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A review by girlglitch
The Bewitching by Jill Dawson
4.0
The Bewitching is a compelling novel about Elizabethan womanhood and witchcraft.
There have been quite a few British historical novels about witches of late, and I was interested to see how The Bewitching would approach the topic. Dawson captures the specific nuances of Elizabethan witchcraft well, and there is historical research woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. While it's possible to predict some of the plot twists, that doesn't undermine the sinister atmosphere and the very tangible sense of tension brewing.
Martha is an engaging narrator: caught somewhere between the Throckmorton family and the servants, she is able to piece together different parts fo the story. Alice is delighfully difficult: unlikeable and sympathetic all at once.
If you know anything about the witches of Warboys, the ending is a given, but Dawson still manages to make this retelling a real page-turner.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
There have been quite a few British historical novels about witches of late, and I was interested to see how The Bewitching would approach the topic. Dawson captures the specific nuances of Elizabethan witchcraft well, and there is historical research woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. While it's possible to predict some of the plot twists, that doesn't undermine the sinister atmosphere and the very tangible sense of tension brewing.
Martha is an engaging narrator: caught somewhere between the Throckmorton family and the servants, she is able to piece together different parts fo the story. Alice is delighfully difficult: unlikeable and sympathetic all at once.
If you know anything about the witches of Warboys, the ending is a given, but Dawson still manages to make this retelling a real page-turner.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*