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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
I’m not one for historical fiction, but I think this was more marketed as a mystery than a historical fiction novel, so I bit.
(It was also part of an Audible 2 for 1 sale - and the book seemed intriguing enough. I will tell you, the Scottish narrator is everything and really added to the story!)
The story moves between current day, where Clem, a mother, receives a call that her daughter Erin was involved in a mysterious fire with her friends and a witch trial from the 1500s, involving a healer named Alison Balfour.
It is clear Cooke did her research for the segments of the story that take place in Scotland in 1594. Upon listening to her note, she makes this clear and based some of her characters after extensive research.
The connection between the past and future seems a little rushed after such great build up - and it does seem a little tenuous. But it was such a rich novel, I was willing to let it ride.
When digging deeper, you realize the parallels between how women have been treated throughout history. If they are too powerful, men accuse them of witches. Men then manipulate women to join cults when they are perceived as weak. As Erin, Allison and Clem navigate the events in their lives, Cooke shines a light on this mysogyny.
And the chapters about the Scottish witch hunt make it easy to recognize how villainous the church was (and still is) when it came to the witch trials.
You also are left wondering if the resolution has a practical reason - and it ends up being somewhat mystical - which almost seems realistic. But you need to be comfortable with a book that blends reality and a little bit of generation spanning magic.
(It was also part of an Audible 2 for 1 sale - and the book seemed intriguing enough. I will tell you, the Scottish narrator is everything and really added to the story!)
The story moves between current day, where Clem, a mother, receives a call that her daughter Erin was involved in a mysterious fire with her friends and a witch trial from the 1500s, involving a healer named Alison Balfour.
It is clear Cooke did her research for the segments of the story that take place in Scotland in 1594. Upon listening to her note, she makes this clear and based some of her characters after extensive research.
The connection between the past and future seems a little rushed after such great build up - and it does seem a little tenuous. But it was such a rich novel, I was willing to let it ride.
When digging deeper, you realize the parallels between how women have been treated throughout history. If they are too powerful, men accuse them of witches. Men then manipulate women to join cults when they are perceived as weak. As Erin, Allison and Clem navigate the events in their lives, Cooke shines a light on this mysogyny.
And the chapters about the Scottish witch hunt make it easy to recognize how villainous the church was (and still is) when it came to the witch trials.
You also are left wondering if the resolution has a practical reason - and it ends up being somewhat mystical - which almost seems realistic. But you need to be comfortable with a book that blends reality and a little bit of generation spanning magic.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WOW! What a haunting, atmospheric read! The audiobook absolutely made the experience for me. That Scottish accent pulled me in and made the story feel so alive.
Told from multiple POVs across 400 years, this one’s got layers. With only 50 minutes left, I was nervous about how it would wrap up, but it came together beautifully. I loved how the story wove together across 400 years, it really shows how the trauma of the past doesn’t just disappear… it echoes, sometimes in chilling ways.
Totally gave this 5 stars! It was eerie, emotional, and utterly captivating. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook if you can!
Told from multiple POVs across 400 years, this one’s got layers. With only 50 minutes left, I was nervous about how it would wrap up, but it came together beautifully. I loved how the story wove together across 400 years, it really shows how the trauma of the past doesn’t just disappear… it echoes, sometimes in chilling ways.
Totally gave this 5 stars! It was eerie, emotional, and utterly captivating. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook if you can!
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated