Blue Hawk is an immersive and gripping historical novel. Set in Gloucestershire in the 17th century, it recounts the life of Joan, a textile worker's daughter. Joan is intelligent, creative and hardworking, but her life is a struggle. Her many burdens include a hapless father who squanders the family's money by making poor business decisions and succumbing to drink, a husband who means well but lacks her intelligence and nous, a feckless sister, and, of course, being a woman. To rebuilt her father's legacy, Joan teaches herself the art of creating textile colours from local plants, with help from a nearby woman.

I love historical novels that focus not on royalty and grand events but on the day-to-day lives of ordinary people. Blue Hawk is a totally immersive read that plunges the reader into Joan's life, from the dreary humdrum of her work to the highs of achieving success in her business. It celebrates female tenacity and ingenuity.

There is an ever-present threat of being accused of witchcraft, mainly because of her jealous sister's gossip. It never really materialises but it serves as an effective way to communicate the sense of dread that might have been experienced by any woman in that time and place who strived to succeed in business on their own. Violence, or the threat of it, is never far away, be it from a father, a husband or a stranger, while gossiping neighbours or condemnation by church authorities represented a constant risk of social ostracism, or worse.

Highly recommended for any readers who love to lose themselves in stories of women's lives.

Thanks to the author, publisher @DeixisPress and Netgalley for the ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

#NetGalley #bookreview

an enjoyable historical fiction set in 17th century Gloustershire which follows Joan, a woman held back by her damn husband. she shouldn't haver waited for Daniel 😩 but anywaysss personally it just wasn't that satisfying but i still enjoyed!!

It's the 1600s and Joan lives in poverty with her older sister and their father in Gloucestershire England. She masters the art of cloth-dying to try and save her family and restore their lost honor, but her exceptional skill challenges the community's rigid conventions and stirs whispers of witchcraft. Her endeavours are further obstructed by marital strife and a complex rivalry with her sister Alice, fueled by jealousy and long-standing grievances.

This is an interesting story as we follow Joan trying to gain a foothold in the male-dominated world of the textile industry. Descriptions of the process of using various plants, flowers and even insects to achieve colourful materials for clothing and accessories were mind-boggling, so labour intensive that you'd wonder why anyone would persevere. I don't think I've read many books that take place in the 17th century but life sounds very uncomfortable for the general population. Another century in which I'm glad I didn't live. I learned many new words and terms which relate to the various facets of the textile industry. I'm sure I won't remember them but it was quite an education. I absolutely love the cover. I'd like a quilt or a wall-hanging with that pattern. Rated 4.5 and I'm rounding up because it's important history.

My thanks to Deixis Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this historical novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 17, 2024

Blue Hawk is an historical fiction set in 17th century Gloucestershire, England amid the cottage industry of textile workers into which Joan was born along with her older sister, Alice. Their mother had died some time before the beginning of this novel leaving their father less and less able to cope with work tasks and increasingly taking to drink. Joan and Alice assisted with the weaving at home while their father did the procuring of goods and selling of end products. Only Joan seemed totally invested and capable in all of these tasks— and she also had a dream to increase her knowledge and skills to dye their cloth making it even more salable.

But women in that time did not direct the course of any trades, even cottage industries run in their homes. So her ideas had to run through the man, or men, in her life. Blue Hawk is Joan, it is the story of her life, the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows. I felt as if I was reading of people who lived in that time which I believe reflects the author’s research into those few women of Gloucestershire who did manage to work in the textile industry in those days. I also enjoyed using the dictionary function on my kindle to investigate the names of various plants used in making dyes, names that were new to me but old in English!

I recommend this novel for all who enjoy historical fiction, and stories on the lives of women at various times in history.

Thank you to Deixis Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

4.5 stars rounded up

This book follows Joan, the daughter of a desperately poor textile worker, as she takes the helm of the family business is the hope of saving it. With the help of another woman in the valley, Joan shows unusual skill and interest in dyeing, which is considered a man’s trade. And despite her competence and their relative lack of it, the structures of society require her to run business decisions past the men in her life.

