#Review: The House of the Witch by Clare Marchant @ClareMarchant1 @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #blogtour #publicationday#dualtime #histfic #BoldwoodBloggers #TheHouseoftheWitch

It’s such a pleasure today to be helping launch the blog tour for the new book from Clare Marchant, The House of the Witch, and sharing my publication day review. Published today (9th August) by Boldwood Books, it’s now available for kindle (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. As always, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).

It’s my first time reading and reviewing one of Clare’s books, but she’s certainly an author who’d already caught my eye, as I have two others – The Secrets of Saffron Hall and The Mapmaker’s Daughter – waiting patiently on my kindle (in very good company…). I was delighted when the email invitation dropped into my inbox – her first book with Boldwood, and an opportunity at last to try her writing. And, I must confess, as soon as I read the blurb this was a book I was rather excited about…

Now: When Adrianna arrives at the small, run-down cottage, near the sea in rural Norfolk, she can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Here she can forget her life in the city, and the problems she’s left behind there, at least for a while.

 

But – like Adrianna herself – the cottage holds secrets. And when Adrianna finds a mysterious bundle of notes hidden under a floorboard, she can’t shake the idea that they’ve been waiting for her. Especially when – in the rambling, overgrown garden – she then finds a strangely-carved stone, drawing her into a centuries-old mystery…

 

1646: Between her work as the village midwife and the medicines she sells from her cottage, Ursula has no need for a man. But this ideal leaves her unprotected in a world where just one accusation of witchcraft can mean certain death. So when she catches the eye of a powerful new local doctor, she must use every part of her cunning, or risk becoming his prisoner…

 

Can the two women – their paths bound by place and history – each find the keys to their own destiny?

 

Utterly gripping timeslip historical fiction, perfect for fans of The Witch’s Tree, The Essex Serpent and Weyward.

When it’s done well, dual time fiction is always rather a personal favourite – and you won’t find it done much better than this, two strong story threads, the historical one impeccably researched and delivered, the contemporary one entirely involving and emotional, both beautifully wrapped around each other with common themes and links. Beautifully written, this was a book I found completely impossible to put down, reading it in one wonderful sitting, furious at the many betrayals, shocked by the unexpected twists and turns, willing on both women as they fought for their lives in their different ways.

In 1646, Ursula has resolutely chosen to keep herself to herself – the bloodstain on the fireplace of her home a forcible reminder of the cruelty of men, in a world where women are treated as possessions with no agency or voices of their own. She quietly goes about her business – growing and gathering herbs, dispensing remedies, delivering babies – until she comes to the attention of the newly appointed local doctor, who initially shows interest in her remedies but becomes obsessed with making her his mistress. And when she makes it amply clear that he won’t have his way, he sets about destroying her reputation – at a time when the most innocent and well-meaning activities can all too easily be interpreted as witchcraft, with the most serious of consequences.

In the present day, Adrianna is taking a six month sabbatical from her high-powered job, staying in the same Norfolk cottage while she recovers from burn-out. Deciding to tackle the overgrown garden, she comes across some stones with strange markings – and indoors, after a few experiences with a touch of the supernatural, a hidden journal plainly written by a herbalist who once lived there. With the help of others in the community she slowly becomes part of, she sets out to find out more about whatever may have happened in the past – and uncovers Ursula’s story, with a number of surprising discoveries along the way. And her own life takes an equally unexpected turn, with parallels between past and present – and a real element of danger that makes the pages turn even faster.

Both stories are absolutely compelling. We witness every stage of the gross injustice of Ursula’s treatment, with exceptional historical authenticity and quite stunning emotional impact – she’s incredibly real in every way, tremendously sympathetic, and many of her horrific experiences moved me to tears. And as for Adrianna – she certainly proves to be considerably stronger than she ever believed she could be, facing every setback head on. And I really loved the resonances between the two stories – they’re both particularly strong women, both victims in their own way but drawing on unexpected reserves, both wonderfully drawn, their comparable stories spanning the centuries separating them. The supernatural elements are perfectly handled – yes, perhaps a touch disturbing at times if you’re sensitive to such things, but a wholly essential and intriguing part of the story. And the conclusion, drawing the stories together, was one of the best I could have possibly asked for – extraordinary bravery, resilience of the highest order, and an outcome that was so very satisfying and completely unexpected.

I really want to delve into the detail – the ways in which the evidence against Ursula began to mount through circumstances entirely outside her control, the small details that became increasingly damning, along with the detail about Adrianna’s life that drives her personal story. But I won’t – this is a book that everyone needs to read for themselves, to become as immersed in as I was, to become part of the individuals’ lives, to experience the heart-stopping twists and turns, to be moved by the depth of feeling that permeates the whole narrative. This really was an exceptional read, most definitely one of my books of the year, by a particularly special author whose every future book will be top of my “must read” list – I really loved it.

About the author

Clare Marchant is the author of dual timeline historical fiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages, and she is a USA Today bestseller. Clare spends her time writing and exploring local castles, or visiting the nearby coast.

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