Fifteen Wild Decembers

by Karen Powell

A creative re-imagining of the short life of Emily Brontë, one of England’s greatest writers

Praise for The River Within

“Evocative and engrossing.”―Heat Magazine

“Utterly stunning, with prose that reads like a painting . . . This book is unforgettable; it is a masterpiece.”―Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory

Isolated from society, the Brontë children spend all their time inventing elaborate fictional realms or roaming the wild moors above their family home in Yorkshire. When the time comes for them to venture out into the world to earn a living, each of them struggles to adapt, but for Emily the change is catastrophic. Torn from the landscape she loves and no longer able to immerse herself in the fantastical world of Gondal that she and her younger sister Anne have created, she is simply unable to function.

As a child, Emily witnessed a rare natural phenomenon. After weeks of rain, the peaty soil on Crow Hill became so sodden that the earth exploded. Since then, her life has been dogged by tragedy and repeated failures. Her sisters are desperate to escape their unsatisfactory work as governesses and now the life of her brother Branwell, the hope of the family, is in turmoil. To the outside world, Emily appears taciturn, unexceptional; but beneath the surface her mind is in a creative ferment, ready to burst forth. As the pressure on her grows, another violent phenomenon is about to take place, one that will fuse her imaginary world of Gondal with the landscape Emily loves so passionately, and which will change the literary world forever.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, British Literature, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Audiobook

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2023

About the author

Karen Powell grew up in Rochester, Kent. She studied English Literature at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, and now lives in York with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a disappointingly straightforward fictionalized biography of the Brontes - if you've read any of the 'lives', then this won't tell you anything new as it rehearses what I think is a fairly well-known story. It's billed as being about Emily, but actually she's just the 1st person narrator retelling her family story, and by putting everything into her voice much of the mystery of her creativity and imagination dissipates as she gives us simplistic 'sources' and explanations for Wuthering Heights. I particularly rolled my eyes when Emily 'explains' Wuthering Heights to a questioning Charlotte and Anne as if they're in a schoolroom: 'Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "It sounds a most peculiar story, Emily. I hope you know what you're doing."'. All the grandeur of that inexplicable masterpiece is lost in this banal conversation.

I'd say, too, that the prose is nicely crafted, albeit with some exclamations that feel far too modern ('Hate me if you want to. Never speak to me again, but you can't hide your poems from the world', as Charlotte says hyper-dramatically to Emily), but the quality of Emily's words, thoughts and inner world just don't feel fitting for her actual writing: a style more febrile and volatile rather than this rather staid and conventional historical narrative would make more sense. It's as if this is all spoken by the creator of Nellie Dean - and there's no presence of the creator of Cathy and Heathcliff. The ending might also prove divisive depending on individual readers' tastes as Emily dies then comes back to haunt the moor and peer into the window of the parsonage, as various characters imagine Cathy doing: personally, I found it cheap.

All that said, this isn't a bad book and for anyone interested in the lives of the Brontes who can't face the big biographies like that of Juliet Barker (name-checked in the acknowledgments) then this might do nicely. But it's quite tame and conventional as a piece of literary fiction and never succeeds in doing anything imaginative or innovative in expressing or representing the extraordinary creativity of Emily and her sisters.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you follow my reviews or follow me on social media, you may already know I loved Karen’s previous book, The River Within. So when I knew she’d written a new book, and it was about Emily Brontë, well, I was very eager to read it and it did not disappoint.

Right from the very first paragraph, Karen’s sweeping prose hits. She is such an evocative writer of both people and landscape. As a born and bred Yorkshire lass, I know the bleakness of the moors well and she gets the feel and mood of it so right. I found myself picturing the wintery hills of the moors in my head whilst reading.

I don’t know the lives of the Brontës well, but Karen brought them to life for me. So much death, hardship and devastation, and Karen expressed all of it with such care and emotion. At times I had tears in my eyes.

It tells of the fraught relationships with her siblings. Her annoyance of Charlotte always wanting the limelight, Branwell’s alcoholism and subsequent aggressive behaviour, and the sisters’ plans for their writing careers.

