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The Merrybegot
In a remote west-country village, all is not as it seems. The minister's daughters have taken to their bed, howling and spitting pins. Rumours of bad magic and ill-wishing are spreading fast—and fingers are pointing at Nell, the cunning woman's granddaughter.
With Matthew Hopkins, the Witch-Finder General, on his way, Nell is alone, trapped, and in mortal danger. Who can she trust? Who will save her?
With Matthew Hopkins, the Witch-Finder General, on his way, Nell is alone, trapped, and in mortal danger. Who can she trust? Who will save her?
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
October 29, 2008
Essentially, this is a young-adult blend of the Salem witch trials and a fantasy-creatures book. (In England, not Salem, but a Puritan witch hunt all the same.) Since it begins as a straightforward-seeming historical novel, I was really surprised when the fantasy element was introduced, when it became clear that the mentions of "piskies" and "fairymenchildren" were real and not just excuses for old-timey dialogue. At first this was exciting, but ultimately I think the blend is really really awkward. I wouldn't guess that, for example, a scene in which a teenage midwife attends to the delivery of a fairy birth could be so boring. Maybe this is just because by chance I read this book immediately after Elske, but I saw the main drive of the plot coming as soon as I read the dustjacket. I'd put forth a theory that midwives should soon be off-limits subjects for historical fiction, in the "not trying hard enough" category, except that it was one of my favorites as a young adult reader (Karen Cushman anyone?) and also it can be quite powerful when utilized well for plot or atmosphere.
HEY LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. I have to explain something. Here's a synopsis of part of the story: There's a pregnant girl. Her family's Puritan. So the pregnant girl comes to the midwife protagonist to say, I really need this to stop and I think you can help. And the midwife is like, ok I believe you, and yes I have "old ways" that will help you out of this, let me do that right now. And the girl says, OMG thank you. And the midwife says, wait a minute, is there a small chance that this conception occurred on this particular day that is special to my pagan beliefs? And the girl is like, I have no freaking clue which day it was, so maybe yes. And the midwife is like, well, I have to change my mind now, because my traditional religion prevents me from harming this child if it is sacred in this way, as ending the pregnancy would go against nature. EVEN THOUGH I truly think that your father might murder you as soon as he realizes you've shamed him, I've gotta rescind this offer. And since I am the NICE character and you are the MEAN character, the story indicates this is 100% the right thing to happen!
Because then, for the remainder of the story, this pregnant girl is the villain. The midwife protagonist continues to enjoy her magical pagan beliefs, they are portrayed to the reader as sweet and natural and earthy and we learn more about them. We hear things like "Whatever is set in motion once ... the Powers [are] summoned is meant to be... I knew that your coming was inevitable." Their description of their faith in their customs sounds exactly like how contemporary fundamentalist Christians describe their beliefs, but here it is meant to be lovely and folksy -- and factual. The story rewards the midwife's decision because when the baby is born, it is indeed a sacred child as suspected and given special mystical treatment by "the Powers" just like she said. See, isn't it good she didn't help the girl get an abortion? THAT BABY COULD END UP PRESIDENT.
How do your free-spirited non-Christian protagonists end up more conservative than THE PURITANS? What's most frustrating is that I think this is all completely accidental on Julie Hearn's part. Biographical facts seem to indicate she's not intentionally putting across an anti-abortion screed; she has a masters degree in women's studies from Oxford, and references her research of feminist criticism. And I don't think she meant to portray an informative, cautionary story of how all types of ideologies can lead to suppression of women's freedom. MOST LIKELY, she is just an author who is simply thoughtless in her pursuit of style. I think Julie Hearn just likes fairies. What a disappointing reason to let girls down.
HEY LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. I have to explain something. Here's a synopsis of part of the story: There's a pregnant girl. Her family's Puritan. So the pregnant girl comes to the midwife protagonist to say, I really need this to stop and I think you can help. And the midwife is like, ok I believe you, and yes I have "old ways" that will help you out of this, let me do that right now. And the girl says, OMG thank you. And the midwife says, wait a minute, is there a small chance that this conception occurred on this particular day that is special to my pagan beliefs? And the girl is like, I have no freaking clue which day it was, so maybe yes. And the midwife is like, well, I have to change my mind now, because my traditional religion prevents me from harming this child if it is sacred in this way, as ending the pregnancy would go against nature. EVEN THOUGH I truly think that your father might murder you as soon as he realizes you've shamed him, I've gotta rescind this offer. And since I am the NICE character and you are the MEAN character, the story indicates this is 100% the right thing to happen!
Because then, for the remainder of the story, this pregnant girl is the villain. The midwife protagonist continues to enjoy her magical pagan beliefs, they are portrayed to the reader as sweet and natural and earthy and we learn more about them. We hear things like "Whatever is set in motion once ... the Powers [are] summoned is meant to be... I knew that your coming was inevitable." Their description of their faith in their customs sounds exactly like how contemporary fundamentalist Christians describe their beliefs, but here it is meant to be lovely and folksy -- and factual. The story rewards the midwife's decision because when the baby is born, it is indeed a sacred child as suspected and given special mystical treatment by "the Powers" just like she said. See, isn't it good she didn't help the girl get an abortion? THAT BABY COULD END UP PRESIDENT.