I’m very impressed that this is a debut. The characterisation is fantastic, and though the pacing is a little uneven at times the narrative is compelling. I particularly enjoyed the depictions of Joan’s relationships with her sister and her husband. The characters are well rounded, the sharper edges causing friction where they rub together. The husband was was thoughtfully written as a man who loved Joan dearly but nonetheless carried the period’s expectations of unchallenged control.

I will note — the synopsis says that Joan’s work “stirs whispers of witchcraft.” As seems to be a frequent problem with marketing copy at the moment, the witchcraft references have very little bearing on the stakes of this book!! The “whispers of witchcraft” are literally just Joan’s sister being bitchy. It’s still a great book, but don’t go in expecting actual accusations of witchcraft or that Joan’s behaviour is influences by the possibility of such accusations.

Blue Hawk is Chloe Turner's debut novel - and such a brilliant debut! It's a historical fiction depicting the world of clothier in the 17th century. Our heroine is Joan, a weaver's daughter in Gloucestershire. Her father is a drunken dreamer, who ruined his dyeing business and almost brought his family to poverty, if Joan hadn't stepped up as its new captain.

It sounds like many other businesses in modern time, but in 17th century, a tradeswoman, especially in clothier business, was almost unheard of. It's men's world, and with struggles had Joan gained respect from these men. She's fortunate to get acquainted to a widow, who's been assisting a dyer, and therefore understood enough of the art. From her, Joan learned the art of dyeing; the process of creating beautiful colors from plants and minerals, which she was fascinated with. Combining the two lines, weaving and dyeing, would create a new success in the business. Could Joan achieve her dream and thrive in the world hitherto was dominated by men?

I was amazed at the fact that this is a debut novel. Turner's depiction of Gloucestershire seemed to transport me back to that era, and I felt like living amongst those people, watching with fascination how the colors of Joan's cloth turned like a magician's work. Feeling too every joy and sorrow, struggles and triumphs of her life. It is a wonderful journey of a woman's struggles in the men's world, it is also an insightful story of family, jealousy, pettiness, and friendship. All is beautifully written and thoroughly well researched.

Stunning debut novel by Chloe Turner, to say I loved it is an understatement.

Set in 17th century Gloucestershire, Joan is the younger daughter of a millworker, whose mother died sometime before. Her father has taken solace in drink and pipe dreams, leaving his business in tatters and about to loose his continual battle against destitution. Joan persuades her father to let her step into his role and so begins her fight against prejudice and poverty in a male dominated society. Joan's strength and tenacity, combined with her skill and insight, challenges the accepted role of women during that time. Her skillfulness in mastering the art of cloth dying leads to whispers of witchcraft.

The descriptions of the Gloucestershire countryside are exquisite. The detailed accounts of roots, plants and the art of cloth dying clearly researched in exceptional detail. The narrative is powerfully written with so much authentic detail about the life of a woman in this era, whether wealthy or on the breadline. Chloe Turner has an exceptional way of writing that takes you inside the pages, I felt I could smell and hear the bustle of the markets and feel Joan's anguish at the rift between herself and older sister Alice. Joan has such fortitude and perseverance, I was routing for her from page one.

This book is outstanding on so many levels and will stay with me for somewhile.

With so many thanks to NetGalley, Deixis Publishing and Chloe Turner for allowing me to read this advanced reader copy in return for my unbiased review.

I was initially drawn to this book because I enjoy remote historical settings and complex, self-made female characters. The writing is vibrant and evocative and Joan is a beautifully fleshed out character. I ultimately DNFed the book and skipped to the epilogue because it was just a bit too descriptive for my taste. If you are a fan of immersive descriptions of nature, rural life, and traditional craft processes, this book will take you right back into 17th century Gloucestershire. This novel really shows the author's love for this region.

