The Plague Charmer
Porlock Weir, Exmoor, 1361. The story takes place thirteen years after the Great Plague, and there are rumours that it has returned to London. The local community is a very rural one, living by the harvests of both the sea and the land, and their lives are ruled by the seasons, the weather, and everything that can be explained as an omen, for good or ill. A total eclipse of the sun is not understood and is considered a bad omen, and then there is a shipwreck with one woman rescued from it. When the plague arrives she claims to be able to save the village from it but at a tremendous cost.
This is a very dark, chilling story full of folklore, superstition, magic and the many beliefs dominant in the 14th century. Sadly, from the first chapter I knew it would not be my kind of book and found it extremely hard to read. However, the historical notes and riddles at the end of it were fascinating, and I learned a lot from these.
The characters are many and varied and certainly had many secrets to unfold. The conditions they lived under were graphically told, and their lives were certainly not bundles of joy, but I found it very uncomfortable reading and would certainly not want to read it again.
This author has had excellent reviews for her other books, and I am sure that those who enjoyed reading those will receive this one with delight, but it is not for me.
