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middleone95's review against another edition
3.0
Witches was incredibly well researched with attention to detail and good use of original sources. It must be noted that I stopped and read out several passages to my partner. Unfortunately Borman’s argument and focus is lacking throughout; in the first third James I is obsessed with witchcraft and we hear a lot about his court and his personal relationships for unclear reasons. The second third focuses on the Belvoir Flower Women convicted of witchcraft with several references back to the Pendle and Essex witch trials. In the last third Borman returns to talking about James’ friends and influence and, oh by the way, he’s not bothered about witches anymore. The book is only missing a few stronger linking arguments.
georgilvsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
‘A Witch is one that woorketh by the Devill, or by some develish or curious art, either hurting or healing.’
I always enjoy a non-fiction witch book! And since recently discovering Tracy Borman I was excited to get to this one. I enjoyed it! Defiantly one to read if you enjoy reading about witches.
‘In short, they were damned if they confessed, and they were damned if they did not.’
I defiantly want to do some more research on the flower women!
I always enjoy a non-fiction witch book! And since recently discovering Tracy Borman I was excited to get to this one. I enjoyed it! Defiantly one to read if you enjoy reading about witches.
‘In short, they were damned if they confessed, and they were damned if they did not.’
I defiantly want to do some more research on the flower women!
frankatzenzungen's review against another edition
5.0
Comprehensive and well researched. Very interesting look at the Belvoir witch case and the surrounding beliefs in witchcraft during that time. Borman uses the Flowers family story as a framework to explore beliefs of the time more deeply. Having read a decent amount of other books on the subject I found this to be a very readable and comprehensive book. There were lots of short side stories to illustrate her points, and a fascinating (and horrific) letter written by an accused witch describing the ordeal which I found particularly emotive.
Borman is very much focusing on the stories that illustrate the beliefs of the time, and includes lots of detail around the political situation of the Earl of Rutland and his family because of how they create a link between King, themselves, and the poor women accused so you get a really good wide sweep of the population.
Borman is very much focusing on the stories that illustrate the beliefs of the time, and includes lots of detail around the political situation of the Earl of Rutland and his family because of how they create a link between King, themselves, and the poor women accused so you get a really good wide sweep of the population.
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
3.0
(I did skim read a lot of this because it wasn’t all relevant to my dissertation and I simply don’t have the time to read the rest!)
Tracy Borman is such a good writer; she can even make the sad tales of women being hunted for witchcraft interesting and spectacular. This was such an fascinating way into looking at witches during James’ reign - she focused on one particular case that branches out into all different things (evidence/proof, examination, tests, how they were tried, their punishments, etc.). I had never heard of the case she wrote of!
A very interesting and insightful read!
Tracy Borman is such a good writer; she can even make the sad tales of women being hunted for witchcraft interesting and spectacular. This was such an fascinating way into looking at witches during James’ reign - she focused on one particular case that branches out into all different things (evidence/proof, examination, tests, how they were tried, their punishments, etc.). I had never heard of the case she wrote of!
A very interesting and insightful read!
redservant's review against another edition
4.0
6.5/10 - Enjoyable overview of witchcraft in England during the reign of James I/VI, which is built around specific accusations of witchcraft against Joan Flower and her daughters. These three disliked and vulnerable women are accused after one is dismissed from the service of the Earl of Rutland, Francis Manners, after which his two sons fall ill and eventually both die. Borman eloquently surveys the various factors that sparked and perpetuated witchcraft trials, including the personal enthusiasm of James. She also puts forward an interesting alternative theory about the Manners boys deaths, but it remains largely speculative although interesting.
The understandable emphasis on finding the true culprit for troubling deaths reminds me documentaries on the case of the West Memphis Three, in which a trio of teenagers were wrongly convicted of murdering of three young boys. It was claimed that the murders were part of a Satanic ritual and took place in the context of a highly conservative evangelical Christian community. Two subsequent documentaries on the case not only sought to highlight the innocence of the convicted trio, but suggested that specific male relatives of the murdered boys were to blame. One of these accusations I found more convincing than the others, but both remain speculative and if wrong would repeat the initial injustice.
The final few chapters present Borman’s theory based on who benefitted from the deaths of the Manners boys and summarise the subsequent waning of witchcraft beliefs through the following centuries. I was surprised that the satanic panic and modern day conspiracy beliefs we’re not brought into discussion during this part, which did mention African witchcraft beliefs but without any depth. These final chapters were somewhat rushed and lacked the promise and impact of the earlier part of the book. I felt the epilogue somewhat reinforced the idea that we have reached a more rational stage where such beliefs are historical and not present in many parts of ‘modern’ society.
For me, the book would have been more compelling if Borman combined her theory about the case with a wider theory or new insight into the complex phenomenon of witchcraft persecutions. However, I’m sure other books can provide me with this and it may have been beyond the scope or intention of the book.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book due to my strong interest in the topic, it lacks a strong historical thesis and offers only somewhat convincing (from my perspective) evidence for her particular theory on the Belvoir witches case.
The understandable emphasis on finding the true culprit for troubling deaths reminds me documentaries on the case of the West Memphis Three, in which a trio of teenagers were wrongly convicted of murdering of three young boys. It was claimed that the murders were part of a Satanic ritual and took place in the context of a highly conservative evangelical Christian community. Two subsequent documentaries on the case not only sought to highlight the innocence of the convicted trio, but suggested that specific male relatives of the murdered boys were to blame. One of these accusations I found more convincing than the others, but both remain speculative and if wrong would repeat the initial injustice.
The final few chapters present Borman’s theory based on who benefitted from the deaths of the Manners boys and summarise the subsequent waning of witchcraft beliefs through the following centuries. I was surprised that the satanic panic and modern day conspiracy beliefs we’re not brought into discussion during this part, which did mention African witchcraft beliefs but without any depth. These final chapters were somewhat rushed and lacked the promise and impact of the earlier part of the book. I felt the epilogue somewhat reinforced the idea that we have reached a more rational stage where such beliefs are historical and not present in many parts of ‘modern’ society.
For me, the book would have been more compelling if Borman combined her theory about the case with a wider theory or new insight into the complex phenomenon of witchcraft persecutions. However, I’m sure other books can provide me with this and it may have been beyond the scope or intention of the book.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book due to my strong interest in the topic, it lacks a strong historical thesis and offers only somewhat convincing (from my perspective) evidence for her particular theory on the Belvoir witches case.
1librarianspath's review
3.0
There are a lot of interesting excerpts and references, but I was expecting a lot more about the Belvoir ‘witches’. In an attempt to give context, the author ends up flitting between modern day events, historical ones, the global treatment of women and witches compared with the Belvoir women, and the - ever changing - beliefs of King James VI on witchcraft and demons. The book didn’t deliver what I thought it would, though it was obviously well researched.
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