Thank you to Chloe Turner, Deixis Press, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was gripped by this, being given an insight into an industry I knew nothing of, and through the eyes of a woman bound by the conventions of the time. It was a great read, but then it just ended, like the author ran out of words, or had been told not to make it an epic tome. The tying up of loose ends was just a little abrupt and too many handy conveniences help close the story. I was fascinated by certain themes, too - such as the risk to women of being called a witch, but despite frequent references, this is never really developed.
The characters are well-developed, the storyline very intimate - avoiding the broad strokes of the bigger picture of the time, but still allowing us to see how far distant events could impact such a small community. The sense of fear of being left destitute is very real, with poverty never more than a bad decision or unlucky occurrence away. The hero of the tale, Joan, is unable to use her brains unless given permission by a man, which at that time would be a rare thing, and you can sense her frustration.
I loved the idea and the storyline, but think it could have gone deeper.

There's a lot to love in this well plotted and intriguing historical fiction. The story of a woman but also a grim/realistic depiction of life of women in XVII century.
Chloe Turner is a talented storyteller and I hope to read other novels written by her soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

BLUE HAWK - CHLOE TURNER

It's not every day that I'll start a book and realise that it's set in the EXACT location my family and I lived in during our last 2 years in the UK. That in itself was incredibly special, on top of all the other things I loved about Blue Hawk. Here's a synopsis:

17th century Gloucestershire. Joan, the daughter of a millworker with drink-fuelled pipe dreams, is thrust into her family's battle against poverty. With her father's legacy tarnished, Joan steps into his place, mastering the art of cloth-dyeing to save her family from destitution and restore their lost honour.

I read a lot of different types of historical fiction following all sorts of lives - kings, queens, famous adventurers - but some of my favourite novels in the genre follow the lives of absolutely ordinary people of the time. And this is where Joan and most of the characters in Blue Hawk reside.

The story follows Joan as she tries to survive within a male-dominated world, both at home and specifically within the textiles industry. The 17th-century processes behind the latter are absolutely fascinating and Chloe Turner painstakingly brings these and the Gloucestershire landscapes to life in vivid detail, so much so that I felt I was transported back to be a small part of Joan's journey.

I felt like I was experiencing the highs and the tragic lows right along with Joan, and found the complexity of her relationships with those around her to be realistic and refreshing. I didn't know what to expect when I started Blue Hawk, but I know that I'll be thinking about this book and its characters for a long time to come.

Review score: 5/5

TW: Death, illness, grief

This is how you tell a strong woman's story! This is how you highlight the condition of women in 17th century England! This is how you write proper historical fiction, yet tell a feminist story! Chloe Turner does all that, and it does it brilliantly. The writing is so good, it's almost hard to believe Blue Hawk is a debut novel!

Blue Hawk tells the story of Joan, from the moment she starts helping her father, to the moment she becomes a clothier and also a mentor for future women clothiers. But it also tells the story of Joan: daughter, sister, wife, mother, businesswoman, mentor. Turner paints a lovely image of the cloth business in 17th century Gloucestershire, and especially of the emerging business of cloth dying! But she also paints an extraordinary picture of the prowess of women and how they always found a way to survive, to navigate customs and societal pressures, to succeed even in areas that have always been a man;s world. But what I truly enjoyed is that she did all that, while being truthful to the historical period, to what a woman will do and say, yet she still delivered a powerful story!

Joan’s father is a weaver of white cloth, but that doesn’t bring in the money that brightly dyed cloth does. For example, Woad is used for the Navy uniforms, but the Army needs scarlet cloth, and that is not an exact science. Madder is used for red cloth, but with no recipe, it demands trial and error and the usage of cloth to experiment with.
Joan has been educated and gradually takes over her fathers business, she is trusted to buy and grade the fleeces, and when she meets a Dutch trader at the local market, she is introduced to the the delights of colourants and mordants from around the world.
When Joan meets Mrs Freme, a widow, who has a large herb garden, they both work together to find the secret of the colour scarlet and produce fine cloth.
This story is full of colours and plants , Dock gives a yellow colour, Nettles dye green/ grey cloth, and Madder was grown in England especially for its red shade, but no longer. This story is a real journey into the past, and shows how hard graft needed to provide for the family, can be put at risk by the threat of mechanisation of a profession.
When Joan marries, she is informed that her role is to look after the home and produce children. Such expectations were normal and all those skills and knowledge going to waste seems heartbreaking.
A wonderfully engaging book, with two strong and determined female characters, who ran a business, very rare in those days of women being seen as the weaker sex and in need of protection. I have concentrated upon these two main characters because they are the most interesting to my mind.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Deixis Press, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

The synopsis of this novel really appealed to me and it turned out it is exactly the kind of historical fiction I enjoy. In many ways it is a small story about one woman struggling her way through life in a Gloucestershire village in the latter half of the 17th century.

