The Familiars: The dark, captivating Sunday Times bestseller and original break-out witch-lit novel

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Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft. The Familiars is as rich in content as its cover is in beauty. Historical accuracy balanced with imagination. Exposition never weighing the book down. Tremendous characterisation and absorbing storytelling combined with appreciative nods to Du Maurier's Rebecca * Lizzy's Literary Life *

Ms. Halls has weaved her superior tale around the events from 1612 and brought into her fictional novel some famous names from the trials, including Alizon Device and Alice Grey. The Shuttleworth family are also a well-known real family from the area too. Halls, a journalist, grew up near Pendle Hill and was fascinated by the trials from a young age. Drawn from real-life figures, her novel tells the story of Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a 17-year-old pregnant noblewoman who finds herself caught up in the trials when her midwife, Alice Gray, is accused of witchcraft. Married at 13, and three miscarriages later, Fleetwood needs Alice to help her deliver a healthy baby. It follows two girls at the home, Martha and Josephine, as well as the eminent figure of Miss Coutts, who privately is plagued with her own demons. The publisher says this is Halls’ “most ambitious and captivating novel yet”. The best thing about this book is the fact that it is loosely based on real events and real people. I decided to read this book because of the season as it is listed as gothic historical fiction, throw in some witches and I'm yelling "Take my money!" Alice is later accused of witchcraft and faces death if she’s found guilty. After hiring Alice to try and save her and her baby’s life, Fleetwood has to risk everything to try and save her new friend.Throughout The Familiars we walk in the footsteps of Fleetwood, the prime narrator of this novel. Fleetwood is equal parts complex, agreeable, ahead of her time and quite ingenious, as well as scheming. She is also loyal and her touching friendship with Alice is what really makes this book special. Fleetwood’s story actually made me feel very sad for her and many others of her standing that were placed in a similar bind. We learn as the book eventuates that Fleetwood was actually married off at the tender age of four, but she was never able to perform her duty as a wife to her first husband. Fleetwood was then betrothed at just thirteen, a child herself, and expected to produce an heir. Although her world is one of privilege, ultimately Fleetwood’s fate is pre-determined. Halls provides her readership with an outstanding picture of the world inhabited by women of this time period. Soon the two women's lives will become inextricably bound together as the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood's stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel it's superbly written, with Strong Female Lead Characters that were perfectly written and enchanting. Dalton, an apprentice wizard and Skylar's loyal, as well as the oldest of Kalstaff's three apprentices.

One novel which does just that is What Red Was, 26-year-old Rosie Price’s debut, which draws on her experience of rape to examine the profound impact it can have on survivors. Price is wary of prematurely crediting #MeToo with changing the nature of stories being told, but hopes that as publishing continues to place women’s experiences centre stage, so “we will see a greater willingness to listen and to know that abuses of power can be far more nuanced and subtle than we might expect”. Breathtaking, emotional and powerful in every sense of the word. The Familiars by Stacey Halls is a stunning portrayal of fear, friendship, truth and betrayal of power and I have no doubt that this will be on every 2019 book of the year list at the end of this year . . . The Familiars by Stacey Halls is a masterpiece and I cannot wait to read more from this talented author * Books of All Kinds *

This is a brilliant debut, pacy and inventive, from a terrifically talented new voice * Daily Telegraph * The fervour of witch hunting was sweeping across this corner of England and when Alice is accused, Fleetwood makes desperate attempts to save her. It was interesting to observe the incredibly privileged life that Fleetwood lived, especially in comparison to Alice, but for all that privilege she was still a woman, no real rights, almost a kind of ornament to decorate their home, Gawthorpe Hall. She is pregnant for the fourth time, and if she doesn't manage to provide a living child she is essentially useless. I had a great deal of sympathy for her. I don't think I've ever been so invested in a pregnancy before, real or fictional. Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism project, is the author of a powerful young adult debut The Burning, which draws parallels between social media-shaming and historical witch hunts. bien sabes, suelo escoger mis lecturas por la portada, pues prefiero adentrarme en terreno desconocido, sabiendo lo menos posible de la historia que tengo entre las manos. Y, en este caso, me alegro de que haya sido así. Más que nada porque fue empezar a leer y sumergirme de lleno en las costumbres de esa época, en qué se esperaba de las mujeres, en cómo vivían, cuál era su papel en el mundo... Y no nos olvidemos de los hombres, porque si la mujer tenía un papel claramente marcado en la sociedad, ellos también, y lo ejercitaban con todo su poder.