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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am interested in stories about witch trials in history, especially the social/political/economic circumstances in which they happen and so was eager to read this story. (Plus I've enjoyed the CJ Cooke books I've read.) I appreciate the historical research evident in this book and am very intrigued by the true story behind Alison Balfour. Thank you to C.J. Cooke for bringing this story to our attention. However, I couldn't get fully invested in any of the characters, probably because I'm not a fan of dual timelines. Fans of dual timelines would likely appreciate this book more than I did. I should also note that I was reading this book in the weeks after a tyrant came to power in my country and it's been hard to escape the overall oppression. But it did make the witch trials much scarier.
3.5 stars rounded up. I like a good witch story and this was entertaining but just missed the mark for a great story.
This is one of those books that I can't say I liked or enjoyed, but it was very good. The descriptions of torture made me shudder and need to book the book in the freezer (as Joey Tribbiani would say). But it was a very good depiction of witch trials and how you end up in a cult when you don't think it's a cult.
3,5. Auf den Epilog hätte ich verzichten können.
4.25 - very enjoyable read especially during spooky season! Mix of historical fiction, mystery, and some magic.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I actually finished this book last night but needed to get my thoughts together in order to review it. Oh. My. God. Just reading the dust jacket I knew this book would be phenomenal, and it did not disappoint! This was my first experience with C.J. Cooke, and I’ll definitely be looking into more of her stuff.
The Book of Witching weaves together historical fiction, fantasy, and feminism into a truly unforgettable story and I could not stop turning the pages. The story is told in a nonlinear timeline, which can sometimes be jarring, but Cooke manages it beautifully. In one timeline we follow Alison Balfour, a healer in the Orkney Islands, wrongfully accused of witchcraft and attempted murder in 1594. In 2024 Glasgow, we have Clem and her daughter Erin, who is currently in the hospital with burns covering 20% of her body after a tragic incident on a “hiking trip”. Not only is Erin fighting for her life, but when she is pulled from her medically induced coma, she believes herself to be someone named Nyx.
I was immediately drawn into both stories. Not only will the investigation into what happened to Erin and her companions—and the mystery of who Nyx is—have you on the edge of your seat, but Alison’s story is based on a real witch trial, and she was the first of over seventy women to be executed in Orkney for witchcraft (be sure to read the author’s note).
Just a warning, some of the torture scenes depicted in Alison’s story can be difficult to read.
I absolutely recommend this story!
The Book of Witching weaves together historical fiction, fantasy, and feminism into a truly unforgettable story and I could not stop turning the pages. The story is told in a nonlinear timeline, which can sometimes be jarring, but Cooke manages it beautifully. In one timeline we follow Alison Balfour, a healer in the Orkney Islands, wrongfully accused of witchcraft and attempted murder in 1594. In 2024 Glasgow, we have Clem and her daughter Erin, who is currently in the hospital with burns covering 20% of her body after a tragic incident on a “hiking trip”. Not only is Erin fighting for her life, but when she is pulled from her medically induced coma, she believes herself to be someone named Nyx.
I was immediately drawn into both stories. Not only will the investigation into what happened to Erin and her companions—and the mystery of who Nyx is—have you on the edge of your seat, but Alison’s story is based on a real witch trial, and she was the first of over seventy women to be executed in Orkney for witchcraft (be sure to read the author’s note).
Just a warning, some of the torture scenes depicted in Alison’s story can be difficult to read.
I absolutely recommend this story!
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated