and there is real suspense but I found the changes in narration and timeline were rather confusing.

The Hemlock Cure is set during a time of real events when the Great Plague was ravaging through England in 1665. There have been numerous books around the topic of women/witchcraft/herbal remedies set in the 16th and 17th centuries. As a result, it takes a special novel to rise above the variety of books available and to ensure that it can be sufficiently unique to hold the attention of the reader.
One of the more unusual aspects of this story is that our narrator is the deceased sister of the central character Mae. Mae herself, is living with her father, the village apothecary and helping him with his work. She hopes that he will eventually come to accept her as his apprentice. She is also studying with the village midwife (and wise woman) Isabel, the village midwife. Many of the villagers are keepingg secrets and as fears of the plague grow daily, the people find themselves turning against each other and soon Mae finds that there is only one person that she can reply on.
This is a multi-layered and entertaining story. I was a little concerned about reading this tale in the light of the corona virus pandemic as I felt that I might not be able to enjoy the storyline but there is much to savour here with complex and well-rounded characters, each with their own secrets and fears.

I tried so hard to get into this but I just wasn't feeling it. The premise was promising and I was more than convinced this book was going to break me out of the reading slump I've been getting into lately. I'm not exactly sure what aspect of the story threw me off my game but it was definitely not the writing. It was beautiful and flowy but not gritty enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. Strong historical elements were infused into the plot which I usually do enjoy but I couldn't bring myself to even stand it.

At a time when we are suffering lockdowns and quarantine due to Covid, this novel focuses on the self imposed lockdown of the Derbyshire villagers of Eyam which in the 17th century closed of their village to everyone. No-one could enter or leave.
But the novel is much more than that, telling the story of the Apothecary Wulfric and his Daughter Mae. The narrative is told by Mae's deceased sister Leah. Suspicions about witchcraft within his family and the local midwife Isobel have made Wulfric a cruel father and Mae suffers under his rule..
I have read other books about the plague snd Eyam and this one didn't disappoint. In the authors notes she writes about how many villagers died, but without their restrictions it could gave been many more.
I would like to thank Netgalley and publishers for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. This review is based on my own opinions

There was lots to enjoy about this book. I was familiar with the story of Eyam, so was a little concerned it might be treading old ground, but there were several interesting themes to follow - attitudes to male and female health care providers and the religious turmoil of the time, to name just a couple. The character were engaging - in fact, my only criticism of the book is that the back stories of Johan, Isabel and Katarina's were severely under-developed. They were fascinating and I would have loved to have known more of them. A very enjoyable book, I'd recommend it and would definitely read more by this author.

This was a really interesting historical fiction story during the 17th century. This story focuses on Mae and Isabel. I liked the plot and the deep history that is built to create a full and satisfying story! I thought the historical information was great, and the author clearly did a ton of research to create this time and place. I really enjoyed this one!

I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction; it's set against the back drop of the plague and is based on some true events - the village of eyam sealing itself off for example. It explores historical apothecary, witchcraft and the roles of women. It's well paved, interesting and informative. The characters are well developed and it's a good length.

Very enjoyable book. Beautiful writing - though I found it a little confusing at first. The 'I' character (Leah) seemed to suddenly pop up from time to time, rather than being clearly there throughout. We were always in her point of view but this was not always as obvious as perhaps it could have been. This is a minor point, however, in a fascinating novel.

Kept me reading well into the night.

"The Hemlock Cure" had me wiping away tears one minute and uttering some choice profanities the next. Mae is a character that you can't help but like, and most of the book is spent urging her to... well, read the book (no spoilers). This is a beautifully written story that has you walking beside the characters living their every day lives in unusual circumstances. I loved this book.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

This is a powerful story with a really strong sense of time and place. It’s woven around fact and is rich in historical detail which makes it a compelling read. Set mainly in Eyam, a small village in Derbyshire renowned because it tried to isolate itself from the plague by cutting itself off from the outside world. There are scenes in London and the depiction of the effects of plague are memorable and vivid.

Joanne Burn explores a number of themes in a story which is packed with unexpected twists. The role of women and witchcraft, religious beliefs, herbalism, divided loyalties and more. It’s beautifully written and I found the descriptive passages and dialogue really flowed, making this a page turning read. I’d definitely look for more from this author.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.