How do your free-spirited non-Christian protagonists end up more conservative than THE PURITANS? What's most frustrating is that I think this is all completely accidental on Julie Hearn's part. Biographical facts seem to indicate she's not intentionally putting across an anti-abortion screed; she has a masters degree in women's studies from Oxford, and references her research of feminist criticism. And I don't think she meant to portray an informative, cautionary story of how all types of ideologies can lead to suppression of women's freedom. MOST LIKELY, she is just an author who is simply thoughtless in her pursuit of style. I think Julie Hearn just likes fairies. What a disappointing reason to let girls down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2017
Set in West England in 1645 during the English Civil War. Nell the granddaughter of a healer, is a merry begot, a child conceived on Beltane's Day in May. she learns the art of healing from her grandmother, frolics in the wilds and communes with the fairies and pixies.
Grace Madden, the daughter of dour and fanatical puritan minister accuses Nell of witchcraft, and frame her pretending to be possessed, and making up lies of Nell having cursed her. in order to hide her own indiscretion and is aided in this diabolical plot by her sister , Patience (whose confession in 1692 in America during the Salem witch trials forms every alternate chapter of the book)
The fairies and piskies (who are real in the book which makes it a fantasy as well as a historical novel) work together to save Nell, After her grandmother dies after being brutally tortured by the villagers, led by the evil witch-finder general Matthew Hopkins (A 17th century Ayatollah) , and Nell herself is sentenced to be executed.
With the help of the fugitive Prince Charles (later the Merry Monarch Charles II) Nell will be saved, at the gallows.
A thrilling, compelling page turning yarn combining historic fiction , fantasy and the paranormal.
And examining the witch hunts in England in the 17th century when good women and girls were accused, tortured and murdered.
Parallels with today where in England , people where accused of witchcraft in the 17th century and are now destroyed ruthlessly in an error where the hunt is not for witches but for innocent working people accused of racism by the dour and malignant pc middle class establishment.
Merged review:
Set in West England in 1645 during the English Civil War. Nell the granddaughter of a healer, is a merry begot, a child conceived on Beltane's Day in May. she learns the art of healing from her grandmother, frolics in the wilds and communes with the fairies and pixies.
Grace Madden, the daughter of dour and fanatical puritan minister accuses Nell of witchcraft, and frame her pretending to be possessed, and making up lies of Nell having cursed her. in order to hide her own indiscretion and is aided in this diabolical plot by her sister , Patience (whose confession in 1692 in America during the Salem witch trials forms every alternate chapter of the book)
The fairies and piskies (who are real in the book which makes it a fantasy as well as a historical novel) work together to save Nell, After her grandmother dies after being brutally tortured by the villagers, led by the evil witch-finder general Matthew Hopkins (A 17th century Ayatollah) , and Nell herself is sentenced to be executed.
With the help of the fugitive Prince Charles (later the Merry Monarch Charles II) Nell will be saved, at the gallows.
A thrilling, compelling page turning yarn combining historic fiction , fantasy and the paranormal.
And examining the witch hunts in England in the 17th century when good women and girls were accused, tortured and murdered.
Parallels with today where in England , people where accused of witchcraft in the 17th century and are now destroyed ruthlessly in an error where the hunt is not for witches but for innocent working people accused of racism by the dour and malignant pc middle class establishment.
Grace Madden, the daughter of dour and fanatical puritan minister accuses Nell of witchcraft, and frame her pretending to be possessed, and making up lies of Nell having cursed her. in order to hide her own indiscretion and is aided in this diabolical plot by her sister , Patience (whose confession in 1692 in America during the Salem witch trials forms every alternate chapter of the book)
The fairies and piskies (who are real in the book which makes it a fantasy as well as a historical novel) work together to save Nell, After her grandmother dies after being brutally tortured by the villagers, led by the evil witch-finder general Matthew Hopkins (A 17th century Ayatollah) , and Nell herself is sentenced to be executed.
With the help of the fugitive Prince Charles (later the Merry Monarch Charles II) Nell will be saved, at the gallows.
A thrilling, compelling page turning yarn combining historic fiction , fantasy and the paranormal.
And examining the witch hunts in England in the 17th century when good women and girls were accused, tortured and murdered.
Parallels with today where in England , people where accused of witchcraft in the 17th century and are now destroyed ruthlessly in an error where the hunt is not for witches but for innocent working people accused of racism by the dour and malignant pc middle class establishment.
Merged review:
Set in West England in 1645 during the English Civil War. Nell the granddaughter of a healer, is a merry begot, a child conceived on Beltane's Day in May. she learns the art of healing from her grandmother, frolics in the wilds and communes with the fairies and pixies.
Grace Madden, the daughter of dour and fanatical puritan minister accuses Nell of witchcraft, and frame her pretending to be possessed, and making up lies of Nell having cursed her. in order to hide her own indiscretion and is aided in this diabolical plot by her sister , Patience (whose confession in 1692 in America during the Salem witch trials forms every alternate chapter of the book)
The fairies and piskies (who are real in the book which makes it a fantasy as well as a historical novel) work together to save Nell, After her grandmother dies after being brutally tortured by the villagers, led by the evil witch-finder general Matthew Hopkins (A 17th century Ayatollah) , and Nell herself is sentenced to be executed.
With the help of the fugitive Prince Charles (later the Merry Monarch Charles II) Nell will be saved, at the gallows.
A thrilling, compelling page turning yarn combining historic fiction , fantasy and the paranormal.
And examining the witch hunts in England in the 17th century when good women and girls were accused, tortured and murdered.
Parallels with today where in England , people where accused of witchcraft in the 17th century and are now destroyed ruthlessly in an error where the hunt is not for witches but for innocent working people accused of racism by the dour and malignant pc middle class establishment.
