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Fifteen-year-old Sylvie, her mother, and her grand-mere are healers in their small countryside village. While they are trusted and beloved by most of their neighbors, some whisper that Sylvie and her grand-mere deal in more than herbs and medicines.
When her grand-mere dies suddenly, plunging her mother into deep depression, Sylvie attempts to use her magic to heal her mother’s grief. But with her skills unpracticed, Sylvie’s magic leads to tragic consequences. Soon Sylvie is forced to leave home in search of someone who can teach her how to use her powers properly… before everything else she cares about can spiral out of control.
In medieval France, it’s dangerous being a woman traveling alone, much less one who is a witch. Soon Sylvie finds herself lost in foreign cities, strange alliances, and plenty of danger and deceit. In the end, the only one she can truly trust to set things right is herself.
Healer and Witch is a historical fantasy set in 16th-century France. While it’s rich in history regarding social structure and issues of power, it still reads like a cozy fantasy. In fact, the tone and its message of being true to yourself reminded me a lot of The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. (Another story I adore!)
Sylvie’s internal struggles are quite complex, and I appreciated that there weren’t any simple answers or solutions to her problems. Instead, the story unfolds slowly and naturally, and even the touch of romance is subtle and full of promise without being forced.
Overall, Healer and Witch has the innocence of a middle-grade while also handling some heavier themes I would have expected from a young adult. In the end, it’s a book that I would definitely recommend for a younger YA audience.
Rated: Mild. There is no profanity. Sexual content includes a girl letting a woman believe she was pregnant with an unwanted baby. Brief references are made to potential rape, optional abortion, and prostitution.
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