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tashabasha1's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.0
i've finally finished this book without DNFing it!
i quite enjoyed the historical context of the book, especially because it's on witchcraft. however, there are two main points as to why i gave this book three stars. firstly, i wish that if there was any context on john stearne it was included. granted this book was initially published in around 2005/2006, but i think a more up-to-date edition should be released with any context on john stearne and how he came to be a witch hunter with matthew hopkins. the other main thing was that i think that some bits were a bit irrelevant for the book.
the infodumping i promised when i hit 50%
the showcasing of men being accused of witchcraft
when witchcraft accusations were a thing in england, only 75-80% of the accused were women, leaving 20-25% being men. this was highlighted well in the book; i noticed gaskill mentioning alexander sussums, john bysack, payne and jonas cook among many others. this is also seen in marion gibson's book, witchcraft: a history in thirteen trials, where she mentions montague summers and john blymyer in two separate chapters.
how women were punished for witchcraft through drowning
although women being hung was a common punishment in england (contrary to popular belief, burning at the stake was a more mainland europe thing), they were also drowned in bodies of water in what gaskill calls 'the swimming test' on page 105. i haven't read the book yet but i think this is what hazel barkworth's book, the drownings, explores.
anti-witchcraft accusation attitudes
finally there were some people, to which gaskill does mention briefly in chapter 9 or 10, who hadn't believed in some people being accused of witchcraft. this is the case in jennifer sherman roberts' the village healer's book of cures, and i think sherman roberts does do a good job in highlighting these anti-accusation beliefs!
i quite enjoyed the historical context of the book, especially because it's on witchcraft. however, there are two main points as to why i gave this book three stars. firstly, i wish that if there was any context on john stearne it was included. granted this book was initially published in around 2005/2006, but i think a more up-to-date edition should be released with any context on john stearne and how he came to be a witch hunter with matthew hopkins. the other main thing was that i think that some bits were a bit irrelevant for the book.
the infodumping i promised when i hit 50%
the showcasing of men being accused of witchcraft
when witchcraft accusations were a thing in england, only 75-80% of the accused were women, leaving 20-25% being men. this was highlighted well in the book; i noticed gaskill mentioning alexander sussums, john bysack, payne and jonas cook among many others. this is also seen in marion gibson's book, witchcraft: a history in thirteen trials, where she mentions montague summers and john blymyer in two separate chapters.
how women were punished for witchcraft through drowning
although women being hung was a common punishment in england (contrary to popular belief, burning at the stake was a more mainland europe thing), they were also drowned in bodies of water in what gaskill calls 'the swimming test' on page 105. i haven't read the book yet but i think this is what hazel barkworth's book, the drownings, explores.
anti-witchcraft accusation attitudes
finally there were some people, to which gaskill does mention briefly in chapter 9 or 10, who hadn't believed in some people being accused of witchcraft. this is the case in jennifer sherman roberts' the village healer's book of cures, and i think sherman roberts does do a good job in highlighting these anti-accusation beliefs!
iona_bryanna's review against another edition
DNF, couldn't get into it after 2 chapters. Struggled to read with all the footnotes number in the book and it just didn't flow as well. Bit disappointed in it as I love finding out about the history of different eras.
mariesreads's review against another edition
3.0
A really fascinating look at an event I knew nothing about. I particularly like the narrow focus, and the exploration of how the Puritan grip on communities influenced views of witchcraft. Also learned how much legality actually went into the hunt for witches. Very readable, too, with great notes.
keresyk's review against another edition
2.0
The lack of source analysis would have got me a failing grade at uni.