April 9, 2011
Phew, good stuff! I do so enjoy Julie Hearn - it's funny though that this was the first book of hers I ever bought, yet much the last to be read. The size (large hardcover) and plain cover (lack of dustjacket) did possibly have something to do with that; I tend to be a bit of a snob when it comes to books' looks.
July 30, 2015
Interesting look at the 17th century witch trials in England. The book does a good job of showing how hysteria can grow and mob mentality can make otherwise sane people turn against those they have known their entire lives. Nell and her grandmother have served and protected the community their entire lives and at the first sign of trouble they are turned upon.
Hearn does a good job of weaving historical persons and events into the storyline - Charles II and Matthew Hopkins the witch hunter. The English Civil War is illustrated through the conflict among those living in the rural areas - the people are torn between the old ways of pagan rituals and the new ways of rationality and Puritanism.
The strength of the book is in its structure. It alternates between Nell's tale in 1645 and Patience's confession during the Salem Witch trials in 1692. Patience's confession fills in details not told in the main story. And Patience's final confession is one of the best parts of the book and will make readers wonder who the title refers to - Grace or Patience.
The weakness is the magical subplot. The fairies and piskies seem to be an add-on and don't fit that well into the plot. The story would have been stronger if Hearn had focused on the natural remedies/paganism instead of relying on magic. Of course, the end of Nell's tale would have been impossible without the intervention of the fairies, so I am not sure how that would have been pulled off without them. I thought the ending seemed very contrived and spoiled some of the tension created in the rest of the book.
Hearn does a good job of weaving historical persons and events into the storyline - Charles II and Matthew Hopkins the witch hunter. The English Civil War is illustrated through the conflict among those living in the rural areas - the people are torn between the old ways of pagan rituals and the new ways of rationality and Puritanism.
The strength of the book is in its structure. It alternates between Nell's tale in 1645 and Patience's confession during the Salem Witch trials in 1692. Patience's confession fills in details not told in the main story. And Patience's final confession is one of the best parts of the book and will make readers wonder who the title refers to - Grace or Patience.
The weakness is the magical subplot. The fairies and piskies seem to be an add-on and don't fit that well into the plot. The story would have been stronger if Hearn had focused on the natural remedies/paganism instead of relying on magic. Of course, the end of Nell's tale would have been impossible without the intervention of the fairies, so I am not sure how that would have been pulled off without them. I thought the ending seemed very contrived and spoiled some of the tension created in the rest of the book.
April 21, 2009
The novel is enthralling and enchanting, hard to put down once you start. In the English country in the seventeenth century, Nell lives with her wisewoman grandmother, the town herbalist, midwife, and spellbringer. Nell is a Merrybegot, a child sacred to nature, born on May Morning. She likes to frolic and hates restraint, which the new minister has brought down upon the town.
The minister’s eldest daughter, Grace Madden, is a beautiful, proud, conniving girl. After a secret affair with the blacksmith’s son, Grace is pregnant. Fearing the shame will bring down on her family, she pleads to Nell for help in getting rid of the baby. But Nell refuses, suspecting that the unborn might be a Merrybegot like herself.
Suddenly Grace and her younger sister Patience are both shrieking, having fits, and blathering. The minister is beside himself. Grace claims that the Devil has taken over Nell, and that’s who is causing her to feel so ill. Accused of being a witch, Nell finds her life in danger. Everything she does can be used against her. Will her life end at the gallows like the many other accused in nearby towns, or will being a child sacred to nature save her life in the end?
This book is great. The characters feel real and the suspense is in every chapter and never lets up, except for the ending which I felt was too easily wrapped up. Nevertheless, this a great book for anyone who enjoys fantasy, historical fiction, or paranormal stories.
The minister’s eldest daughter, Grace Madden, is a beautiful, proud, conniving girl. After a secret affair with the blacksmith’s son, Grace is pregnant. Fearing the shame will bring down on her family, she pleads to Nell for help in getting rid of the baby. But Nell refuses, suspecting that the unborn might be a Merrybegot like herself.
Suddenly Grace and her younger sister Patience are both shrieking, having fits, and blathering. The minister is beside himself. Grace claims that the Devil has taken over Nell, and that’s who is causing her to feel so ill. Accused of being a witch, Nell finds her life in danger. Everything she does can be used against her. Will her life end at the gallows like the many other accused in nearby towns, or will being a child sacred to nature save her life in the end?
This book is great. The characters feel real and the suspense is in every chapter and never lets up, except for the ending which I felt was too easily wrapped up. Nevertheless, this a great book for anyone who enjoys fantasy, historical fiction, or paranormal stories.
March 11, 2022
Ah, the Puritans. Such a charming people with such unique solutions to common problems. Young daughter pregnant out of wedlock? Hire an assassin and have a couple of neighbors publicly executed. No one will pay attention to a baby bump after a show like that.
Little Nell is being taught as a cunning woman (healer) by her grandmother who's rapidly succumbing to old age (and I suspect Alzheimer's since her last few scenes are more than just elderly forgetfulness). Despite living in a town populated by Puritans, the pair are of the old families who respect the natural magic of the world and put more stock in infusions and poultices than in the power of prayer. Unfortunately, Nell makes an enemy of the minister's eldest daughter when she comes to their home looking for a draught to force a miscarriage. The babe was conceived on May day, which makes it a child of the old ways who'll be deeply in touch with natural magic, and Nell has to refuse the request out of respect for the same magic. Livid and conniving, the sweet-faced girl convinces her gullible younger sister that Nell is a witch and that it's their duty as God-fearing folk to warn the rest of their community.
