Historical fiction set in 1660s EYAM in Derbyshire

26th April 2023

The Hemlock Cure by Joanne Burn, historical fiction set in 1660s Eyam in Derbyshire.

By reading this novel, I have learned something new. The people of Eyam were threatened by the onslaught of the Black Death, which was spreading from London in 16650/1666 and they decided to isolate themselves from other communities. People died, of course, but many seemed to have a natural immunity. The nub of the story particularly resonates because of our own modern-day experience with Covid.

The story of this community is brought to life through Joanne Booth’s novel, with a fictive retelling and largely from the point of view of two women: Isabel the midwife and Mae, the daughter of Wulfric, and both are involved in gathering herbs to ease the afflictions of the locals. It is however, a fine line because beady eyes alight upon women who are perceived as being up to no good, creating potions that smack of witchcraft. And witches were hounded, abused and killed.

The story is richly descriptive, one almost feels as though the aromas of the collected herbs and the ensuing mixtures are lifting of the page. The writing has a sensuousness about it that curls around the characters, creating an immersive pace. London, where the plague is surfacing, feels by contrast like a frantic place, where people live on top of each other and where dog eats dog.

There are dark secrets that unfurl as the story progresses, illness and malevolence stalk the community and a few twists and turns ratchet up the tension.

The story is pretty much written in the present, a device used, I imagine, to give the narrative immediacy. I just don’t know if it really worked for me, but the jury’s out on that one. I also found the order of chapters challenging at times. Overall, though, this is a novel that has many incredible qualities that will transport the reader back in time, immersive and well-constructed.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

Catch the author on Twitter @joanne_burn 

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If you fancy another novel set against the Eyam backdrop, then bag a copy of Years of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks

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