The Familiars Book Launch and Review

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

From Goodreads: 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.

Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,” were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”—in reality mostly poor and illiterate women.

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First up, thanks so much to Bonnier Zaffre and Stacey Halls for throwing this amazing pre-launch party. It actually happened back in November of last year, but I got so caught up with other things that I forgot to blog about it, and by the time I did I figured my time would be better spent rolling the launch info and book review into one. So here it goes. The launch party was absolutely brilliant. We had the opportunity to snag an ARC of the book, as well as drink some wine and look out at pretty views of Islington. The whole thing took place at this strange little venue called The Dead Doll’s House, which just sounded brilliant, and we were in this magical little bar room on the top floor with lots of trendy brick, glass and fairy lights. There were chances to take stages instagram pics of the book, as well as a tisane making station where we made our own smelly perfumes [some worked out better than others] and one where you could draw your own familiar. I drew an owl. Some of the sketches were fantastic. There was also a re-enactment of one of the scenes from the book [I can’t remember which one as it was unfamiliar to me at the time] by two actresses playing Fleetwood and Alice, which is something I’ve never seen before. Stacey seemed lovely too, and we got to chat to her, get our new books signed, and meet the talented actors who stayed in character throughout the evening. It was very fun and a great chance to reconnect with some fellow bloggers.

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As for the book itself…

I read it in January of this year and rather enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be my kind of book, since it seemed to have a very strong historical tilt to it. I also wasn’t certain if there was going to be any magic in it or not. The title and premise suggested there would be witches involved, so I was curious to see if it would be kind of like Frances Hardinge’s historical fantasy novels. It turned out to be historical rather than fantasy really, but I still liked it a lot.

First up, the cover is gorgeous. The version I have is an advanced reader copy with a promising by-line and pretty foliage and metallic foiling. Which is, you know, the easy way to my heart and shelf.

I actually ended up liking the historical elements in the novel and how it explored the position of women during witch-hunts. I thought the characters were all well developed, and it was easy to see why Fleetwood put so much effort into helping Alice. I felt like there was a complex and brilliant relationship between the two and it was sort of nice to see that as the main focus of the book, rather than romance. I also liked how the romantic relationship with Fleetwood’s husband was explored and how it didn’t seem to be simplified. There were plenty of moments in the book where I was literally on the edge of my seat because there was just so much risk involved. Overall, it was easy to read and the pacing was good. I thought it was well researched and I never fell out of the book because of historical inaccuracies. The language was poetic and pretty and I was drawn into it.

I will say, the only issue I had with it was the ending was a little too neatly wrapped up for me. It seemed to be a little rushed, although I was content with how it turned out in the end. As a debut novel, it’s a strong first release, and I’ll be interested to see what Stacey comes up with next.

Overall, I would give the book a 7.5 out of 10. I liked the plot and the characters, and I thought it was well researched. The Familiars was easy to read, but I ultimately didn’t feel as though I couldn’t put it down.

The book is released today as a matter of fact, so definitely check it out if you can 😀

Has anyone else read this book already or plans to? What did you all think of it? Let me know in the comment section below. Until next time <3