Release date: June 6 2024
Publisher: Mantle
Pages: 304
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

The King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a gripping and beautiful historical novel, giving an unforgettable voice to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland.

Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.

1589. Princess Anne of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland – a royal union designed to forever unite the two countries. But first, she must pass the trial period: one year of marriage in which she must prove herself worthy of being Scotland’s new Queen. If the King and the Scottish royal court in Edinburgh find her wanting, she faces permanent exile to a convent. Determined to fulfil her duties to King and country, Anne resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry.

By her side is Kirsten Sorenson, her loyal and pious lady’s maid. But whilst tending to Anne’s every need, she has her own secret motives for the royal marriage to be a success . . .

Meanwhile, in North Berwick, a young housemaid by the name of Jura is dreaming of a new life. She practises the healing charms taught to her by her mother, and when she realises she is no longer safe under her master’s roof, she escapes to Edinburgh. But it isn’t long before she finds herself caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped not just the capital but the new queen . . .

Will Anne, Kirsten and Jura be able to save each other and, in doing so, save themselves?

Review

The King’s Witches is a beautiful and haunting historical fiction tale that centres on three women in 1589. Princess Anne of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland. Her marriage includes a one-year trial period, and Anne is determined to do all she can to be the perfect Queen, that is, until she meets Lord Henry. Accompanying her is her lady’s maid Kirsten, who has her own secrets and her own reasons for wanting to travel to Scotland. In North Berwick, we follow housemaid Jura, a young woman gifted in healing charms. Following difficulties in her master’s home, she travels to Edinburgh only to find the city full of suspicion around witches.

This is my first read from Kate Foster, and I absolutely could not put it down. This book was incredibly captivating, and Foster’s beautiful writing style really brought the sights and sounds of Denmark and Edinburgh to life. The story was pretty quick paced, and I ended up reading this one in only a few sittings. The story felt rich with detail, and it was one of those books that I was often thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it.

The King’s Witches is an emotional tale, and I was completely engrossed in the story of these three women. Each one is excellently crafted, and I really enjoyed seeing their story unfold and how they wove together. All three women are fighting for survival and to protect those they care about. There is so much character development for all three characters, and I grew really attached to them all. One of the things I found most gripping about this tale is the way Foster infused that sense of tension and paranoia surrounding the witch trials. The women accused were treated terribly, and Foster does a brilliant job of showing how suspicion and fear can cause such mania. Overall, I thought The King’s Witches was an incredibly gripping piece of historical fiction, and I am very much looking forward to reading more from Kate Foster in the future.