jmatkinson1's review against another edition
4.0
Martha has served the Throckmorton family for years, looking after their children, and now the family has moved to a large and comfortable house in a fenland village. However the girls start suffering fits and then one of them accuses a neighbour, Alice Samuel, of bewitching them. What chance does Alice have against the godly and highborn family who accuse her?
Set in Tudor times, this story predates most of the tales of witchfinding in the 17th century but it does not fall into the trap of being a 'tudor' novel. The book is a fictionalised account of a true story in which a local woman was accused of causing death by witchcraft which was a hanging offence. The story is ambiguous in places, particularly with regard to the relationships with the Throckmorton family but is sympathetically written and very sad.
Set in Tudor times, this story predates most of the tales of witchfinding in the 17th century but it does not fall into the trap of being a 'tudor' novel. The book is a fictionalised account of a true story in which a local woman was accused of causing death by witchcraft which was a hanging offence. The story is ambiguous in places, particularly with regard to the relationships with the Throckmorton family but is sympathetically written and very sad.
rachael_amber's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
dulcimermaid's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jill Dawson writes such lyrical prose. This book was wonderful and made me delightfully morose.
chrissireads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
isobelu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
weneedtotalkaboutbooks's review against another edition
3.5
An emotional novel that speaks to our times, drawing on the 16th-century case of the witches of Warboys.
💬 "She'd speak her mind no matter what cost, and in a woman that's lamentable."
The Bewitching is a fascinating, slow-burn historical novel based on true events.
It’s clear that the author has done a lot of research into the subject of witch trials. There is a vivid sense of realism to the narration, that makes you forget you aren’t actually living in the 16th century while reading.
We experience the story from the point of view of Martha, a servant, a complex character in conflict with her beliefs, while she witness the events that occur around her.
The ultimate question that we are asking ourselves while reading is: will Martha act, do anything to stop the events from happening?
The bewitching is, at his core, a reflection on the role of women in society, the power of fear, superstition, misogyny, and the toxic, oppressive influence of the patriarchy.
💬 “And he suddenly saw the ludicrousness of the notion that one human being was better than another, of the belief that a title […] and a subsequent accident of birth made one man more deserving respect than another. There was insanity in that concept and in the fact that it was so readily accepted by an immoral world.”
In conclusion, I’d recommend The bewitching to anyone interested in exploring the reality of witches trial, the brutal tribalism that can erupt in a closed society, and the conversations around gender gap still very relevant to this day.
This would also make a good pick for a book club.
sarahpopham's review
dark
sad
tense
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
charlottesometimes's review
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5