Nell wasn't a remarkable character in that she was highly trusting in the integrity of others and didn't do much to get herself out of trouble regarding the sisters' accusations. In fact, she actually manages to dig her hole deeper and deeper for all her honesty. She's a confidant, kind girl with a rough road ahead of her and several lovely scenes (the one with her attending to the birth of a fairy child was a standout for the sheer brazenness of her talking back to the fae), but I wouldn't want to read an entire book of her.
Luckily The Minister's Daughter is a blend of all three girls; Nell and the two sisters, Grace and Patience. Grace is the cruel brat who wants revenge on Nell and her sheer maliciousness made excellent reading, but it was Patience who pulls it all together and I'm convinced that the title actually refers to her and not to the daughter who caused the whole mess. In the book's timeline she's a child whose devotion to her family and her religion has made her as thick as mud and gullible to boot. She believes everything she's told, and anything she experiences alone is colored by the lies she'd been fed before. It doesn't help that, while Grace doesn't or pretends not to notice the magical creatures who harass the common folk (these creatures aren't just alluded to, either, they're real), Grace runs across the most frightening one in the book. A fae on horseback come to take Nell to the birthing and who mistakes Patience for the young midwife. The young girl is convinced that this was the devil and accidently sets the whole revenge plot in motion.
The chapters are occasionally broken by a frame story being told by Patience in her old age, but it isn't until the very end that you see why and to whom she was telling it. It's a fantastic twist ending and even if the rest of the book wasn't good I'd recommend the whole thing just for that last chapter. The story is over, and suddenly the whole thing can be looked back on with different eyes.
CHARACTERS:
The book revolves around the three girls and while I probably wouldn't be able to get through a book of any one of them alone (ok, maybe Grace), together they kept the tone even and prevented anyone from getting too boring. That's why I'm only going to deduct a half star for Nell's unwillingness to be part of the plot. The two sisters work with each other and against her, but Nell is so passive and trusting that it takes a long time for her to even realize the girls and their father are stirring up trouble against her. When the mob kidnaps her grandmother to drown her, she's probably the only person in town who's honestly surprised by it.
WORLD BUILDING/SETTING:
No arguments at all.
PLOT:
The plot was very simple, which was fine by me since it was a straightforward story to tell and didn't need extra window dressing to make it interesting. And Hearn still managed to catch me with a twist ending.
OTHER ASPECTS:
I'm adding a star for the page of recommended reading, which is always and forever worth an extra star.
THE VERDICT?
It's a simple story told very well and I highly recommended it, even if you only read it for that marvelous turn at the end.
Little Nell is being taught as a cunning woman (healer) by her grandmother who's rapidly succumbing to old age (and I suspect Alzheimer's since her last few scenes are more than just elderly forgetfulness). Despite living in a town populated by Puritans, the pair are of the old families who respect the natural magic of the world and put more stock in infusions and poultices than in the power of prayer. Unfortunately, Nell makes an enemy of the minister's eldest daughter when she comes to their home looking for a draught to force a miscarriage. The babe was conceived on May day, which makes it a child of the old ways who'll be deeply in touch with natural magic, and Nell has to refuse the request out of respect for the same magic. Livid and conniving, the sweet-faced girl convinces her gullible younger sister that Nell is a witch and that it's their duty as God-fearing folk to warn the rest of their community.
Nell wasn't a remarkable character in that she was highly trusting in the integrity of others and didn't do much to get herself out of trouble regarding the sisters' accusations. In fact, she actually manages to dig her hole deeper and deeper for all her honesty. She's a confidant, kind girl with a rough road ahead of her and several lovely scenes (the one with her attending to the birth of a fairy child was a standout for the sheer brazenness of her talking back to the fae), but I wouldn't want to read an entire book of her.
Luckily The Minister's Daughter is a blend of all three girls; Nell and the two sisters, Grace and Patience. Grace is the cruel brat who wants revenge on Nell and her sheer maliciousness made excellent reading, but it was Patience who pulls it all together and I'm convinced that the title actually refers to her and not to the daughter who caused the whole mess. In the book's timeline she's a child whose devotion to her family and her religion has made her as thick as mud and gullible to boot. She believes everything she's told, and anything she experiences alone is colored by the lies she'd been fed before. It doesn't help that, while Grace doesn't or pretends not to notice the magical creatures who harass the common folk (these creatures aren't just alluded to, either, they're real), Grace runs across the most frightening one in the book. A fae on horseback come to take Nell to the birthing and who mistakes Patience for the young midwife. The young girl is convinced that this was the devil and accidently sets the whole revenge plot in motion.
The chapters are occasionally broken by a frame story being told by Patience in her old age, but it isn't until the very end that you see why and to whom she was telling it. It's a fantastic twist ending and even if the rest of the book wasn't good I'd recommend the whole thing just for that last chapter. The story is over, and suddenly the whole thing can be looked back on with different eyes.
CHARACTERS:
The book revolves around the three girls and while I probably wouldn't be able to get through a book of any one of them alone (ok, maybe Grace), together they kept the tone even and prevented anyone from getting too boring. That's why I'm only going to deduct a half star for Nell's unwillingness to be part of the plot. The two sisters work with each other and against her, but Nell is so passive and trusting that it takes a long time for her to even realize the girls and their father are stirring up trouble against her. When the mob kidnaps her grandmother to drown her, she's probably the only person in town who's honestly surprised by it.
WORLD BUILDING/SETTING:
No arguments at all.
