Joanne Burn

1665 and the Plague is raging in London, in the village of Eyam it seems a world away and there are other concerns. Mae is the only remaining child of Wulfric the apothecary, she longs to learn but in reading her father's books she discovers his secrets and desperately needs to escape. Johan hides his love for his sister's husband but when she falls ill he travels to London to help. However a batch of old clothes has arrived in Eyam and the village is no longer safe.
The story of the village of Eyam is well-known, a village that chose to isolate itself whilst the plague raged within. Here that story is used as a backdrop for an interesting historical novel. There are parts that work well, Wulfric's madness and suspicions of witchcraft are frightening and yet believable in the context, the love between Johan and Jacques feels less so. It's a strong book overall and definitely worth reading.… (mer)