A review by kermithall
The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley

5.0

Beyond the very well written and researched account of real events that Huxley relays to us in The Devils of Loudon, the principle reason I admire this book is that within it there is a true sense of humane understanding. The barriers of time, religion, country and basic ontological difference were eventually broken down and there were glimpses of the commonality between myself and the people involved. I felt like part of Huxley's approach to this book was that these people weren't just 'hysterical' or 'dogmatic', but that they were entirely within the range of human experience. It sounds obvious or stupid to say that earnestly, but given the subject matter I was surprised by how connected I could feel towards 17th century French witch trials, the politics, the personalities, et cetera. This is a real achievement of historical (mostly non-)fiction. Plus, it's just a hugely interesting story!