Another beautifully written book. Karen Powell remains a firm favourite author of mine and her future books will be automatic buys. Recommend!

[Fiona Woolford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, a new Bronte book to read.
I was recommended this book by the proprietor of a shop called Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth on my recent visit. He said his wife had read it and felt it the best novel she had read about Emily Bronte. I agree.
Karen Powell has written a novel depicting the life of EJB in a particular way that I felt when reading it she had transported herself to the moors of Haworth and into the very being Emily Bronte.
The novel covers all major events, thoughts, agonies,love,fears and hope for all the family.
Personal writing ideas give way to some ideas how Emily
came to write Wuthering heights, such as skeleton fingers at a window, sexual awareness,a rugged farmer with dark hair, intricate details of weather in particular lightening and so much more.
Would I recommend this book…..absolutely
Would I read it again….absolutely again & again
Rating…. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and so many more
Karen Powell it was bloody brilliant .

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sobbed my heart out finishing this last night. It’s a fictional story of the Brontë sisters, told from Emily’s perspective. I knew it was going to be sad but it was so much more than I expected. The writing is so beautiful and their lives were so hard. Absolutely loved it! Best book I’ve read so far this year.

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favourite question to ask people is what Brontë sibling they would be if any, and every time I come across a new Bronte text, I fear I am Charlotte

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIFTEEN WILD DECEMBERS turned out to be a pretty absorbing read, even though I came to it with only the cultural echo of JANE EYRE and a few scattered bits of Brontë trivia. I half-expected to feel out of my depth, or at least uninvested, but the novel creates such a vivid, grounded world that it’s easy to settle into it, regardless of how much you already know.

The book does a good job of balancing accessibility with depth. It offers enough context for readers like me—those with a newer or lighter familiarity—without ever stopping to over explain. The atmosphere is rich, the character work is compelling, and the setting is immersive. I found myself invested in these people not (just) because of their historical importance, but because the story brings them to life in a way that feels immediate.

Ultimately, it made me want to read the Brontë books when I was finished, which might be the best result a book like this could offer.

I can imagine that Brontë aficionados might have a different experience. Some of the creative interpretations may resonate differently for readers who know the family’s history inside and out. Honestly, I have no idea, given my limited history. Mileage will vary here. But from the perspective of someone just beginning to explore their world, the novel felt inviting rather than intimidating.

In the end, FIFTEEN WILD DECEMBERS was a rewarding and evocative read. It stands on its own and gently sparks curiosity about the real lives behind it.

[Kasia Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this reimagining of the Brontes lives narrated by Emily. It was so interesting and so well written and I feel inspired to read more books by them now 😊

[Magdalena Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully reimagined story of the Brontës, narrated by Emily, is a wonderful read. I loved and totally believed that this was Emily's voice, her story - since she was a young girl until she died. Karen Powell tells us what we might or might not have known about these genius writers, but everything is so sincere and beautiful and heart-breaking. The relationship between the sisters (and Branwell and their father and friends) was so real and Powell even included the first sisters - Maria and Elizabeth who died at young ages - in this story. The Brontës' experiences, their thoughts, their publishing journeys, their struggles and joys were all written so, so well. The last two pages made me cry and the afterword was wonderful too - I never knew that Keeper followed Emily's coffin and was part of her funeral. This was a stunning read and it always makes me sad that they all passed away too soon.

[Jo Rawlins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this after it was shortlisted for The Nero Book Award 2023.

A beautifully written imagining of the Bronte sisters' lives, written from the perspective of Emily.

I am not a huge classics fan particularly but after reading Fifteen Wild Decembers I am super keen to revisit, especially, Wuthering Heights.

Every page is meticulously crafted and there is not a word out of place. I highly recommend this wonderful novel.

