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sayhar13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
hanlsha's review against another edition
4.0
The Manningtree Witches by A.K.
Blakemore has left me with many thoughts. To my knowledge, this was the first historical fiction I've read. After watching a review online by one of my favorite book Instagramers, @lydiathevirgo I became interested in possibly picking up a copy one day. A few weeks later, as I was aimlessly wandering around B&N, I stumbled across The Manningtree Witches on sale. Naturally, I believed it was fate, so I had to buy it. Completely rearranging my very loose mental TBR list to read the book next turned out to be a great idea.
Blakemore's prose reminded me of silk; smooth, flowing, beautiful. It was not difficult to imagine the small seaside town of Manningtree and all those who inhabited it. As someone who almost exclusively watches horror movies (and star wars - that's neither here nor there), I am not easily plagued by nightmares from the media I ingest. However, after a particularly gruesome chapter before bed one night I was haunted by a vivid replay of the chapter in my dreams. It was honestly pretty cool! Creepy, but cool.
Set in 1640s England during the English civil war, The Manningtree Witches tells a story of what it was like for women during such a tumultuous time. While the book follows accounts of self-appointed Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins (a real historical figure) it is ultimately about his victims, their stories, and their struggles. As poet A.K. Blakemore's debut novel, it is a harrowing tale of misogyny, religion, poverty, and governmental turmoil. One I highly recommend.
//
“No. I would rather be a woman. We understand our abjection be-
fore God, because we understand our abjection before man. And we
get to laugh behind their backs.”
Blakemore has left me with many thoughts. To my knowledge, this was the first historical fiction I've read. After watching a review online by one of my favorite book Instagramers, @lydiathevirgo I became interested in possibly picking up a copy one day. A few weeks later, as I was aimlessly wandering around B&N, I stumbled across The Manningtree Witches on sale. Naturally, I believed it was fate, so I had to buy it. Completely rearranging my very loose mental TBR list to read the book next turned out to be a great idea.
Blakemore's prose reminded me of silk; smooth, flowing, beautiful. It was not difficult to imagine the small seaside town of Manningtree and all those who inhabited it. As someone who almost exclusively watches horror movies (and star wars - that's neither here nor there), I am not easily plagued by nightmares from the media I ingest. However, after a particularly gruesome chapter before bed one night I was haunted by a vivid replay of the chapter in my dreams. It was honestly pretty cool! Creepy, but cool.
Set in 1640s England during the English civil war, The Manningtree Witches tells a story of what it was like for women during such a tumultuous time. While the book follows accounts of self-appointed Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins (a real historical figure) it is ultimately about his victims, their stories, and their struggles. As poet A.K. Blakemore's debut novel, it is a harrowing tale of misogyny, religion, poverty, and governmental turmoil. One I highly recommend.
//
“No. I would rather be a woman. We understand our abjection be-
fore God, because we understand our abjection before man. And we
get to laugh behind their backs.”
marta_tavares20's review against another edition
3.5
Nesta história acompanhamos, na maioria dos capítulos, através da perspetiva de Rebecca, a sua vida e também a das mulheres à sua volta. Tudo muda quando um homem misterioso surge nas suas vidas, revelando-se um caçador de bruxas. Só por esta premissa fiquei imediatamente curiosa.
O facto de o livro ser baseado em factos reais torna tudo ainda mais impactante. Saber que estas experiências realmente aconteceram, mesmo que num passado muito distante.
Embora o texto tenha muitas referências religiosas que não compreendi, palavras complexas e algumas analogias difíceis de interpretar, o que mais gostei foi o humor que a autora colocou nas personagens femininas. Elas riem-se nos momentos mais inoportunos, eram livres num período onde não o podiam ser por serem consideradas o sexo frágil.
É perturbador pensar que este homem que caçou estas bruxas pode ter sido uma grande fraude, e que levou à morte de centenas de pessoas.
Apesar de não ter sido um livro que me fizesse querer largar as minhas responsabilidades para ler, vale muito a pena conhecer esta história. Estas mulheres, que de facto existiram e foram silenciadas, merecem ser lembradas.
rebread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
bibliogouine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
My favourite kind of historical fiction - fantastically and lyrically written, strange and fierce characters, and compelling plot. Gets a little bit slow at some points but I was still hooked. Can't wait to read The Glutton.
kaeliwolf's review against another edition
3.0
The writing style of this book was definitely different, although I have yet to decide if that is good or bad. I will say that I've never read anything like it in that sense. The dialogue is accurate as far as I'm aware of the time period it is set in (1643). However, I wasn't a huge fan of the style, but the plot and storyline are done well.
zstew11's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
libri_e_cappuccini's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Nelle streghe di Manningtree non c'è neanche una strega, nulla di magico, ma molto di spaventoso.
Questo libro tratta della condizione femminile, dell'asservimento della donna all'uomo, della paura della povertà, della diversità fino alle estreme conseguenze.
In questo libro si parla del rapporto tra madre e figlia, che io personalmente ho trovato molto realistico e toccante nel suo essere scostante. La figlia odia la madre, ma allo stesso tempo la ama e sarebbe pronta a rinunciare alla libertà per una madre a cui, a detta sua, si addice un appellativo ingombrante e malvagio.
Rebecca, la protagonista del libro, parte da giovane ragazza innocente con una madre dal pessimo carattere, innamorata di un giovanotto, che fa le chiacchiere con la sua amica passeggiando. Alla fine della storia Rebecca è completamente cambiata, stravolta dagli eventi che si sono succeduti, con una nuova consapevolezza su cosa sia il peccato.
Quello che mi è piaciuto di più è stato il modo in cui questo libro, utilizzando la caccia alle streghe sia stato in grado di commentare sulla condizione femminile con grande attualità dato che, come è scritto nella postfazione, il fenomeno della caccia alle streghe non è relegato solo ai libri di storia, ma avviene ancora tutt'ora.
L'unica pecca è stata non avere avuto il discorso finale di Beldam West, quello mi sarebbe piaciuto.
hannahb54312's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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
4.25