Book Review: Sycorax, by Nydia Hetherington

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

My father was of the Sun, and my mother of the Moon, I said, gulping at the air.

Dripping in sweat, I wiped my face and wrapped the muslin over my eyes, as I’d done so many times before. Then, taking a deep breath, letting agony run through me in a silent cry, I concentrated on the sound of my mother’s bells, tinkling around my angle, and stumbled on. Forwards again. Step by step. Forwards. Breathing. Living. Moving.

The crow, patient with my slow advance, flew in circles, soaring above the path it knew so well, now lost within the storm’s debris. As we reached the lane to the market, it alighted on the branch of an upturned tree, before settling gently on my shoulder. It was a powerful act of solidarity, a message I couldn’t help but understand.

We’d enter the town together.

I wasn’t alone.

Without knowing the full story of The Tempest, Sycorax’s story of life before was still fascinating.

Official synopsis:

Born of the sun and moon, shaped by fire and malady, comes a young woman whose story has never been told...

They call her Sycorax. Seer. Sage. Sorceress.

Outcast by society and all alone in the world, Sycorax must find a way to understand her true nature. But as her powers begin to grow, so too do the suspicions of the local townspeople. For knowledge can be dangerous, and a woman's knowledge is the most dangerous of all...

With a great storm brewing on the horizon, Sycorax finds herself in increasing peril - but will her powers save her, or will they spell the end for them all? Find out in this gripping and vivid narrative exploration of one of literature's most mysterious figures.

Sometimes the retelling of one imagined lifetime feels like it lasts even longer. This book was like that. Spanning from the meeting of her parents to the fate of her son, the story of the magic woman born Raven and eventually renamed by the townsfolk to Sycorax, encompassed so many more legends, lessons, and tales than there seemed room for in one life.

The voice and descriptions contributed to a beautiful story with a full range of emotions clearly shared. This book will be readily recommended to those who enjoy period fiction, stories with amazing female characters, and of course expansion on Shakespeare classics. Sycorax earned 5 out of 5 stars.

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Becki Bayley is a wife, and mother who does her best traveling through reading, while cozy at home. Find out more about her life and reads on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.