book data
101 ratings,
3.75
average rating, 17 reviews
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published
February 22nd 2005
by Atria Books
details
Hardcover, 272 pages
isbn
0743463447
(isbn13: 9780743463447)
description
Everything Fern Cullen knows she's learned from her Mammy -- and none of it's conventional. Taught midwifery at an early age, Fern grows up as Mammy's…more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 172)
All ratings
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5 stars (29)
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4 stars (31)
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3 stars (30)
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2 stars (9)
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1 star (2)
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avg 3.75
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in December, 2009
For me this is an outstanding book. By that I mean, one of the best that I have read.
Why?
Firstly, I am not conscious of Graham Joyce's voice. It would be interesting to know how many women would agree ... perhaps I just do not notice.
Secondly, a major part of the story refers to deep intuition, and the lore that gets people burnt at the stake. (Is it true that 900 000 women were executed in Europe for being witches? Supposedly this was really a struggle fo...more
Why?
Firstly, I am not conscious of Graham Joyce's voice. It would be interesting to know how many women would agree ... perhaps I just do not notice.
Secondly, a major part of the story refers to deep intuition, and the lore that gets people burnt at the stake. (Is it true that 900 000 women were executed in Europe for being witches? Supposedly this was really a struggle fo...more
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Read in December, 2008
recommended to Julia by:
my daughterrecommends it for: lovers of fantasy, creative art
I had read REQUIEM by Joyce awhile ago, but forgot how magical he can be. This story of Fern Cullen and Mammy touched me in many ways--my memories of my Granny in WV, who only finished 2nd grade, but was very wise. That's Mammy in this book. She's a midwife, and Fern has learned from her--but that's just the tip of the iceberg of this book. Joyce uses language to mesmerize--when Fern must experience the mysterious "Asking" to become part of the enchanted world, the sentences read like ...more
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This struck me as a book that makes a lot of promises it can't deliver on. I was very drawn into the beginning of the book and found the characters engaging, but it fell more and more flat as it went along. The treatment of rape in the novel was frankly offensive to survivors and not handled with any degree of emotional believability. This, coupled with the romantic ending that isn't and the resolution that isn't made for an ultimately unsatisfying read. Unfortunate, because you can see the bone...more
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Read in May, 2008
I really enjoyed the story. And the humor appealed to me. The story is about a 20ish witch living in the British midlands in the 60s. It was classed as fantasy at my library, but it could almost pass for mainstream fiction. Most of the 'magic' is merely implied.
The book is written in first person which gives us a window onto the thoughts of the main character, but also presents a couple of problems.
The main character lives with a naivete that occasionally borders on ...more
The book is written in first person which gives us a window onto the thoughts of the main character, but also presents a couple of problems.
The main character lives with a naivete that occasionally borders on ...more
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Read in December, 2009
recommended to Relyn by:
Susan Tuttlerecommends it for: hmmmm...
I'm not sure what to say about this book. I loved the odd, magical, whimsical feel of it. I loved the strange characters, so exactly right for a small village in rural England. The story was interesting, too. So, what was the problem, you ask. Well. Hmmm... It was a little big ponderous. Yes, that's it. The story line just didn't move along nearly fast enough. Not nearly. Perhaps a fast story line wouldn't have suited such a book, but it suits me. So, I liked it. But, definitely did...more
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Read in June, 2009
I'm on page 25 and totally absorbed, like nothing I've ever read before and I love every word! Daren't read any other reviews in case they spoil it for me. Graham Joyce is a fascinating writer, thanks to Bill for giving me this book and insisting I read it! It's one of those that I can't wait for nightfall to get stuck in and continue, wish I was a faster reader but then again it's nice to read it slowly and really enjoy it. Oh & it's very amusing too and I was hooked by the intro paragraph on t...more
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Read in August, 2007
I was perhaps not part of the target demographic for which this book was written. I began reading on a flight, and found myself thorough confused about halfway into it, but felt compelled to continue reading simply because I felt like I needed to know what happened to the characters, in the hope that something would turn around, and everything would be back on track (in my mind, at least). I found the book to be very strange with many elements left unexplained. I got very little satisfaction ...more
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This is SO not a genre novel...it's slow, subtle, elliptical, and although it's about witches there's no Harry Potter type magic.
But I found it stunning, quite enchanting in all senses of the world, and superbly well written. How come this didn't win the Booker Prize? It's that good in my view. Graham Joyce is a frequent winner of fantasy awards, a good egg, and a writer of poetry in prose form of rare distinction. Compelling.
But I found it stunning, quite enchanting in all senses of the world, and superbly well written. How come this didn't win the Booker Prize? It's that good in my view. Graham Joyce is a frequent winner of fantasy awards, a good egg, and a writer of poetry in prose form of rare distinction. Compelling.
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Read in August, 2008
At times the story line was a bit difficult to follow. And I could have done without the drugs in the book, or the 'rape scene'. However, the book's true poignancy comes in the contrast of old ways with new. The setting of 1960s rural England was a wise choice, with references to the space program(sometimes a few too many), hippies, and modern medical technology contrasting against folklore and herbal medicine.
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Read in July, 2008
interesting enough to finish the book, but I closed it scratching my head....it started out really interesting with midwifery and the "old school" way of this practice and there was a little bit of black magic involved as well....then when one of the central characters died the book kindof did as well
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Read in July, 2008
Meh. It was ok. I liked the beginning, as the author slowly and subtly unfolded the relationship between Mammy and Fern (the 2 women alluded to in the description). However, the plot was not particularly enagaging, and the treatment of the issue of rape was fairly troubling to me.
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Read in October, 2007
Magic or hallucination? This is a story of a hedge witch's apprentice, set in a village in 1960's England. I got a good sense of the time, place, and its history and became so involved with the character that there is still one plot hole that is bugging me.
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Read in October, 2007
Magic or hallucination? This is a story of a hedge witch's apprentice, set in a village in 1960's England. I got a good sense of the time, place, and its history and became so involved with the character that there is still one plot hole that is bugging me.
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Read in March, 2008
An below-average fantasy tale about Fern Cullen coming of age and learning how to reconcile her magic upbringings from her adopted mother Mammy with the reality of 1966 English life, including hippies, school, and boys.
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Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
Hedgewitch
Fern, adopted by a Hedgewitch learns how to straddle two worlds in the cultural upheaval of the 60's in England. Actually, she straddles 3 worlds, the Craft, the 60's and adulthood.
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Read in March, 2008
this was an odd book, i couldnt figure out where it was going most of the time...but i did like the ending, that earned it another star.
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It's a little like a fairy tale for grown ups. I copied quotes from it into my journal which is usually a good sign.
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