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leonoor's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Beautiful true story of the last witch trial in the Netherlands, set in the 17th century. Entgen Luijten is an independent older woman who has never been very involved with the church. She enjoys spending time in the woods and believes that nature can provide a remedy for all types of illnesses. People from the village regularly come to her for advice about healthcare or agriculture. Entgen tries to help them, but of course her remedies don't work every time. This, combined with her stubbornness and the superstition of some of the villagers, leads to her arrest and a lengthy trial that could cost her her life.
The story captivated me, and I found myself googling Entgen Luijtens after I finished it. The book is a relatively quick and easy read, though the plot is a little slow here and there. The author uses a lot of nature-related metaphors to drive home the fact that Entgen is knowledgeable about nature, but personally I think she could have toned it down a little. Entgen is a strong and inspiring woman, facing immense cruelty while keeping her head up high. However, she is nowhere near perfect and her flaws are an important aspect of the book. I love imperfect characters and found her to be loveable. Her difficult relationship with her family and husband is very well-written. As narrator of the story, Entgen often reflects upon these relationships and often shares her advice on life, love and nature with her daughter.
The author provides more historical information and context at the end of the story. She is a witch herself and it's clear that she feels strongly about the persecution of "witches", which was basically a way to get rid of intelligent, independent women who were hard to control by the church or their husbands. While I do agree wholeheartedly with her point of view, it made some parts of the book a little preachy. Like with the nature metaphors, sometimes less is more. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the book and won't forget Entgens story.
The story captivated me, and I found myself googling Entgen Luijtens after I finished it. The book is a relatively quick and easy read, though the plot is a little slow here and there. The author uses a lot of nature-related metaphors to drive home the fact that Entgen is knowledgeable about nature, but personally I think she could have toned it down a little. Entgen is a strong and inspiring woman, facing immense cruelty while keeping her head up high. However, she is nowhere near perfect and her flaws are an important aspect of the book. I love imperfect characters and found her to be loveable. Her difficult relationship with her family and husband is very well-written. As narrator of the story, Entgen often reflects upon these relationships and often shares her advice on life, love and nature with her daughter.
The author provides more historical information and context at the end of the story. She is a witch herself and it's clear that she feels strongly about the persecution of "witches", which was basically a way to get rid of intelligent, independent women who were hard to control by the church or their husbands. While I do agree wholeheartedly with her point of view, it made some parts of the book a little preachy. Like with the nature metaphors, sometimes less is more. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the book and won't forget Entgens story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death and Torture
Minor: War
feliciavanleeuwen's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It's interesting to read fiction about something that actually happened and with good research behind it. As some one who is a feminist & leaning towards being an actual witch, I loved reading about woman that went that road before me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Torture, and Classism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry
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