Dark Earth

Reviews

“[Stott] has created something radically new and beautiful. . . . This is a book that seeks to do for British myth what Natalie Haynes and Madeline Miller have done so brilliantly for classical literature: uncovering stories of feminine power that have been occluded by the male hand of history. . . . ”—The Guardian

“A work of elegant historical fantasy with great intellect, curiosity, imagination and empathy that is utterly compelling . . . Stott writes into the silences of the historical record as an act of revelation—what emerges are complex characters, with fascinating stories, who are enriched with a zeal for survival. . . . It is difficult to imagine any reader not becoming bewitched by Dark Earth.”—The Irish Times

“Evocative and compelling . . . History and geography merge with myth and magic.”—Eastern Daily Press

“At the heart of Rebecca Stott’s Dark Earth are those things as old as time itself: the love between two sisters, the bonds that bring women together, the power of telling a story around a fire. Though Stott turns her expert eye back thousands of years, this novel pulses with the energy of a brave new world, a world as beautiful as it is dangerous, where a belief in myth and magic can save your life.”—Katherine J. Chen, author of Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc

“Evocative and richly mythic, Dark Earth pays homage to the quiet triumph of women working together to build a better world. . . . A truly beautiful book.”—Lucy Holland, author of Sistersong

“A magical and evocative book that so deftly explores an era of British history that has been overlooked too long, Dark Earth delights, transports, chills and charms in equal measure.”—Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock

“An ancient tapestry of legend brilliantly rewoven: hope, courage, men’s violence and women’s magic in an age of ruins and new beginnings.”—Francis Spufford, author of Light Perpetual

“Dark Earth skillfully imagines a past world where women must fight to survive in a society of feuds, violence and nation-building.”—Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory

“A thrilling exploration of human kindness, ingenuity and cruelty, told through a tale of ancient London at one of its iconic points of destruction and rebirth.”—Alice Albinia, author of Cwen

“. . . a memorable achievement.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
“Stott builds a rich world from fragments of fact and mythic imagining. . . . Stott fills holes in written history with magic, mythic resonance, and twenty-first-century wish fulfillment.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Expand reviews