PLOT:
The plot was very simple, which was fine by me since it was a straightforward story to tell and didn't need extra window dressing to make it interesting. And Hearn still managed to catch me with a twist ending.
OTHER ASPECTS:
I'm adding a star for the page of recommended reading, which is always and forever worth an extra star.
THE VERDICT?
It's a simple story told very well and I highly recommended it, even if you only read it for that marvelous turn at the end.
July 15, 2021
Une lecture fort sympathique dans l'Angleterre du 17ème siècle. J'ai bien aimé l'ambiance même si ça manque un peu de corps pour en faire un coup de coeur... Un bon moment de lecture, c'est déjà bien.
July 6, 2020
This will forever be my favourite book. I first read it when I was around 12 as a library book and then we continued to find each other as I grew up until I finally bought it and now I can read it whenever I want, which is fairly often.
I love the way this book is written, and I love the unreliable narrator in parts. As a child I was sure she'd given birth to Satan's child but as an adult I became less convinced and that's what I love about this book! It leaves you just enough crumbs to put the story together yourself.
I love the way this book is written, and I love the unreliable narrator in parts. As a child I was sure she'd given birth to Satan's child but as an adult I became less convinced and that's what I love about this book! It leaves you just enough crumbs to put the story together yourself.
October 5, 2008
Another historical fiction, this one with an underpinning of fantasy. Nell is the crone's granddaughter, and she is learning the herbal healing arts from her. Meanwhile, the ministers daughter has found herself in the family way and decides to pretend she's been possessed.
One question - if Nell's mom died in childbirth, that makes Nell younger than Patience? Yet she never seemed that way.
One question - if Nell's mom died in childbirth, that makes Nell younger than Patience? Yet she never seemed that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2017
I loved the blend of historical fiction with a little fantasy and magic. I highly recommend the audiobook; fantastic narration.
May 3, 2023
3.5 Stars
This is a book where the story carried the execution. There were times when the author went between present and past tense often, even a few times in one sentence. Other than the incredibly distracting changes of tense, and other minor issues, this was a great story. If you can get past that, it's certainly worth a read interweaving real history with fantasy.
This is a book where the story carried the execution. There were times when the author went between present and past tense often, even a few times in one sentence. Other than the incredibly distracting changes of tense, and other minor issues, this was a great story. If you can get past that, it's certainly worth a read interweaving real history with fantasy.
May 18, 2018
Really enjoyed this book. I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end. Definitely read more by Julie Hear.
August 29, 2024
Wanted it to be more detailed and longer.
October 22, 2014
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I'm not a huge fan of the cover, nor do I hate it. It's just. . . .there. Neither offending nor delighting.
Characters: Nell is spunky and smart and doesn't put up with any sort of nonsense. Not from the people she cares about, her patients, or anyone who means her ill in the village. She was awesome. Grace was conniving, horrid girl; very easy to dislike. But I will give her props for one thing (though her later actions negated my very brief moment of sympathy): she didn't think once about killing her child until the father suggested it. When she got desperate, though, naturally it didn't seem like such a bad idea. That's when my sympathy evaporated. I felt sorry for Patience, her little sister who was caught in the middle of it all. Patience didn't know what was going on or what to do.
The Romance: There isn't any!
Plot: Nell is the granddaughter of the local cunningwoman - and also a Merrybegot; a child conceived on May Morning and therefore loved and blessed by the pixies and Fair Folk. Grace is the eldest daughter of the local Puritan preacher, and not as innocent as she seems. When Grace and her little sister Patience start to show signs of being devil-possessed, fingers begin pointing around the village. And the granddaughter of a cunningwoman - a Merrybegot - is the perfect target for everyone's blame and fears. There isn't a whole lot to this relatively short book. And this is, therefore, going to be a pretty short, patched little review. Stories of witch hunters have, like many others, always interested me - especially when you consider that it wasn't as wide-spread as most people believe. What was most interesting about The Minister's Daughter is that it's actually historical fantasy - something that threw me for the first few pages. It starts out as a pretty typical historical fiction, with the expected ambiance, and suddenly there's real pixies and faeries and charms. Once you get used to it, though, it's actually really awesome. The plot is pretty fast-paced, given the length of the novel, and enjoyable.
Believability: No complaints.
Writing Style: Third person, present tense - and first person, past tense. Each chapter begins with Patience's confession. In later years, she confesses to several community leaders what she and her sister did. The rest of the chapters are told in third person, present tense. I didn't mind the present tense too much, and the style was very fitting for the time period - especially the dialogue.
Content: None.
Conclusion: My biggest complaint with The Minister's Daughter is that there wasn't enough to it. And the end was very tidy. It fit the story, so it didn't bother me as much as tidy endings usually do, but I still wish there had just been more to the story. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable quick read with good characters.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, sixteen-and-up, fans of historical fantasy.
Characters: Nell is spunky and smart and doesn't put up with any sort of nonsense. Not from the people she cares about, her patients, or anyone who means her ill in the village. She was awesome. Grace was conniving, horrid girl; very easy to dislike. But I will give her props for one thing (though her later actions negated my very brief moment of sympathy): she didn't think once about killing her child until the father suggested it. When she got desperate, though, naturally it didn't seem like such a bad idea. That's when my sympathy evaporated. I felt sorry for Patience, her little sister who was caught in the middle of it all. Patience didn't know what was going on or what to do.
The Romance: There isn't any!
