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ehtomb's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
An intense history of femicide in Scotland meets personal reflection. Shaw is well written and is very open about her research processes. Of the many modern books on witches I have read, there is often a conversation of personal connection and self reflection, and Shaw’s story is present throughout the book adding to the various stories of the women she writes about. While she does cover folklore and women as healers, she more focuses on the conversation of why men of power in this country/culture/time period would seek to kill women en mass. She has a great conversation about sexuality at the time and about disabilities, and why that would have put a target on some people. This is a thoughtful approach to a harrowing subject, and I think Shaw’s conversations about the modern idea of witches and how it has been commodified and turned into a consumer good is important.
lafee's review
5.0
This book is a compelling blend of the history of the Scottish witch trials and Allyson's own personal history as a 'blow in' from the US to Scotland. It was interesting to have places I'm familiar with, to the extent that I take them for granted, I think, painted in a new light through Allyson's eyes and through the lens of this very human history that is so often treated like a carnival sideshow. In recounting the histories of those accused of witchcraft, dehumanised by time and by those who would capitalise on their pain, Allyson has given these women back a voice, and I finished the book feeling like I knew them, and Allyson, a little better.
zarco_j's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this at the end of last year but had to take time to collect my thoughts before reviewing.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
hankhank's review against another edition
I enjoyed this book to start with. The premise was strong - a woman visiting significant sites related to the witch hunts in Scotland, and using the locations to launch into explorations of specific stories. The author offered some great insight and context to a subject matter I know realise I had a very hollywood-ified understanding of, and she constructed her arguments effectively. By the halfway mark, however, I was finding the chapters felt a little repetitive, and it was difficult to remember one accused from another. The tone was also quite downbeat, and though this suited the subject matter, after a length of time it did get monotonous. A bit of tonal variety might have refreshed the stories and dealt with the feeling of repetition. In the end, I stopped listening to the audiobook because I found I wasn't invested in the story, and I wasn't convinced that the second half would offer me anything substantially different to what I'd already read.
melissamegan's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I’m typically a fiction/fantasy reader so this novel was out of the ordinary for me and hard to get through. I felt that the storytelling was disorganized and repetitive at times. I feel like those who typically read within this genre may enjoy the book though.
brons_books's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks so much Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an advanced copy of Ashes and Stones.
I visited Edinburgh in November and went on a witch tour, learning about the history of the witch trials in Scotland. It was an extremely emotional journey.
Once I saw this book I knew that I had to read it. And I was absolutely blown away. Our author tells her own story as she travels around the country speaking about the women who have been murdered or tortured after being accused of being a witch.
I was glued, I devoured this book. If you have any interest in this history than I would highly recommend this book.
I visited Edinburgh in November and went on a witch tour, learning about the history of the witch trials in Scotland. It was an extremely emotional journey.
Once I saw this book I knew that I had to read it. And I was absolutely blown away. Our author tells her own story as she travels around the country speaking about the women who have been murdered or tortured after being accused of being a witch.
I was glued, I devoured this book. If you have any interest in this history than I would highly recommend this book.
jayfr's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this at the end of last year but had to take time to collect my thoughts before reviewing.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.