The Familiars is set in northern England in 1612. Heroine Fleetwood Shuttleworth is pregnant and frightened after suffering several miscarriages and desperate to provide her restless husband an heir. In her desperation she reaches out to a midwife, Alice, to help her bring the baby to term. Both are then swept up in the witch trials that engulf the county.
If you’ve read and liked Stacey Halls’ The Familiars you might also like:
The Witchfinder’s Sister – Beth Underdown (fiction)
What’s it about? Inspired by the real-life 1645 story of notorious “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins. The story centres around his sister Alice, recently widowed, pregnant and returned to live with her brother. The town and brother of her childhood have changed and Alice gets caught up in Matthew’s vicious hunt for witches.
Why might I like it? Much like The Familiars the central character in this book is pregnant, swept up in witch hunts and ultimately faces a terrible decision. Both are page-turners, easy reads with a good story.
You might also like:
Year of Wonders – Geraldine Brooks (fiction)
What’s it about? Inspired by the true story of the plague village Eyam the novel follows Anna Frith, a healer, as she deals with the damage the disease wreaks on her community.
Why might I like it? A different perspective on the traditional take on witches. This book will make you want to learn herb lore and natural cures. Diligent and beautifully descriptive it looks at what was behind the fear of witches, what a lot of these women were actually trying to do (heal) and how they held communities together.
You might also like:
Wakenhyrst – Michelle Paver (fiction)
What’s it about? Maud’s father is a murderer. In the Norfolk fens a tragedy unfolds as Maud tells the story leading up to the murder, and how their lives unravelled from the moment her father found ‘The Doom’, a mediaeval painting in their local church.
Why might I like it? Less witchy but still tinged with a mystery of ‘otherness’ and haunted by spirits. A central female protagonist dealing with the injustices of patriarchal oppression and simultaneously finding a connection to nature and the ‘old spirits’ of her environment.
You might also like:
Cursed Britain: A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times – Thomas Waters (non-fiction)
What’s it about? Non-fiction. Thomas Waters explores witchcraft in modern times. The early modern period runs 1500-1800. Modern history generally covers 1800-now. Waters gathers tales from all over the world about cynical quacks and sincere magical healers, raising important questions about the state’s role in regulating radical spiritualities, the fragility of secularism and the true nature of magic.
Why might I like it? This gives historical context and realism to the events that the above fiction books draw on and is an eye-opening read on how ‘otherness’ (whether gender, class or ability biased) is punished.
And finally, you might also like…
Harry Potter: A History of Magic – British Library, J.K. Rowling (non-fiction)
What’s it about? Non-fiction. Harry Potter: A History of Magic is the official book of the exhibition at the British Library. Each chapter showcases a treasure trove of artefacts from the British Library and other collections around the world, beside exclusive manuscripts, sketches and illustrations from the Harry Potter archive.
Why might I like it? It’s fascinating to see all the inspiration behind the Harry Potter magic and also see our nation’s history of witchcraft and magic brought to life through artefacts, essays and other interesting things.
Have you read any of the books listed above? What did you think? Have you read any others that you think should go in this collection? Let me know in the comments below!
Secondary Reading 