[Mieke Anckaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit boek brengt je moeiteloos naar de mistige ´moors’ rond Haworth. Door de ogen van Emily zien we het leven van de familie Brontë. De dood van haar kleine zusjes, de collectieve schrijfervaring met haar zussen, de problemen met hun rusteloze broer, de moeilijke weg naar bekendheid. Maar vooral krijgen we een inkijk in de ´fifteen wild decembers’ van Emily. En dan begrijp je waarom ze ‘Wuthering Heights’ schreef. Een boek dat zelfs door haar zussen als vreemd en rauw werd bestempeld. Emily is, net als Catherine, deel van de woeste hoogten, ze observeert de wereld zonder er echt actief aan deel te nemen.

[Danae Lamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not ok. Big cry. Big emotions. So beautiful.

I adored this book. The best adaptation of the Brontë family I have ever consumed (and I’ve consumed a lot!) throughly researched no affectation or pandering - just a beautiful and brutal imagining of Emily’s whole life and experiences. I have no idea how Karen Powell did it - I believed in Emily’s voice - she convinced me. What a talent. I will reread this for the rest of my life. A new forever favourite.

[Karyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

I can’t remember when I first read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, but it must have been in middle school or early high school. I went into both books expecting them to be dry and boring, the way I felt about The Scarlet Letter, but these two books blew me away (though I was more partial to Jane Eyre). Reading Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and fanfic of the same just solidified my love of Jane Eyre.

One of my favorite biopics is To Walk Invisible, a beautifully done piece by the BBC about Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, and their struggles with their brother Branwell. Strangely, even though the piece delves into the siblings’ juvenilia, no real mention that I can recall is made of the eldest Brontë siblings, Maria and Elizabeth, though their experiences at boarding school and their deaths partly inspired Jane Eyre. It’s also possible that I merely don’t remember. At any rate, this book was for me that biopic in the form of literature, and I mean that as a compliment. I loved that I learned far more about the early years of the Brontës with this novel, and how absolutely terrifying it must have been to lose the eldest two daughters in the space of 5 weeks, leaving Charlotte the eldest. I learned so much about Emily, and it fleshed out so much of the character portrayed in To Walk Invisible. Till now I had assumed that Emily somewhat resented being stuck at home and doing housework, while Charlotte went off and did whatever she wanted, where apparently Emily could suffer from selective mutism and enjoyed making a home for her family instead of earning a meager wage as a governess.

Reading about these incredibly talented and brilliant women is rather infuriating, to know that they had to publish under male pseudonyms to be taken seriously, and then to die so young from tuberculosis. Even Charlotte herself, only the size of a child for her entire life, was so small thanks to the malnourishment she endured at her boarding school, which may have contributed to her death from extreme morning sickness when she finally married and became pregnant at age 38. My heart aches for their father, who buried not only his wife and her sister, who was his companion throughout much of his life, but also all six of his children. It beggars belief as to how he kept going once Charlotte was gone.

Imagine what literary heights Charlotte, Emily, and Anne would have achieved had their lived now, with treatments for all the ailments that killed them. The literary world would look far different.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersive, evocative, and vivid!

Fifteen Wild Decembers is the beautiful, alluring interpretation that sweeps you away to Yorkshire in the early 1800s and into the life of Emily Brontë, from her childhood, sibling losses, familial relationships, brief stint teaching at a girls’ school, to her ultimately penning the iconic Wuthering Heights.

The prose is expressive and raw. The characters are exceptionally drawn, complex, and authentic. And the plot is an absorbing tale of life, loss, loneliness, loyalty, friendship, desires, aspirations, heartache, responsibilities, hopes, dreams, and disappointments.

Overall, Fifteen Wild Decembers is a rich, compelling, poignant story by Powell that does a remarkable job of highlighting her considerable research and impressive knowledge of this renowned historical figure whose short life, but impactful contribution to the literary world, is still celebrated and enjoyed today.

[Cor T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The (fictional) story of how Wuthering Heights came to be written by Emily Bronte while living with a sister writing Jane Eyre. Brought up by their austere minister father on the bleak Yorkshire moors, they endured two sisters dying of tuberculosis and had to support a brother who failed to launch. Their experience at boarding school and as governesses and teachers fueled their desperate desire to write and control their lives while poverty, powerlessness, and death were constant companions.

