Sycorax by Nydia Hetherington Review (Gifted/AD)

Hello Readers,
 
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eBook copy of Sycorax by Nydia Hetherington in exchange for an honest review. The copy I received didn’t include a cover, so I’m using an image found through Google (Fair use for review purposes). Since the official publication day is a couple of days away, this review will be spoiler-free.

Happy Early Publication Day
 
Title: Sycorax
Author: Nydia Hetherington
Publication Day: 27th February 2025
Genre: Fairy Tale, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Pages: 390
Cover Image:

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?

A beautifully written and deeply moving imagining of what came before Shakespeare's The Tempest from the author of A Girl Made of Air.
 
Miniature Review
Please bear with me while I have a little nerd out. The Tempest is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, so I was thrilled to discover that Sycorax, an often unseen but incredibly powerful character, was getting her own book. In the play, Sycorax is a vengeful witch and the mother of Caliban, one of the island’s few native inhabitants. But what we know about her is limited: she was banished from Algiers while pregnant with Caliban and exiled to the very island where Prospero is stranded, leaving her story largely untold.

This is exactly where Nydia's Sycorax comes in a beautifully written, lyrical take on this mysterious character. Narrated by Sycorax herself, the story immediately drew me in. It’s so refreshing to finally hear her voice, especially since she’s so elusive in The Tempest. The dialogue is seamlessly woven into the prose, which I really liked it feels natural and keeps the story flowing effortlessly.

Sycorax's journey from a troubled childhood to adulthood is both complex and moving. Raised on an island, she struggles with chronic pain and is labelled a witch by the locals simply for being different. This inner conflict is one of the book’s most compelling aspects.

The structure of “Acts” and “Scenes” ties the novel to The Tempest in a meaningful way, and the writing itself is gorgeous, with a dreamlike quality that enhances themes like grief, loneliness, betrayal, and feminine rage. The author’s personal experiences with chronic illness add an extra layer of depth to Sycorax's story.

Overall, the book is a unique and thoughtful read, filled with beautiful prose and unforgettable characters. If you’re looking for something emotional and lyrical, I’d highly recommend it. 

Comments

Post a Comment