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annarella's review against another edition
4.0
A very good debut! The books starts slowly but if you keep reading it's a real page turner.
It's well written and well researche, fascinating characters and great descriptions.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the ARC
It's well written and well researche, fascinating characters and great descriptions.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the ARC
abookishtype's review
4.0
Frances Gorges is a bright, forthright, intellectually curious woman. Unfortunately, she was born at a time when those characteristics were not seen as feminine virtues. Tracy Borman’s novel, The King’s Witch, opens in 1603 and continues over the next couple of years as Frances gets into several kinds of serious trouble at the Court of James I...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
krisandburn's review
4.5
Set against the backdrop of the political turmoil that was the reign of King James I in the early 1600s, Borman has created a novel that is full of intrigue, yet manages to make it very human.
Frances makes a strong heroine that you cannot help but root for amidst historic figures. You can feel Frances’ frustration as her fate is always decided upon by others and yet she knows her duty and I found myself admiring her for her loyalty to those she holds dear.
Because this is a story created within the confounds of historical events, you already have a sense what will happen with certain storylines and the ending was predictable, but Borman managed to keep it fresh and interesting and I did not really mind.
Overall, this was a great read and I am looking forward to future books in the trilogy.
Highly recommended if you like historical fiction set during this time period. You will not be disappointed.
Frances makes a strong heroine that you cannot help but root for amidst historic figures. You can feel Frances’ frustration as her fate is always decided upon by others and yet she knows her duty and I found myself admiring her for her loyalty to those she holds dear.
Because this is a story created within the confounds of historical events, you already have a sense what will happen with certain storylines and the ending was predictable, but Borman managed to keep it fresh and interesting and I did not really mind.
Overall, this was a great read and I am looking forward to future books in the trilogy.
Highly recommended if you like historical fiction set during this time period. You will not be disappointed.
ekbperez's review against another edition
2.0
The author got greedy in writing this book. Almost every historical fiction cliche applies to the protagonist. She's accused of witchcraft because the evil king and his evil minister hate her for some reason. Her only crime is being a smart woman in a patriarchal society (well, until her crime is plotting to kill a couple of children and dozens of innocent members of parliament just to get at the two people who wronged her, but somehow this supposedly moral woman never considers that.) And of course, the first time she has sex she gets pregnant. It's too much to believe, and the author works so hard to make her character good and innocent, that she fails to make her realistically flawed or relatable.
All of that would have been more forgivable if this book had been more enjoyable. I love a historical fiction book full of cliches, but those cliches need an enjoyable story to justify the lazy writing. If an author is going to make her story as tense and uncomfortable as this one was, then she needs to work harder to add nuance to her story and characters.
All of that would have been more forgivable if this book had been more enjoyable. I love a historical fiction book full of cliches, but those cliches need an enjoyable story to justify the lazy writing. If an author is going to make her story as tense and uncomfortable as this one was, then she needs to work harder to add nuance to her story and characters.
pinkyvicki's review against another edition
3.0
This was a so, so book for me. I loved the premise of the story and learnt a lot about James 1 regin. But a lot of times the story moved so slowly that on occasion I actually thought about stopping. This is a good book for anyone wanting to learn a bit about the start of the Stewart regin but it's not a book I'd read again.
rachelnatmcg's review against another edition
3.0
I could tell this was a novel written by a historian, as opposed to any other historical novel. While the details and research were fantastic, the prose was often clunky, trying to jam as many of these facts in as possible.
beaconhillbooks's review against another edition
3.0
The King’s Witch by Tracy Borman features Frances Gorges, a herbalist who is forced to go to court to better her family’s standing. Frances’ time at court is nothing as she thought as she grows close to some and is an enemy of a powerful figure. The court is torn between using her knowledge to help with ailments/dying loved ones or grouping her with the witch slandering that King James’ is creating by purging England of all it’s witches. Can Elizabeth use her place at court to change all or any of this?
Released Jun 13th, Borman has delivered another interesting historical tale. I found the tidbits interesting but the story dawdled a little in the middle at 455 pages.
Released Jun 13th, Borman has delivered another interesting historical tale. I found the tidbits interesting but the story dawdled a little in the middle at 455 pages.
pinkyvicki's review against another edition
3.0
This was a so, so book for me. I loved the premise of the story and learnt a lot about James 1 regin. But a lot of times the story moved so slowly that on occasion I actually thought about stopping. This is a good book for anyone wanting to learn a bit about the start of the Stewart regin but it's not a book I'd read again.
bibliophilethea's review against another edition
5.0
A new favourite of mines, i love historical fiction so much