Reviews

The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman audiobook narrated by Sofia Engstrand, published by Manilla Press, listened to using Audible 5 Stars.

This is the second book I have read or listened to about witch’s and Vardø in northern Norway and have enjoyed both, I might have slightly enjoyed The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave more but both I loved.
There is hopefully a special place in hell, for the men in stories like this and because they are based on real life events so there was men who really believe that these people mainly woman really were witches.
Set in 1662 in Vardø northern Norway (The Mercies are set slightly earlier but also in Vardø). Recently widowed Zigri is distraught after losing her son and then her husband, in her grief she begins an affair. The man’s family accuses her of fornicating with a devil, she is sent to the fortress on Vardø to be tried as a witch. Zigri’s daughter Ingeborg set off to try and find her mother with her friend Maren (herself the daughter of a witch) to bring her back home.

It didn’t take much to be accused of witchcraft, one comment in the book is ‘Drinks too much ale for a woman’ and under torture most gave names or admitted to whatever they were accused of.

What absolutely blows my mind is how stupid these men were, I mean if they were really witches, they would turn them all into some creature you can stamp of or fly away.
One of the ways they checked to see if a person was a witch or not was to swim them. If they sank, they weren’t a witch if they didn’t it meant they were a witch, they did this in the sea, northern Norway, it is amazing they didn’t die straight away from shock.
Definitely recommend this one for those who enjoy these types of titles of fiction based on real events

sams84's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a superb novel that captures the horrific truth of the witch hunts in Norway in the 1660s, and those repeated around the world before and since, and how damaging they were (are) and how women still held on to their dignity and strength despite them all. This story follows Zigri and her daughter Ingeborg as Zigri angers the wrong woman and pays for it with her freedom and Ingeborg is determined to return her home. This is a heartwarming story of female strength of all kinds, in the face of all barriers, judgements, and losses set in a time and place where the cold is only outdone by the icy hearts of those in power (sound familiar?). Having read this, I immediately passed it to my mum to read and it is now doing the rounds with every woman in my life. This is a superb book that is somehow a debut too. I cannot wait to read more from Bergman.

michelletolosa's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

_megang's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

emma_jane_000's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

tallulah_hh's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Very slow in the beginning, it took me weeks and weeks to get even half way through as it was just really slow with a whole lot of just setting scene and not too much happening that I put it down a few weeks also.
I did then pick it back up and I got right back into it and the plot basically pick up about 3/4 the way through and got really interesting.
It was a good book and really interesting with everything that happens but just to be prepared for a slow start.

tiredgirlreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I *sobbed* at the end of this book. Tears rolling, snot running, chest hurting kind of sobbed. This is such a heartbreaking yet hauntingly beautiful book. Bergman’s prose is detailed and evocative, describing the Norwegian land and people in such vivid detail. The characters are complex and striking, especially the two main narrators Anna and Ingeborg. Initially I detested Anna but as her story developed, my empathy grew. While it made me cry, it isn’t entirely bleak - the ending contains a ray of hope.

I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to spoil it but this story, based on real events and real women, is something that will stay with me for a long time to come.

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