Reviews

I don't know what I expect every time I read a witch trial era book. I guess I expect for everyone to wise up and realize the mob mentality that they are enslaving themselves to. For the "witches" to reverse the roles and burn all those idiots down with a flamethrower of justice. I'm sure that's some awesome fic out there but I haven't found it (and it sounds like it might be an awful read). But I digress.
I really liked how Gaskell, while writing about the fictitious Lois Barclay (I think she was fictitious...I didn't see anything to say otherwise) not only inserted real people like Cotton Mather into the text but also inserted her own morality. She broke the "4th wall" (3rd wall?) by making comments of the behavior of the townspeople, the events of the time, and her own "you know how they were, clouded by their own fake righteousness" attitude. This kind of boldness in a novella makes me want to read more of Gaskell's works. Smart lady.
There's nothing new in Lois the Witch: same old story of oppressed woman being sentenced to her death despite her protestations. Selfish idiots that sentence her later repent.

hecatesaconitum's review

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dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

xceltictea's review

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3.0

I hated this and the style and everything and thought it so boring until the end??? Honestly the last pages made me cry like a baby???

laurenjpegler's review against another edition

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4.0

This was the most entertaining short story I think I've ever read?

I love Gaskell. I love witches. I love reading about witch hunts (although they make me angry and sad simultaneously). I love the Salem witch trials. So I think this was a pretty decent read, to be fair.