It's a straight line from Charlotte's frustrated love life as a governess to Jane Eyre, but though Wuthering Heights is portrayed as Emily's uncompromising love letter to the moors, it did nothing to make sense of that insanity to this reader. (Hence the four stars.)

Good stuff if you know the books they were writing. Amazing that anything got written under those conditions, especially by women.

[Cadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful but heavy. "Fifteen Wild Decembers" is more fun if you know a bit about the Brontë sisters and their books (although one could argue such knowledge is really a spoiler), but it also reads as a standalone. Powell's writing evokes the classics she so clearly adores, and speaks particularly well of nature and death. Don't expect a fun historical romp; this is muddy but feeling.

[Casey Broughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, particularly when it's about famous literary figures. This book imagines the domestic life of the Bronte family. The characters were incredibly real and rich, while still feeling true to the time and biographical material.

[stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was stunning. if anyone is in the mood for this sort of book i urge you to pick it up as soon as possible. i think ill be recommending this one for a long time

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the Brontes so was excited to learn of this novel that tells the life of Emily from her own POV. It's beautiful and powerful, raw and emotive. The descriptive prose sweeps you onto the Yorkshire moors and into the mind of the talented Emily. Loved it.

[Linda Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A re-imagining of the life of Emily Bronte.

Oh my goodness! Fifteen Wild Decembers is exactly my kind of read. I absolutely adored it with a kind of visceral physicality.

The writing is quite wonderful. So many times Karen Powell uses a beautiful, imaginative turn of phrase that had me metaphorically exclaiming ‘Yes!’ to myself. She has that ability to describe in ways the reader can only dream about, making Fifteen Wild Decembers not just an engaging narrative, but an immersive and captivating one too, placing the reader right at the heart of the novel. There’s beauty and brutality here and despite already knowing many of the details upon which the novel is based, I found myself totally undone by its ending.

Emily Bronte’s voice is clear, convincing and strong so that the imagined elements of the story feel realistic, authentic and compelling. The foreshadowing of Wuthering Heights through Emily’s inner thoughts, passions and desires is dramatic, plausible and astounding, making for a read that is entertaining, intelligent and mesmerising. I think it’s her first person voice that creates this effect so brilliantly.

The plot of Fifteen Wild Decembers is both familiar and innovative so that readers can find personal hooks that feel intimate and satisfying, whilst other aspects are developed to create superb insight and entertainment. I especially loved the relationships between the Bronte siblings because they held a different perspective and made me consider my own beliefs about all the family afresh.

With feminism, domestic life, ambition and mental health as a supporting backdrop, Fifteen Wild Decembers is modern and affecting even as it is historically and literarily satisfying.

I’m aware I haven’t said a great deal about the book but I’m not sure I could have loved Fifteen Wild Decembers more. It’s a fabulous book and not to be missed.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something rather special about Fifteen Wild Decembers for not only does the story transport us to the isolated Haworth parsonage where the Brontë’s made their home but it also gives us huge insight into Emily Brontë’s tragically short life. Emily’s emotional attachment to the moors and wild spaces, the lure of home whenever she is away from it and the visceral connection she has to the land bring such a powerful sense of her personality that it quite literally took my breath away. Emily’s life was so short and yet the mark she left on our literary world is huge, this re-imagining of her life is such a lovely tribute to her and one I am sure will appeal enormously to Brontë enthusiasts.

