Release Date: January 5th 2023
Publisher: Manilla Press
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis
Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. When Zigri, desperate and grieving after the loss of her husband and son, embarks on an affair with the local merchant, it’s not long before she is sent to the fortress at Vardø, to be tried and condemned as a witch.
Zigri’s daughter Ingeborg sets off into the wilderness to try to bring her mother back home. Accompanying her on this quest is Maren – herself the daughter of a witch - whose wild nature and unconquerable spirit gives Ingeborg the courage to venture into the unknown, and to risk all she has to save her family.
Also captive in the fortress is Anna Rhodius, once the King of Denmark’s mistress, who has been sent to Vardø in disgrace. What will she do – and who will she betray – to return to her privileged life at court?
These Witches of Vardø are stronger than even the King of Denmark. In an age weighted against them they refuse to be victims. They will have their justice. All they need do is show their power.
Review
Set in Norway in 1662, The Witches of Vardø is a beautifully told historical fiction tale about a group of women accused of witchcraft. When Zigri starts an affair with the merchant’s son, she is denounced as a witch and taken to the island of Vardø to await trial. Her daughter Ingeborg is determined to rescue her from a terrible fate, so joins forces with Maren, the daughter of the infamous witch Liren Sand. Will the two girls be able to save Zigri and the other women accused of witchcraft? Those in the witches hole are not the only women captive on the island. Noblewoman Anna Rhodius has been sent to Vardø in disgrace. She has lost everything, but what will she do to regain the King’s favour and return to her previous life of privilege?
The Witches of Vardø is a harrowing tale, one full of cruelty and brutality. The story is well paced, giving the reader the chance to get to know Ingeborg and her family before the paranoia and accusations begin. I really enjoyed Bergman’s writing style and I found myself reading big sections of the book in one sitting. The story has a really captivating setting and the remote, snowy Norwegian landscape really comes to life in Bergman’s writing. Bergman also does a great job of increasing the tension as the story progresses and I was completely glued to the book for the last hundred pages to find out how it was going to end.
The characters in this story are certainly compelling and you really feel for the horrendous way they are treated. Both points of view characters are really interesting, they’re both such different people but are ultimately trying to get back what they’ve lost. I did prefer Ingeborg’s POV to Anna’s, however, both were really engaged and concluded in a way I didn’t expect. I also thought Maren was a fascinating character, she was fearless and determined to stand against those in power. Bergman does a fantastic job showcasing the relationships and loyalty between the female characters in this story, particularly as they are tested in the most horrible ways imaginable. Based on true events from history, this is a thought-provoking and beautifully told story, one that historical fiction fans won’t be able to put down.
Widdershins is a beautiful, thought-provoking tale inspired by true events. The story follows two main characters – Jane Chandler who is learning how to be a healer, using herbs and lore to cure the sick. Meanwhile, John Sharpe has endured a hard childhood – his mother died during his birth and his father blames him for this. After enduring vicious beatings from his father he is sent to stay with his Uncle, a pastor. He finds purpose in becoming a witch-finder and rooting out all trace of witchcraft.
Sunwise is the second installment in Helen Steadman’s Widdershins series, focusing on the witch trials in England and Scotland. Following on from the events in book one, the story follows Jane as her lover Tom returns to find her married to the worst person imaginable. She’s stuck in an impossible situation, still trying to cope with the loss of her mother at the hands of John Sharpe and find a way to protect her daughter. As Tom tries to find a way for them to be together, Jane knows the witchfinder is still out there and John will stop at nothing to rid the world of witches and their magic.
I was really excited to pick up The Lighthouse Witches after reading and loving The Nesting by C J Cooke. The Nesting is an addictive, eerie read and I was hoping for much the same with The Lighthouse Witches. What I got was one of the most unputdownable books I’ve ever read.
The Gifts is a beautiful and engrossing tale set in October 1840. When a young woman finds a pair of wings protruding from her back, rumours of a fallen angel begin to take London by storm. When a surgeon finds the most unbelievable corpse, he believes this will be the making of the fame and fortune he has always dreamt of. As the obsession grips him tighter, he goes in search of others like the corpse, threatening the lives of those he seeks.
The Key in the Lock is the newest release from Beth Underdown, author of The Witchfinder’s Sister. I absolutely loved The Witchfinder’s Sister so I was really intrigued to pick this one up. In the book, we follow Ivy Boscawen who is struggling with the grief of losing her son Tim in the war. Mourning the loss of his young life, she reflects on the death of another boy decades earlier – a mystery that still haunts her. Though there was a fire and a tragic death, Ivy knows that isn’t the whole truth. Ivy soon discovers if she is ever going to let that night go, she must find out what really happened.
The Witch of Willow Hall is the beautifully told tale of the Montrose family, who move to the countryside following a family scandal in Boston. The family take up residence at Willow Hall but as the family attempt to build their lives back up there are some strange sightings and a sense of dread that lingers in the house. When Lydia meets the previous owner John Barrett, she begins to suspect the house has a dark past, but will she be able to uncover the truth and confront the secrets of her own past before it’s too late?
A Painted Winter is the first part in a four-part story that follows two princes from a Pictish Kingdom in fourth-century Scotland. Taran and Brei are still reeling from the Roman attack that took their mother and killed many in the village. When they come upon a strange woman whilst out on patrol, she tells them that the Romans were the cause. The power of the Romans in Britannia is fading and this sets Brei and Taran on a path of revenge against those who took their mother, but the strange woman isn’t all that she seems and within her lies an incredible gift.
I had never read anything by Pat Barker until I picked up The Silence of the Girls and I ended up reading it and The Women of Troy back to back. The story continues on where we left off in The Silence of the Girls, following Briseis and the other women after Troy has fallen. The Greeks have been victorious, but the winds are not strong enough to sail and they are stranded with only the women of Troy for company.
The Shadowing is the latest novel from Rhiannon Ward and this compelling tale follows Hester, a young woman who learns of her sister’s death in a workhouse. Determined to find out how her sister ended up in such a place, Hester travels to Southwell for answers. Hester is told her sister was pregnant and that they both died of cholera, despite there being no outbreak at the workhouse. Hester soon learns of children going missing from the workhouse, and a sinister pale lady who takes them. Hester must uncover what’s really going on in order to find out what really happened to her sister, but will she be strong enough to discover the truth?
Poison Priestess is the second instalment in Lana Popovic’s Lady Slayers series. I really enjoyed the first instalment in this series – Blood Countess – so I was intrigued to see where Popvic would take the series next. The story follows Catherine 
The Bibliophile Chronicles 