Plot: Nell is the granddaughter of the local cunningwoman - and also a Merrybegot; a child conceived on May Morning and therefore loved and blessed by the pixies and Fair Folk. Grace is the eldest daughter of the local Puritan preacher, and not as innocent as she seems. When Grace and her little sister Patience start to show signs of being devil-possessed, fingers begin pointing around the village. And the granddaughter of a cunningwoman - a Merrybegot - is the perfect target for everyone's blame and fears. There isn't a whole lot to this relatively short book. And this is, therefore, going to be a pretty short, patched little review. Stories of witch hunters have, like many others, always interested me - especially when you consider that it wasn't as wide-spread as most people believe. What was most interesting about The Minister's Daughter is that it's actually historical fantasy - something that threw me for the first few pages. It starts out as a pretty typical historical fiction, with the expected ambiance, and suddenly there's real pixies and faeries and charms. Once you get used to it, though, it's actually really awesome. The plot is pretty fast-paced, given the length of the novel, and enjoyable.
Believability: No complaints.
Writing Style: Third person, present tense - and first person, past tense. Each chapter begins with Patience's confession. In later years, she confesses to several community leaders what she and her sister did. The rest of the chapters are told in third person, present tense. I didn't mind the present tense too much, and the style was very fitting for the time period - especially the dialogue.
Content: None.
Conclusion: My biggest complaint with The Minister's Daughter is that there wasn't enough to it. And the end was very tidy. It fit the story, so it didn't bother me as much as tidy endings usually do, but I still wish there had just been more to the story. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable quick read with good characters.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, sixteen-and-up, fans of historical fantasy.
December 12, 2009
Review from Badelynge
It is Spring 1645 and the first English Civil War is drawing to its inevitable close. King Charles I holds onto his freedom by a thread with his loyalist supporters holding only small pockets of the Midlands & North Wales with his son (Charles II to be) hiding out in the West Country (Cornwall). Matthew Hopkins, self-styled Witch-finder General plies his lucrative and deadly business stirring the countryside to find and nail any suspected of using the Dark Arts. Against this historical backdrop Julie Hearn tells her story of the Merrybegot (a child conceived on Beltane morning who has a special affinity to nature and the healing arts or to some - a witch). The countryside is alive with Piskies and Fairies though you might never see one. The book could be described as a fanciful precursor to the Salem Witch Trials that occurred in New England half a century later. Although I don't rate this one as being as good as Hearn's debut book (Follow Me Down) or Rowan the Strange, I did think it was a very enjoyable read, with pleasing characterisations - some feat considering that one of the characters I ended up caring so much for is a rather foolish chicken. The story is told primarily from our young Nell's point of view with a more retrospective and untrustworthy alternative supplied by the eventual confessions of Patience Madden - one of a pair of sisters who accuse Nell of ill wishing them. The author also does a great job weaving some fascinating folklore and real herbcraft into the narrative.
It is Spring 1645 and the first English Civil War is drawing to its inevitable close. King Charles I holds onto his freedom by a thread with his loyalist supporters holding only small pockets of the Midlands & North Wales with his son (Charles II to be) hiding out in the West Country (Cornwall). Matthew Hopkins, self-styled Witch-finder General plies his lucrative and deadly business stirring the countryside to find and nail any suspected of using the Dark Arts. Against this historical backdrop Julie Hearn tells her story of the Merrybegot (a child conceived on Beltane morning who has a special affinity to nature and the healing arts or to some - a witch). The countryside is alive with Piskies and Fairies though you might never see one. The book could be described as a fanciful precursor to the Salem Witch Trials that occurred in New England half a century later. Although I don't rate this one as being as good as Hearn's debut book (Follow Me Down) or Rowan the Strange, I did think it was a very enjoyable read, with pleasing characterisations - some feat considering that one of the characters I ended up caring so much for is a rather foolish chicken. The story is told primarily from our young Nell's point of view with a more retrospective and untrustworthy alternative supplied by the eventual confessions of Patience Madden - one of a pair of sisters who accuse Nell of ill wishing them. The author also does a great job weaving some fascinating folklore and real herbcraft into the narrative.
June 26, 2010
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book, but it was really good. It's set in the early 1600s, and it follows two girls: Nell, the Merrybegot child (conceived on May Morning) and granddaughter of the cunning woman (midwife, herb lady, etc), and Grace, the daughter of the minister. Grace finds herself with child after frolicking in the woods with the butcher's son, who refuses to stand by her. She goes to the cunning woman for something to take care of it, but she is not there. Nell refuses to help because the child Grace is carrying is also a Merrybegot, and that means it is Nature's child and protected by piskies and faeries (who are real in this book). Grace is furious with Nell and terrified of her father. Refusing to take responsibility for her actions, Grace cries "Witch," setting things in motion.
August 24, 2010
much better than i expected. the cover is odd, and i wasn't in the mood for a witch trials type book.
the primary and secondary characters are vividly drawn, with a lovely juxtaposition of two narrative voices.
great use of fonts to express mood -- that's a bit hard to describe.
despite the active and accurate portrayal of evil, this is a hopeful book with a happy ending. mostly. with several surprising twists that are revealed a little too soon, in my opinion.
all in all, a fun and informative read. most witch-trial books are about Salem, but this one is set in Britain, and explores the growth of the Puritan mindset. real fairies and pixies are involved. fun, fun.
very heavy PG or very light PG13. recommended for 12+
the primary and secondary characters are vividly drawn, with a lovely juxtaposition of two narrative voices.
great use of fonts to express mood -- that's a bit hard to describe.