The story flows beautifully, it’s gently done, but with such a powerful presence that each of the siblings, their anguish, indecision and inability to find their place in the world is bolstered only by their strength of character. Having visited the Haworth parsonage on a number of occasions as soon as you enter through the front door there remains a definite sense of the Brontë presence and this brooding nature comes across so well in this lovely story, I felt as if I was truly seeing the world through Emily’s eyes, grieving with her in sadness and feeling her turmoil in a world she didn’t always want to understand. We know that Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë had tremendous imagination and yet sharing their work with a London publisher wasn’t easy however, thankfully for us someone was prepared to give Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell the opportunity to reach a wider audience and the rest, as they say, is history…

Evocative, beautiful and gloriously lyrical, Fifteen Wild Decembers, brings Emily Brontë to life in such a profound and beautiful way that I have no hesitation in making this my Book of the Month for November.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge Bronte fan, have read many biographies, spent hours at Haworth and I am always delighted to read more about these brilliant writers.

Fifteen Wild Decembers is a fictionalised account of the lives of the Bronte sisters seen through the eyes of Emily. The story takes us from their childhood, the death of their older sisters, early attempts at writing, teaching and working overseas..to Emily’s death.

My favourite dramatisation of the life of the Brontes is To Walk The Invisible which really brought the biography to life and this book did much the same for me. I think one particular strength of the novel is in the recreation of the Bronte childhood. Biographies have us gazing in admiration at the literary endeavours of these children with their tiny books, but I really don’t think I have imagined what that childhood looked like - how did they get on together? Powell really fleshes out that story. She really does breathe life into this family and it is evident that a huge amount of research has gone into this novel with some incredible details from what flowers and plants to food, to clothes.. She encouraged me to look again at my impressions of the sisters and their personalities. Emily is very much at the centre of the story and she is a fantastic lens through which to view her family though possibly not reliable.

I am intrigued by fictionalised biographies. Where does the biography end and the creativity start? I spent a lot of time looking up details to see whether it was fact of fiction and I think there is a part of me that finds this genre a conundrum. Whilst I love the creativity and the new perspective, I am also sometimes reluctant to allow free reign. However, I think that this is an excellent addition to the Bronte bibliography.

[Nicola Friar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifteen Wild Decembers follows Emily Brontë from her childhood days at school to her early death. The novel follows the ups and downs of her life and career as she branches out into the world and transforms into a published author. It's a fairly straightforward narrative told from Emily's point of view and the novel is well structured and paced. There are a few oddities in the story that jar with the overall narrative though such as Emily spying on a young couple on the moors. The only problem is that it doesn't add anything new to the Brontës' lives and legacies barring the possibly misjudged scene on the moors, and there is no fresh spin on the depiction of their personalities and relationships with one another. An enjoyable read overall.

[Sandybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful! My dream novel, full of my favourite people. The voice of Emily was magical. What a fabulous piece of writing. I picked it up in my local bookshop with a squeal of delight, I only had to glance at the front and rear flaps of the book to know that it was for me; Kent born author, moved up north; perfect!
I have savoured this book up until now, leaving it on my bookshelf ready for my holiday to Yorkshire. It was started Friday night, finished Sunday morning, with the sun shinning on the moors as I cried with those final pages. I am off to Haworth on Wednesday and may have a quick look around the churchyard for that box (in my story, it is hiding somewhere else,not yet ready to be found).
Karen Powell’s imaginings will stay with me now as theybhave touched my soul.

[Jessica Murphy Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really started to enjoy this book once they started writing their poems and novels, but was a bit slow starting for me. Has made me really want to read the novels by the Brontë sisters!

[Kathleen Flynn]

Emily is famed as the most enigmatic of the three Bronte sisters. The first to die, the best poet of the three, the author of just one novel (although arguably the best Bronte novel, or at very least the most original and daring). Nearly all of what we know about her life and her personality comes from Charlotte, who was an unreliable narrator par excellence. Thus, many aspects of Emily remain a mystery.

Fifteen Wild Decembers is an effort at solving these riddles, and I found it solid and convincing. If you already know the history of the Bronte family (as I do, being a bit obsessed with them) there are few surprises here. Yet I enjoyed this, particularly in audiobook form -- the narrator does the various accents and voices wonderfully. There is a real sense of place in Emily's description of the plants and animals of the moors and in the life of Haworth.

I think it would also be a good introduction to Bronte biography for someone who didn't know much about the lives of the sisters.

