TWELFTH ENCHANTMENT

What makes a witch? Today a witch is usually a frightening woman dressed in a pointy hat. But for most of European history, magic occurred along a continuum of moral and spiritual value, in which conviction and execution as a witch was only the farthest extreme. In fact, everyday people routinely relied on folk magic to solve all sorts of commonplace problems that couldn''t be addressed by other legal, medical, or religious means. All that was required was a bit of cunning. Cunning folk, as they were known in England, offered occult services, such as placing charms and lifting curses, usually for a fee. The word “cunning” has a double connotation in English – it means clever and capable on the one hand, but it also means sneaky and dubious. As such, men and women who were skilled in folk magical arts tended to have mixed reputations; they served an important role in English village society, but they were also regarded with suspicion. This fascinating nether world weaves through David Liss''s intoxicating new novel, The Twelfth Enchantment. Set in Regency England, The Twelfth Enchantment tells the story of Lucy Derrick, a vivacious heroine in the tradition of Jane Austen''s Elizabeth Bennett, compelled by her loss of fortune after her father''s death into a marriage of convenience to save herself from destitution. On the eve of her engagement, a handsome stranger appears on her doorstep, proclaiming that she must “gather the leaves,” and above all, must not marry her betrothed. He then collapses into a fit, vomiting pins, which the local doctor is powerless to explain.