A review by srivalli
The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman

dark informative medium-paced

3.5

 3.5 Stars

One Liner: Mixed feelings

1660s Norway

Anna Rhodius is a physician and a mistress of the King of Denmark in her younger days. She is shipped to Vardø in disgrace, though her heart yearns for her previous lifestyle, and makes a deal that could affect many lives, including hers. 

Zigri has lost her son and husband to the sea. She begins an affair with a merchant and is accused of witchcraft and sent to Vardø for a trial. 

Ingeborg, Zigri’s sixteen-year-old daughter, is determined to save her mother. This is easier said than done in times when women could be arrested, tortured, and killed with little or no evidence. 

Maren, the daughter of Liren Sand, the most powerful witch in Denmark, helps Ingeborg. However, can they achieve their goals, or will the women and children face the same brutal fate as others accused of witchcraft? 

The story comes in the first-person POV of Anna (addressing King Frederick in the second person) and the third-person POV of Ingeborg. 

My Thoughts:

Books about witch trials in different parts of Europe share similar stories of abuse, patriarchy, misogyny, and religious violence against women. This one is no different. The setting is atmospheric and adds to the intensity of the theme. 

The core parts are done well, presenting how women ended up being accused as witches and burned to death. The cruelty of the royalty also comes across clearly in the narrative. The mistrust and hatred for the indigenous community and their sufferings because of it are spot on. The bits about the Sami community are also well-presented, and I’d have preferred more of it. 

The folktales added in between are wonderful. They should have distracted me from the story, but I found them more interesting (since the story tends to drag in many places). 

The plot requires strong characters to enhance the reader’s emotions. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen here. Giving Anna a first-person POV doesn’t seem like a good idea. She sounds whiny, delusional, self-righteous, pretentious, and judgmental. Her addressing the king in the second person is the most annoying thing in the book. I skimmed through her chapters in the second half. 

Ingeborg starts out as an intriguing character but soon becomes a mess. While I understand her conditioning to love her mother (no matter what), it still doesn’t make her arc any better. Maren shows great promise but ends up stereotypical. Zigri is an example of why some people should not have kids. Only Kristen makes me feel sad for her. She’s a victim in almost every sense. 

A book about witches should have strong magic realism or be utterly realistic. This haphazard blend of both doesn’t help the narrative. It almost feels like the ‘magical’ bits are a later addition. 

If not for the violence, I’d classify this as a YA novel. The dialogues are made it seem like one. One advantage of it is that I could speed-read and not miss anything (0.5 stars extra for this). The emotions just don’t hit the mark, making it easy to stay detached and rush ahead instead of lingering and feeling for the characters. 

Despite the dark events and deaths, the book has happy endings for a couple of characters. I did like that, though one of them felt like stretching things a little too much (this comes from a HEA lover). 

However, the author’s note at the end is insightful. The glossary is detailed (I didn’t expect one, so that’s a plus), and there’s a list of recommended reads. I love that the author listed the names of women who lost their lives in the witch trials. They need to be acknowledged. 

To summarize, The Witches of Vardø deals with an important theme and presents yet another story of witch trials we should never forget. However, it could have been shorter, better, and more impactful. 

Thank you, NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK, and Manilla Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheWitchesofVardo 

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