Crone

A beautiful and horrifying tale of love and loss. Ancient folklore blends with the modernish southwest of England with this clever story of a mother's love and things that go bump in the night. As someone who lives in this area it was a pleasure to read. Terrifying in large parts the heroine had you rooting for her through out. Lovely ending. Will be reading her work again. Pure excellence.

What I really liked about this book is that it celebrates the strength that women possess, that we're always stronger than what we think we are. I guess most of us aren't as physically strong in the way men are but it doesn't matter as we're strong in other ways. As illustrated in this book, if we dig deep enough we have the power to heal ourselves and others even, to protect our loved ones and even to forgive. The main character, Heather, is a prime example of this. She's a very quiet heroine, not feisty and fierce like some people,(ahem Aefre) but she refuses to give in no matter how bleak and hopeless things look.The characterisation of Heather was brilliant,she was so relatable and I could really see her as a real person. You can really feel her grief for her son, Max, and take pride in her desire to keep on fighting, in the hope she will learn to live again.In contrast, Aefre is an example of that woman who cannot forgive and move on with their life. People say that hate is an acid which rots us from within and this saying really applies to her. But having said that she's a great character!One thing I hate about stories with witches in them is that they are always portrayed as evil.I find this irksome as the reason so many women were persecuted in during the witch hunts was because men feared powerful women and their intelligence and sought to destroy them by either burning them or discrediting women. But in this book evil witches are nicely balanced with good witches who care.I really enjoyed this book and read it in a matter of days. I just couldn't put it down particularly at the end. I kept thinking how the hell is Heather going to get out of this crazy situation. The plot was really clever, fantastical but really believable too. The ending was so great, all the little loose ends were tied up particularly with the White Cottage. I thought that was a really nice touch.It was a book that is really easy to get into, it starts off fairly gently but really begins to pick up the pace particularly with the ending. I was torn between desperately trying to skim read so I could find out what happened but also wanting to enjoy it at the same time.This is the first book written by Jeannie Wycherley I will definitely be keeping an eye out to see what she writes next. This is a one off book but the world that she has created is so cool she could easily write another one in that setting.P.S. Does anyone know how to pronounce Aefre?

Gave up after a couple of chapters. I just prefer to read writers who can do more than put a sentence together and narrate a series of events, writers with actual “writing talent” (and you know when someone has it). This is just such pedestrian writing. Have publishing standards declined? I’m starting to think so.

Jeannie Wycherley draws on all her experiences of living in the beautiful Devon countryside to conjure up a horror tour de force. Her dark tale of Aefre, an ancient evil spirit that exists by feeding off the souls of the living, is the product of a vivid and slightly macabre imagination. This book is certainly not for those who fear the monster under the bed or suspects a bogeyman lurks in the dark corners of their bedroom. It is a tale that zips along at pace as Heather Keynes, a mother grieving the loss of her son in a traffic accident on a winding country road, begins to suspect there is more to his death than exists in the police reports. Encountering a strange group of elderly people known as the guardians, she begins to learn more as she delves deeper, until she eventually finds herself in a life-or-death battle with the old crone herself. As the story weaves to its inevitable final confrontation you learn the circumstances behind Aefre's hatred of the living and how she has developed the resilience to fight for survival by every means possible. The question is: However powerful she has become, is she strong enough to overcome the irresistible force of a mother's love? Thoroughly recommended.

Better than I expected, I really enjoyed it

This claws at you right from the get go, and doesn't let go even when the words run out. Fabulously atmospheric, subtly yet dreamily romantic, brings the beauty of Devon to life, and brings to the fore all that is ancient and sacred in the lore of Nature and Wicca and of a time when people were in sync with with everything around us. A bloody good story - I just wish I could bake as well as Claire!!

Really enjoyed the story line and the twists. Characters were well developed and I was greatly invested in them and the outcome

This is well worth a read and is an easy page turner. The scare factor is there and there are some spine tingling moments to enjoy.It's satisfying in so much as the questions you are asking are all revealed in good time and well thought out. The characters are believable and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout. All in all I read this at every available moment and that's always a sign of a good book.