by Hannah Kent
First published 2017
Nora watches her grandson Micheal struggle through each day. The boy cannot speak or walk, and since her husband died, she cares for him alone in their Irish village. When Mary arrives as a handmaid to help, whispers already spread through the community. Neighbors claim Micheal is a changeling, a fairy child left in place of the real boy. They say he brings misfortune to the valley. Nora faces an impossible choice. She loves the child she has raised, yet the mounting pressure from her superstitious neighbors grows unbearable. Desperate to save both Micheal and her community, Nora turns to Nance, an old woman who knows the ancient rituals. Together, the three women attempt to break what they believe is a supernatural curse. Their actions lead toward a tragedy that will test the bonds between love, faith, and the weight of collective belief in nineteenth century Ireland.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, tragedy
Setting: Ireland, Irish Village
Period: 19th Century
400 pages · Kindle Edition · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: mental-illness