Ill Will

December 1, 2018
Stewart's (Mr. Jolly, 2016) latest imagines the untold events that turned Wuthering Heights' Heathcliff from a feral orphan into the wealthy merchant of the Earnshaws' destruction. After witnessing Cathy succumb to the comforts of the elegant Lintons, Heathcliff adopts the name William Lee and sets off on foot for Manchester, where he hopes to make his fortune in the mills. Then he meets 10-year-old Emily, the foul-mouthed daughter of a recently hung highwayman, and she inspires him to change course for Liverpool, in search of his roots. Emily tests Heathcliff's trust and patience and his determination to avoid human connection. Bront� fans frustrated by the romanticization of Heathcliff need not worry, though: he remains as brutal and violent as he is in the original. There has been much scholarly speculation about Heathcliff's roots, and Stewart makes a believable conjecture, both regarding his tragic family and his return to Wuthering Heights. A satisfying addition to the growing list of fiction that fills in the blanks of beloved classics, and a dark exploration of trauma, cruelty, and love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)