despite the active and accurate portrayal of evil, this is a hopeful book with a happy ending. mostly. with several surprising twists that are revealed a little too soon, in my opinion.
all in all, a fun and informative read. most witch-trial books are about Salem, but this one is set in Britain, and explores the growth of the Puritan mindset. real fairies and pixies are involved. fun, fun.
very heavy PG or very light PG13. recommended for 12+
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2009
I read this book after reading The Heretics Daughter, an Historical Novel based on the Salem Witch Trials. I loved how this book based, mostly, in Old England intertwined people of Puritan beliefs, along with people who, while they go to church on Sunday, still dance around the Maypole and refer to baby's about to be born as "pot lids" so the piskies don't steal the newborn baby away. I also liked the fact that these piskies and fairy's do exists and play an important role in the book. Finally I liked the way the story was told through several voices, one of them being "The Confession of Patience Madden, the year of our Lord 1692", the Salem witch trials.
July 25, 2013
First time I read this I said once was enough. But I read it again a year and a half later. I was right. Once was enough. I regret reading this book when I could have spent time on a book I enjoyed. This book is weird and abnormal. Thinking back on it however it seems to have a good story but in reality it doesn't. I walked away from that book with one quote that I took and made into my own "the heart is the kindness within. When all without are beyond reason and love." I do often think of that when I'm sad. But other than a few twists this hook isn't very worth reading.
January 31, 2008
4 1/2 stars. I read this a couple of years ago, so I don't remember that much about it now, except that I couldn't put it down, it had a great plot, and that I found it to be a delicious blend of fantasy (or possibly more magical realism) and historical fiction. There were funny little creatures in it, but I can't remember their names.
January 8, 2013
Set in the 17th century and focusing on the conflict between Puritan religion and village healers being taken for witches, this is the first in a long line of fantastically engaging Julie Hearn historical novels. She makes any setting come alive with driving plot action and an absorbing protagonist.
January 14, 2015
This is the kind of YA novel that makes an adult regret ever having grown up: full of nature and mystery, piskies and faeries, magic and longing and a feisty heroine to serve as role model. If I were 12 instead of sedately middle-aged, I'd rate this story ten stars and give it a dozen hearts to boot.
The audio version was lusciously narrated by Sian Thomas, Rowena Cooper.
The audio version was lusciously narrated by Sian Thomas, Rowena Cooper.
November 2, 2009
This was a GREAT book. I give it 4.75 stars. I will do a review of it another time as my daughter is reading it now and I want to talk with her about it and then will do my review.
There were great themes to discuss in a book club or scholastic setting, IMO.
There were great themes to discuss in a book club or scholastic setting, IMO.
April 14, 2010
Maybe 3.5 stars. This was such an odd book. A mix of superstition, magic, witchcraft, spells, charms, fairies, piskies in a historical fiction mixed with fantasy setting.
April 11, 2024
I've read this book so many times since I was a kid and I never tire of it 😍😊
July 2, 2013
Really enmjoyed this, wasnt sure i was going to at the beginning, but the stsory soon kicked in with lots of really interesting features and characters - and then i was totally hooked!
July 9, 2020
I was looking for HF that dealt with accused witches in the 1700's and stumbled across The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn. I'm fascinated with this time in history and have been absorbing whatever i can on the subject, but I have to say this one came up short for me. I realize when dealing with witchcraft and stories of it's history I will encounter all sorts of stories, fables and hysterics, but what I can't handle is when it slips over into fairies and piskies as this book did. A little too much fantasy for me when these beings play an active role in the story, not just that they're a figment of someone's imagination, but real beings that actually exist. I don't like when HF turns into fantasy, to me they're two completely different genres and should be kept that way.
The story otherwise was not bad and kept me reading. Nell a herb gatherer, healer and spell-weaver is the granddaughter of the towns main midwife and healer who herself is getting older and must soon pass down her knowledge to Nell who is an avid learner and will be a fine successor. On the other side of the town is Grace the complete opposite of Nell. Grace is the pampered daughter of the local minister who's been brought up spoiled and privileged. The two could not be further apart in their lives, personalities or desires in life. However due to circumstances the two will come together in an effort to "heal" Grace of her latest affliction. Nell immediately feels somethings not quite right with Grace, but can't put her finger on it. Grace is acting as though she's been possessed, but Nell has no idea where or how this could have happened. Nell is being blamed, but she's had nothing to do with it and wants to help.
The story touches on the witch hunt that starts after Grace falls victim to some sort of affliction and since there is no known medical explanation that her father can discern it must be witchcraft, so the hunt is on. Her father hires a true witch finder and they begin searching and killing those suspected with little or no evidence. Nell and her grandmother must now be extremely careful in what they do and say , but Nell is still wondering what is Grace up to and why is she blaming her and witchcraft.
There is a twist in the story that I didn't see coming and really made me think WOW! I love those snippets authors give us about a character that we'd never guess otherwise. Sometimes they make a difference in the book, other times it's just a great bit of information to know and brings the history of the character closer to understanding. Like I said this would have easily been a 3 or 4 star book for me had it not had fairies and piskies as real characters. I'm just not a fan of fantasy especially when I'm reading historical fiction. I want HF to leave me with a story hopefully based on true events and real people. I guess I tend to lean more towards reality and what would or could really happen versus something I may have read as a child in a fairy tale. Happy Reading!
