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Black Wood Women

A tale of survival, sisterhood, and defiance in 1649

Michael Stewart author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:21st Nov '24

Should be back in stock very soon

Black Wood Women cover

Set in 1649, Black Wood Women tells the gripping tale of Caragh, who escapes persecution and finds acceptance among a coven of women in a dark forest.

In Black Wood Women, readers are transported to Yorkshire in 1649, where the last wolf in England roams in search of prey. Exhausted and alone, she carries the weight of her future, fearing for her pups and the relentless threat posed by men who seek to eradicate her kind. This poignant narrative explores themes of survival and resilience in a world where both nature and women face brutal oppression.

The story follows Caragh, a young woman who, along with her family, has fled Ireland to escape persecution. Their attempt to forge a new life in England takes a dark turn when Caragh discovers her parents have been murdered by a Protestant zealot determined to cleanse the area of Catholics. Forced to flee once more, she finds refuge in a mysterious forest where she encounters a coven of women who embrace their freedom and reject societal norms.

As Caragh integrates into this sisterhood, she finally experiences acceptance and belonging. However, the peace she has found is precarious, as an unseen danger looms over the black wood women. With a gripping narrative and richly drawn characters, Black Wood Women is a spellbinding tale of courage, identity, and the fight against oppression, making it a must-read for historical fiction enthusiasts.

'Grim and glorious' Daily Mail

'A vivid, inventive narrative' Sunday Times

'A really beautiful blend of history and fantasy – delivered in gorgeously lyrical language' Best

‘A devilishly impassioned danse macabre of a novel that grips the reader by the hand and refuses to let go from the first to the last page’ Essie Fox

'Complex and heartbreaking, a liminal thing that burns with the heat haze of history and fiction meeting… Stewart’s Black Wood Women is an utterly compelling read' A.G. Slatter

'Black Wood Women has the lived-in realism of a great and well-researched historical fiction, and distinguishes itself with its playful, inventive, and occasionally gut-wrenching storytelling. Michael Stewart has written something altogether his own with this one.' Nick Cutter

'Beautifully written and thrilling’Yorkshire Post

'Visceral and unswerving’ Historia Magazine

ISBN: 9780008596132

Dimensions: 240mm x 159mm x 35mm

Weight: 540g

352 pages