Who Emily really was -- how she got to be that way -- what her deal was -- must remain forever unknown, yet what IS clear that she was a complete original, despite living an outwardly normal and quite humdrum life. To try to write a first-person account in the voice of such a person takes a reckless courage that few possess.

Some readers have complained here that this story flattens Emily, makes her too ordinary. While this objection mostly did not strike me as I was reading, I can see the justice of it, thinking back over the book as a whole. True, it might have been... weirder. More visionary. But it is not fair to blame an author for not writing the book they did not try to write.

[Cindy Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magnificent and mesmerising tribute! When I heard of a new novel focused on Emily Bronte, I knew immediately I had to review it. Once I read a sample of Karen Powell’s writing, I felt an immediate connection. Wuthering Heights has always been my favourite classic novel and Emily’s writing, including her poetry, is pure literary brilliance soaked in her passion and infused with her love of the moors and nature in general. She has inspired me in my own writing on so many levels it is hard to measure. I have always felt a kinship with her. And like Emily, I have felt my greatest spiritual connection while I am wandering the hills, combing the shorelines, revelling in the forests and anywhere that natural beauty lies.

Some might ask, has Karen portrayed the real Emily Bronte? That is difficult to assess as we all have in our minds ideas of what she might have been like. The only thing we can do is consider the information available and take it with a grain of salt as there are so many unusual and questionable opinions about her. The one thing we can do is safely soak in her poetry and dine on her fiction to feel her heartbeat. And outside of that, entertain the comments made by others who knew her, like her sisters. But how revealing will they be? Did her family hide their concerns or real opinions of this private person who never quite fit into the austere world? Maybe. One thing we do know is that she was a free and wild spirit who loved to roam the moors, get soaked in the rain and feel the wondrous movements of the earth. A woman who had such a grand imagination that she could conjure characters so powerful they would live on for generations in the hearts and minds of readers around the globe.

Karen may or may not have perfectly captured the true Emily but she has delivered a possible version in her profoundly powerful portrayal of this poet and novelist who defied conventions and walked her own path. I found Ms Powell’s writing to be expressive, passionate and eloquent and it matched Emily’s talent for visual descriptions. In Fifteen Wild Decembers (a beautiful title based on one of Emily’s poems), we are able to embrace the beauty she saw in nature, the deep sentiments she felt for her wild landscape and animals. On these pages we can feel both the closeness and friction experienced between her and her siblings. Her brother Branwell was a big part of her life so he inhabits a large portion of the novel. She had great concerns for him and his addictions but also recognised his importance in the family. Little Anne remained close to Emily. She was the youngest and favourite of her aunt and the only one who maintained a position as governess, even though she did not particularly like it. And we see her father, the Reverend, try to make sense of the grief and suffering he experienced on a continual basis. He had to deal with the heart-breaking reality of loss. The death of many of his children and even his wife. So much sorrow filled his and his children’s lives that it haunted the walls of their home. Karen delivers it all with great tenderness and understanding.

With Emily as the narrator, we get a unique perspective. The girl who was misunderstood gets to tell her story from her own lips. Of course, this means that her view of everyone and everything is going to be quite different from the average person’s. She is deeply perceptive and will notice what others may not. Her brooding shadow and determined heart will be cast over all she surveys and interprets. She will measure the world against her own vision. And as we walk in her steps, we will, too. We will sympathise with her desire to remain hidden. In her writing, she fought hard to protect her identity by using a pseudonym. Why? To shield herself or to be taken seriously?

As mentioned, the novel provides clear pictures of Emily’s siblings. Particularly strong minded, clever, ambitious Charlotte. Unremitting, literary Charlotte, the letter writer. Shy but fuelled by her high moral standards. Much of what is known about Emily comes through her words. But I believe Karen has stripped away the things that may have coloured her views of her sister and built a believable fictional imagining of Emily. She has shown us who the Wuthering Heights author might have been. Her personality: her deepest desires, fervent passions, gnawing fears and grave disappointments.

