year of wonders

Religion and superstition go head-to-head in Year of Wonders. After the plague hits, many villagers turn to Michael Mompellion, the rector, for understanding of why God is testing their faith. Michael spends much of the novel preaching that the villagers need to be patient and suffer through the trials, but the villagers’ faith wanes. Instead, many look elsewhere for answers. With both Anys and Mem Gowdie accused of witchcraft, some people secretly call on the ghost of Anys to provide spells and tinctures to ease their suffering. These townspeople feel that, by resorting to both Christianity and the occult, they might somehow find a way to deal with their pain.