Reviews with content warning for Confinement - The Manningtree Witches

this book is a must-read, even if it isn’t one you’d normally reach for.

the author also captured the story on numerous levels, which was evident by her volume of research and knowledge accompanying this novel.

although the plot is heavy, the ending had positive notes which didn’t reflect the tone shown previously, it showed us a new journey for rebecca, one of which wasn’t darkened by her past life.

Content Warnings

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

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

2.0

If you liked The Crucible, I think you'll like this. It follows a fictionalised account of real occurances and characters during the 'Witch Craze' of the English Civil War, and has a very "classic" style of writing - which didn't work for me but I'm sure some people would love. You can definitely tell the author is a poet.

Content Warnings

rachelwierick's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

issyfrp99's review

Go to review page

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

amelreads's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore 👹
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

🧙‍♀️ The plot: Manningtree, Kent, 1644. War and famine breed poverty and superstition across England. When the Witchfinder, Matthew Hopkins, comes to town, telling tales of women who can be in two places at once and bargain with the Devil for misfortune to befall their neighbours, Rebecca West finds herself suspected. What must she do to survive?

When I think of witch trials, I think of Salem, Massachusetts and pilgrims in tall hats. But like many terrible things from history, they were a British export. This novel brings to life the witch hunting hysteria that took place in England 50 years before the trials in Salem, vividly conjuring the material and religious conditions that led to this brutality.

It's rare to read a book about historical injustices against women and not feel the contemporary gaze intruding on the narrative. But here, you quickly become entrenched in the fearful logic of this community - in fact, you feel its pull all the stronger for your awareness that it's wrong. Living through war and famine, it makes a tragic kind of sense that, if there is a providential God who rewards the righteous, then poverty and misfortune look like evidence of sin. The fortunate clutch their fortunes all the tighter; the most vulnerable, usually women, are mistrusted, blamed, killed. It's what makes Hopkins such a successful villain, because you see how he gains power while remaining as flawed and fragile as everyone else.

Belief and self-deception are big themes and for the most part I thought they were brilliantly executed, but there were a couple of moments where it seemed like you were meant to question if witchcraft had been real the whole time which was a bit jarring to me. The use of decorous language also went OTT at times - mostly it helped to make it feel vividly like the past, but sometimes it was like being beaten over the head with a thesaurus.

🐈‍⬛ Read it if you like vivid prose, social commentary, twisted villains and protagonists with great character development.

🚫 Avoid if you hate over-descriptive language or if you want a really plot-driven read.

Content Warnings

rachaelmaris's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I really liked the prose. It was rich and evocative (there were a few anachronisms but they didn’t distract me too badly). For the most part, I liked the main character and how she was written, but overall it was a bit difficult to see the characters’ motivations. I would have liked more character development or maybe backstories. I also would have liked to challenge the question of witchcraft more deeply. Maybe through the lens of how it squares with Puritan thought of the day? Also, I was lead to believe the witches were more than friends…they weren’t. Several times they could have been too.

Content Warnings

renbot's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

A super honest and raw look into the with hunting craze that took place in England/Scotland in the 17th century. The narrator's voice is very raw and dissembling, and this story makes no attempt to uplift you other than to assure you that the strengths of the main character and her fellow accused will never be broken.

Content Warnings

More...