Emily was a very private person so giving her first person lead, lets us get inside her mind and heart. Yes, the author must include her own impressions to fill in the gaps but Karen obviously feels a strong connection and can imagine how Emily might have felt or acted in any given situation. She has obviously sought out Emily’s voice from Wuthering Heights and her poetry and pulled from its fibres, this writer’s essence and skilfully fashioned an image we can relate to and believe is possible.

It is also easy to see that being torn from Emily’s beloved Yorkshire environment to make a journey with Charlotte to Brussels would make her uncomfortable and irritated. Thus, the starting point of the novel. Even here we see Charlotte’s will exerted to get her way and Emily knowing all too well her motive. “We were travelling in the opposite direction to home, to everything I held dear, simply because Charlotte needed to cure the restlessness in her bones.” This launch point is profoundly knowing and beautifully written with vision and eloquence. In fact the rest of the novel continues with the same strength. It is like watching a movie in full colour—being able to imagine the lives of the Brontës. I know when I read this novel again and again (and I will!), it will continue to resound and reveal new meaning each time. And I will keep seeing more and more in this remarkable, inspired and inspiring text. And I will continue to be in awe of these three women who became great novelists despite of or because of their trying circumstances.

I highly recommend this gorgeous novel that held me in its descriptive beauty, surrounded me in its haunted spirits, beckoned me to its atmospheric landscape and let me feel what it might have been like to live in Emily’s world. Fifteen Wild Decembers is an exceptional portrayal of Emily Bronte and her family. This is a literary feast for the hungry Bronte fan. 5 Plus Stars for brilliance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+

Thanks to the publisher and author for a review copy.

[jolovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I was totally lost in the lives of the Brontë sisters.

I don't know where or how much the truth has been stretched, but it was interesting to think about Anne, Charlotte and Emily and what might've inspired their writing.

This story covers their education, friendships, sexual awakening, crushes, periods of anxiety and depression, grief, dreams, how their family was affected by addiction, their heartbreaks. And how important telling stories and writing was to them, right from early childhood.


"how is a soul to survive when there is not an hour in the day to walk alone and breathe the green air of the distant woods; when the seasons turn and you may only stand at the... window, like an insect caught in a jar; when every hour is allotted from dawn until dusk... barely a minute... to think or to dream." (Emily)

"How strange we must seem to God, looking down on us. The earth He gave us stretches in all directions, is full of riches, yet all we do is run around in the same little circles, like poor little mice, scratching an existence." (Charlotte)

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! The beginning was a bit confusing at times—almost as if I had skipped pages reading—and it helped knowing the Brontë family’s story before hand.

But the pacing soon evened out and the story flowed nicely.
I believe the author did a great job capturing Emily’s voice, it felt believable. (But what do I know, no one knows…but still.)
Really wouldn’t have minded seeing a bit more of Anne, since she’s my fave. Having said that, I find it hard to believe that the Anne in this book is the Anne who wrote The Tennant of Wildfell hall.
Charlotte, however, is exactly as annoying as I imagine her to be.

[Genna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
The story of Emily Bronte and her sisters, and how they became the writers we know. The first half was too descriptive for me, I don't need so much detail on the moors, I just want the story, but the second half, what a rev up. It was brilliant. It makes me want to jump into Wuthering Heights, I'd give Jane Eyre a miss, as Charlotte wasn't for me, but Emily, what a legend. It had a real Little Women vibe. The sisters and their stark personalities - the boisterous, louder than life one, the wordsmith, the quiet sweet one. Super interesting. Nicely done 👏

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Brontë fan you MUST read this book! It is spectacular. Told from Emily’s POV, the reader becomes privy to all of her thoughts, feelings, strength, imagination, and incredible intellect. She is a formidable and powerful woman who left too soon at age 30. Through the story of the Brontë sisters, their brother, and father, you can see first hand how both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were born- and you will want to re-read them with fresh eyes. Emily’s words and voice will stick with you long after you have turned the last page. I am forever changed by this story.