The Daylight Gate

Twilight. Readers who like historical fiction are those most likely to enjoy a short and tightly written novel by Jeanette Winterson titled, The Daylight Gate. Set in England early in the 17th century, the plot involves the witch trials of that period. The title refers to dusk, and much of the atmosphere of the novel has a twilight feel to it. Protagonist Alice Nutter became wealthy from Queen Elizabeth I’s pleasure in the garments made from a dye Nutter created. Winterson achieves in this short novel exactly what I want from historical fiction: she presents complex characters, many based on the historical record, and describes the time and place with finely written prose. She grabbed my attention in the first few paragraphs, and I sped through this novel, finding pleasure throughout, despite much disturbing subject matter. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Daylight Gate from amazon.com.