I thought this was beautifully written and very well researched. It felt vibrant and alive, but in an understated way. I loved the way familial relationships were explored as well as the reality of the romantic relationship that sets the course of her life.

Although there was a bit in the novel where my attention slipped for a moment or two, it also made me cry and it left me with a feeling of satisfaction.

If you enjoy Maggie O’Farrell’s historical books, you would enjoy this. This was beautiful.

A historical novel steeped in ambition and landscape

In this economical novel, Turner builds a portrait of a 17th century Gloucestershire neighbourhood and one Joan Browning, from motherless child to textile innovator in a time when the trade was dominated by men, or so the historical record tells us. Based on tantalising glimpses of real-life women who made their own successes in the time and profession, Joan's challenges pile own from her childhood onwards, with a jealous older sister, a father who drinks away any profits, a romance that meets its own obstacles along the way, the difficulties of being poor with nothing to fall back on: even as things go from bad to worse, Joan's quick thinking and her ability to spot opportunity make her a fascinating character, easy to empathise with and hard to let go.

And the landscape is beautifully rendered, not only as Joan's foundation but also the giver of all that might save her.. With every turn of fate, she rises again, with the rivers, the trees, the plants, the gifts with which she builds her life, over and over again.

Blue Hawk takes you back to the reign of Charles II and the world of pre Industrial Revolution weaving. It is an excellent illustration of the hard life led by those involved in spinning, weaving and dying cloth. More than that it picks up on the experience of women who tried to forge their way as an independent business person in a male dominated, prejudiced society. This together with a theme where two sisters develop a loving yet jealousy relationship make this an absorbing, informative read.

Anyone with an interest in the history of textiles and fabric dyes will be delighted by the many references to natural processes and the lives of the craft dyers in this story. Joan has a great interest in the alchemy of this business, but as a woman is not expected to pursue it. Mixing potions could be dangerous in a time of accusations of witchcraft, but the family is struggling, not helped by a grieving father who has turned to drink. Her sister is cruel and unsupported, and the boy she loves has family troubles of his own.
I enjoyed much of this, however, I wasn’t convinced by it historically, as it seemed to be trying for a Hardyesque vision of rural England. It didn’t have the depth for that and was supposed to be two centuries before Hardy. Joan could have been out of the same stable in her need to overcome adversity.

"Blue Hawk" is an amazing debut historical novel by Chloe Turner. I was transported to 17th century England. I was amazed at Turner's ability to fully create this environment. I loved learning about fabric dyeing with plants, and the main character Joan advocating for herself to learn a trade and expand her family's business. In a relatively short novel, I was immersed in a new time and place. Bravo. Looking forward to more books by Chloe Turner. Thanks to Netgalley and Deixis Press for the eARC.

À gentle enjoyable historical read set in the mid seventeenth century about the wool cloth industry in Gloucestershire. It was sympathetically written about the struggles and hardships met by ordinary people involved in the industry and made a refreshing change in an historical novel not to involve the gentry. Good depiction of characters to empathise with and engage the reader. I certainly learnt quite a lot about the art of dyeing using the plants and necessary minerals found in this country plus the introduction of unaffordable expensive foreign imports.

A well researched historical novel set in Gloucestershire in the 17th century. A gentle story about a poor mill working family who try work their way out of poverty. Women usually had no say in their lives but Joan tries to rebuild theirs by learning how to dye the cloth with the plants and roots around them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Deixis Press for the advance copy of this book.