The Village Healer’s Book of Cures is a 2023 historical fantasy novel by Jennifer Sherman Roberts. It’s the author’s debut novel. It was published by Lake Union Publishing and was released in October 2023.
Mary Fawcett refines the healing recipes she’s inherited from generations of Fawcett women before her—an uncanny and moral calling to empathize with the sick. When witchfinder Matthew Hopkins arrives in her small village, stoking the fires of hate, he sees not healing but the devil at work. Mary’s benevolent skills have now cast her and her young brother under suspicion of witchery. Soon, the husband of one of Mary’s patients is found murdered, his body carved with strange symbols. For Hopkins, it’s further evidence of dark arts. When the whispering village turns against her, Mary dares to trust a stranger: an enigmatic alchemist, scarred body and soul, who knows the dead man’s secrets. As Hopkins’s fervor escalates, Mary must outsmart the devil himself to save her life and the lives of those she loves. Unfolding the true potential of her gifts could make Mary a more empowered adversary than a witchfinder ever feared.
The plot of this novel was engaging, as it focused on Mary trying to avoid suspicion of witchcraft, and later trying to clear her name when she is accused. This premise gives the story a lot of tension, as the reader is shown the consequence if Mary doesn’t succeed. There’s a weight to each action Mary takes in trying to clear her name and keep her brother safe. However, there are also points where that tension, and the seriousness of the situation, fall by the wayside and, in the last part of the book, the accusations against Mary have no real weight. The story focused on revenge, which worked for the story given that historically women were accused of witchcraft by disgruntled neighbors. However, some plot points were a bit predictable because revenge was a big theme in this story. The final confrontation left something to be desired. The plot twist leading up to it was executed very well, though it wasn’t the most original twist, but the confrontation itself didn’t feel very tense and was over a bit too quickly. Overall, the novel has a solid plot but not very surprising in terms of how it unfolds.
I’m torn about how I feel about the characters in this book. There were times that Mary felt compelling as a protagonist, and there were times that she didn’t. Her struggle to keep her brother safe, to survive in the seventeenth century as a widow and the strange position she held within her village gave her complexity. At the same time, she could sometimes come across as wishy-washy and insensitive to others, when her ability to be empathetic is highlighted multiple times. She’s depicted inconsistently, and since her character arc is minimal, it weakens her as a character. Tom, Mary’s brother, was a sweet kid and an enjoyable character but he’s supposed to be eight years old, and he instead sounds like a child who’s much younger. Hopkins is vindictive and manipulative, with no redeeming qualities, which works given that he’s an antagonist in the story, because of the type of story it is, but he’s not the final villain Mary has to confront. I don’t have much to say about other characters as they serve their roles in the story well, but don’t stand out.
The writing in this novel was fine. The author gave very good descriptions of the setting, and the story had a good pace. I had an issue with the dialogue, as the story takes place in the 1600s, but the characters don’t speak like they’re in that time period. Instead, the sound like modern-day English speakers. There was also more telling than showing than I was hoping for. In the case of some characters, the writing tells the reader “this character is bad” or “this character is good” rather than let their actions show that, or letting the reader determine that for themselves. The prose itself is fine. The author doesn’t have a particularly distinct style but it serves the story.
The Village Healer’s Book of Cures was an entertaining read, but it didn’t blow me away. The plot was engaging, but didn’t have many surprises. The characters felt compelling at times. The writing was fine. Little about the novel stood out particularly strongly. It was a solid story, but not memorable. It’s a nice read and a quick read, however.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
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