BOOK REVIEW | WITCHES OF LYCHFORD | PAUL CORNELL

 

Today’s review is The Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell. This is an omnibus of five novellas that have been released in this series. 

Ever since been introduced to Paul Cornell’s writing with his book Human Nature, a Doctor Who book about the Seventh Doctor, I have been a big fan of his books and this one has been on my TBR for ages.

   Traveler, Cleric, Witch.

Witches of LychfordThe villagers in the sleepy hamlet of Lychford are divided. A supermarket wants to build a major branch on their border. Some welcome the employment opportunities, while some object to the modernization of the local environment.Judith Mawson (local crank) knows the truth — that Lychford lies on the boundary between two worlds, and that the destruction of the border will open wide the gateways to malevolent beings beyond imagination.But if she is to have her voice heard, she's going to need the assistance of some very unlikely allies...

The Lost Child of LychfordIt’s December in the English village of Lychford – the first Christmas since an evil conglomerate tried to force open the borders between our world and . . . another.Which means it’s Lizzie’s first Christmas as Reverend of St. Martin’s. Which means more stress, more expectation, more scrutiny by the congregation. Which means . . . well, business as usual, really.Until the apparition of a small boy finds its way to Lizzie in the church. Is he a ghost? A vision? Something else? Whatever the truth, our trio of witches (they don’t approve of “coven”) are about to face their toughest battle, yet!

A Long Day in LychfordIt's a period of turmoil in Britain, with the country's politicians electing to remove the UK from the European Union, despite ever-increasing evidence that the public no longer supports it. And the small town of Lychford is suffering.But what can three rural witches do to guard against the unknown? And why are unwary hikers being led over the magical borders by their smartphones' mapping software? And is the immigration question really important enough to kill for?

The Lights Go Out in LychfordThe borders of Lychford are crumbling. Other realities threaten to seep into the otherwise quiet village, and the resident wise woman is struggling to remain wise. The local magic shop owner and the local priest are having troubles of their own.And a mysterious stranger is on hand to offer a solution to everyone's problems. No cost, no strings (she says).But as everyone knows, free wishes from strangers rarely come without a price . . .

Last Stand in LychfordThere are changes in the air, both in Lychford and in the land of fairy.The magical protections previously employed by the town are gone, and the forces of darkness are closing in — both figuratively and literally.Can Autumn and Lizzie save their community, and, well, the world?Exploding fairies, the architect of the universe and a celestial bureaucratic blunder make this a satisfying conclusion to the ever-popular Witches of Lychford series.

The Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell is an omnibus edition of the five available novellas of the Witches of Lychford series including :-

• Witches of Lychford
• Lost Child of Lychford
• The Long Day of Lychford
• The Lights Go Out in Lychford
• Last Stand in Lychford

The stories all take place in the sleepy village of Lychford, which also (unbeknowst to the population of the village) stands on the borders between worlds which include the land of Faery and other lands. All guarded by local witch and general curmudgeon Judith Mawson. 

The first book introduces us to Judith as she notices that the borders between the worlds are becoming thinner and things are passing over the borders. As Judith is becoming older she has find aid in the form of Autumn, a local shop owner who sells mystical trinkets to tourists, and the local vicar, Lizzie, who has moved back to the hamlet after the death of her fiance.

In addition to the threat of magical beings storming the border, there are also more mundane threats in the form of a big chain supermarket that wants to open a new branch in the vicinity, thus affecting the economic life of the local residents. 

Initially the book has all the regular tropes that you are used to in this type of book, but I could not help but be charmed by Paul Cornell’s storytelling and the directions that the book takes. 

One of the things that I adored about this book is the fact that not only did Paul Cornell cut his teeth writing some of the books in the VIrgin New Adventures of Dr Who (his story Human Nature was adapted for television during David Tennent’s run) and also created Bernice Summerfield, one of the Doctor’s companions and subsequently had her own series which was released by Big Finish, but he has a good knowledge of seventies and eighties british sci fi which shines through all these stories.

The characters are all brilliant and engaging, with Judith being the standout as the ever grumpy wise woman of the village, who has tirelessly fought against the incursions of the barriers whilst getting absolutely no thanks by the local residents. 

Whilst the book is on the surface, a light series of fantasy books, there are some serious social issues tackled very sensitively throughout the books, such as the effects of big business on rural communities, how Brexit split communities, racism and the onset of Alzheimer’s. 

The Witches of Lychford is an utterly enchanting and charming book that deserves a wider readership, and with the addition of a sixth novella coming later this year, this is the perfect time to get acquainted with Paul Cornell’s books.