The story otherwise was not bad and kept me reading. Nell a herb gatherer, healer and spell-weaver is the granddaughter of the towns main midwife and healer who herself is getting older and must soon pass down her knowledge to Nell who is an avid learner and will be a fine successor. On the other side of the town is Grace the complete opposite of Nell. Grace is the pampered daughter of the local minister who's been brought up spoiled and privileged. The two could not be further apart in their lives, personalities or desires in life. However due to circumstances the two will come together in an effort to "heal" Grace of her latest affliction. Nell immediately feels somethings not quite right with Grace, but can't put her finger on it. Grace is acting as though she's been possessed, but Nell has no idea where or how this could have happened. Nell is being blamed, but she's had nothing to do with it and wants to help.
The story touches on the witch hunt that starts after Grace falls victim to some sort of affliction and since there is no known medical explanation that her father can discern it must be witchcraft, so the hunt is on. Her father hires a true witch finder and they begin searching and killing those suspected with little or no evidence. Nell and her grandmother must now be extremely careful in what they do and say , but Nell is still wondering what is Grace up to and why is she blaming her and witchcraft.
There is a twist in the story that I didn't see coming and really made me think WOW! I love those snippets authors give us about a character that we'd never guess otherwise. Sometimes they make a difference in the book, other times it's just a great bit of information to know and brings the history of the character closer to understanding. Like I said this would have easily been a 3 or 4 star book for me had it not had fairies and piskies as real characters. I'm just not a fan of fantasy especially when I'm reading historical fiction. I want HF to leave me with a story hopefully based on true events and real people. I guess I tend to lean more towards reality and what would or could really happen versus something I may have read as a child in a fairy tale. Happy Reading!
June 23, 2017
I liked this a lot. My favorite thing about it was Hearn's rich, poetic language. She does a good job evoking the feeling of old fashioned writing/speaking without overdoing it. Witch hunts and witch trials are so inherently interesting, I love reading about them. Stories about accused witches can reveal so much about how a society works politically, socially, economically, etc. Even though most of this book is set in 1645, there is a clever tie in to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692 that gives this book a real wallop of an ending. How cool is that? All the main plot beats are very satisfying.
There's a fantasy component to the book that definitely intrigued me at first but ultimately I wasn't 100% sold on it. I am open to historical fantasy but if an author is going to walk down that path, I want detailed world building and explanations of how (in this specific case) fairy creatures and magic work in this universe. I know this isn't a universal preference but generally I prefer an author err on the side of too much exposition rather than too little. I would have been fine if Hearn expanded on the fantasy elements she introduced or if she jettisoned them entirely, but I found the middle path she struck kind of awkward. However, this was a minor problem that didn't detract much from my enjoyment of this very entertaining and well written book.
There's a fantasy component to the book that definitely intrigued me at first but ultimately I wasn't 100% sold on it. I am open to historical fantasy but if an author is going to walk down that path, I want detailed world building and explanations of how (in this specific case) fairy creatures and magic work in this universe. I know this isn't a universal preference but generally I prefer an author err on the side of too much exposition rather than too little. I would have been fine if Hearn expanded on the fantasy elements she introduced or if she jettisoned them entirely, but I found the middle path she struck kind of awkward. However, this was a minor problem that didn't detract much from my enjoyment of this very entertaining and well written book.
May 23, 2018
I quite loved listening to this audiobook. Heather O'Neill did a marvelous job of bringing the world and characters to life. I am not quite sure if it's a spoiler but I'll hide one detail, even though it seems like such a standard trope of this kind of story.... well I'll do it anyway.
The way the tale is told with a confession being made fifty years later woven through what we are seeing in 'real time' is effective and for me, riveting. The world-building is sharp and rich and detailed. And by the end there had been enough twists--small and large--to leave me quite pleased.
So yes, I did indeed enjoy this book and am disappointed not to find more of Hearn's work available in audiobook format.
The way the tale is told with a confession being made fifty years later woven through what we are seeing in 'real time' is effective and for me, riveting. The world-building is sharp and rich and detailed. And by the end there had been enough twists--small and large--to leave me quite pleased.
So yes, I did indeed enjoy this book and am disappointed not to find more of Hearn's work available in audiobook format.
April 22, 2019
As one girl narrates her confession, we are drawn into a primitive world on the cusp of change. Old ways and superstitions are being forcibly supplanted by rigid Christian values and religion. As with any sudden alteration, contradiction runs rife through the uprooted lives of the books characters. People still practice the ancient ways, leaving food and cider for mischievous piskies, dancing around poles and calling on cunning women to help with fevers, illness, stomachaches, births and deaths. Yet it is the advent of Puritanism that sees devils and cries out for the drowning of witches.
The author does a wonderful job of plunging us back into this terror-stricken time, when ignorance, fear, greed, lust, jealousy, rage, spite and cowardice wage war against old knowledge and altruistic kindness. Fact and magical realism combine to give us a glimpse into a grim, spectral and truly bizarre chapter of American history.
This was an engrossing story and I finished it in less than one evening. I rather liked Nell, in spite of her prickly nature, because of her fierce love for her granny and unexpected wells of compassion. We root for the Merrybegot, even as we prepare for the sad ending to her tale.
The author does a wonderful job of plunging us back into this terror-stricken time, when ignorance, fear, greed, lust, jealousy, rage, spite and cowardice wage war against old knowledge and altruistic kindness. Fact and magical realism combine to give us a glimpse into a grim, spectral and truly bizarre chapter of American history.
This was an engrossing story and I finished it in less than one evening. I rather liked Nell, in spite of her prickly nature, because of her fierce love for her granny and unexpected wells of compassion. We root for the Merrybegot, even as we prepare for the sad ending to her tale.
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