I’m really trying hard not to take on blog tours at the moment in order to read some of the wonderful books I already have, but when Anne Cater of Random Things Tours invited me to participate in the tour for Solstice by Helen Steadman I simply couldn’t resist. You see, Solstice is book three in the Widdershins trilogy and I loved the first two books so I’m delighted to share my review of Solstice today. 

You will find my review of Widdershins here and of Sunwise here.

Published by Bell Jar, Solstice is available for purchase through the links here.

Solstice

England, 1673. Still a world of witches, witch trials and witchfinders.

When a new vicar arrives to take over the parish of Mutton Clog, the village finds itself in the grip of puritan fever, and suspicious eyes are turned on Rose Driver.

Rose’s mother, brother and grandmother were all put to death by the fanatical witchfinder, John Sharpe.

Almost quarter of a century after the Newcastle witch trials, Sharpe is no longer a threat. Rose should be safe in her quiet village, but is history about to repeat itself?

Find out in Solstice, the powerful conclusion to The Widdershins Trilogy, which tells the story of one woman’s struggle for survival in a hostile and superstitious world.

The Widdershins Trilogy was inspired by the little-known Newcastle witch trials, where fifteen women and one man were hanged for witchcraft on a single day in August 1650.

My Review of Solstice

The Leaton Family are moving parish.

Solstice might have the persecution of witches at the heart of the narrative, but Helen Steadman’s story-telling is bewitching in its own right. From the very first page it is as if the reader is being addressed directly, by their own personal storyteller, with the effect that it is impossible not to be drawn in instantly. The tone is perfect for the era so that every aspect of Solstice feels authentic and beautifully crafted. I thought it was wonderful.

The plot is fast paced, riveting and compelling. Whilst Solstice is the third book in a trilogy, it can be read as a stand alone story with no prior knowledge of the other books, because Helen Steadman weaves in any knowledge needed with such skill. It’s six years since I read Widdershins, but several hundred books read later, Solstice not only brought that earlier book flooding back, but was written in such a way that it is totally accessible, understandable and mesmerising, independently of anything else. I thought this quality of story telling was magnificent.

The characterisation is superb. By the time I was 50 pages into the story I was ready to climb into the pages and give Patience a violent and thorough shaking. She made my blood boil! Indeed, I’d defy anyone not to be thoroughly enraged by the injustice displayed by those supposedly superior in status to others. Steeped in history, Solstice is also a book about people, about unselfish love, family, betrayal and spite so that the characters become completely convincing. Indeed, considering Patience and her strong narrative voice I had to question whether my hatred of her was fair or whether she simply wasn’t in her right mind. Helen Steadman might entertain brilliantly, but she causes her readers to think too.

In contrast to my abhorrence of Patience, I adored Rose. She is by no means perfect, but she has a strength and integrity that I admired without reservation. What comes across so vividly through Rose is the ease with which an individual can be vilified and persecuted, but also how resilient we can be in the face of adversity. Solstice is historical fiction of the very best kind, being assiduously researched and accessibly presented, but the treatment of, and by, characters has resonance in today’s world of trial by social media. I found this element of the story so important and convincing. 

Solstice is one of those stories that gets under the reader’s skin. I thought about the people of Mutton Clog when I wasn’t reading about them. I pondered themes of religion, superstition, and family and I was totally immersed in history. In case you haven’t realised, I thought Solstice was brilliant. Don’t let this series pass you by.

About Helen Steadman

Helen Steadman’s first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the 1650 Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf is about a group of master swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword. Helen’s fourth novel, God of Fire, is a Greek myth retelling as seen through the eyes of Hephaestus, perhaps the least well known of all the Olympians. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.

You can follow Helen on Twitter @hsteadman1650 and visit her website. You’ll also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

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