Tag: philip paris

Book Review: The Last Witch of Scotland – Philip Paris

Book Review: The Last Witch of Scotland – Philip Paris

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: April 13th 2023
Publisher: Black & White Publishing
Pages: 306
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Being a woman was her only crime.

Scottish Highlands, 1727.

In the aftermath of a tragic fire that kills her father, Aila and her mother, Janet , move to the remote parish of Loth, north-west of Inverness. Blending in does not come easily to the Aila was badly burned in the fire and left with visible injuries, while her mother struggles to maintain her grip on reality. When a temporary minister is appointed in the area, rather than welcome the two women, he develops a strange curiosity for them that sets them even further apart from the community.

Then arrives a motley troupe of travelling entertainers from Edinburgh, led by the charismatic but mysterious Jack . It is just the distraction Janet, and particularly Aila, for the first time in a long while, their lives are filling with joy and friendship, and a kind of hope Aila hasn’t known since her father’s death. But in this small community, faith is more powerful than truth, and whispers more dangerous even than fire.

Haunting and deeply moving, The Last Witch of Scotland is a story of love, loyalty and sacrifice, inspired by the true story of the last person to be executed for witchcraft in Britain.

Perfect for fans of Outlander, The Mercies and The Witches of Vardo, or for anyone with an interest in the history of witchcraft, late renaissance Scotland and Highland history.

Review

I am absolutely fascinated by historical fiction books that revolve around witchcraft so when I saw that the Last Witch of Scotland was inspired by the true events surrounding the last woman to be hanged as a witch, I just knew I had to read it. The story follows Aila and her mother Janet as they move to a remote town near Inverness, following a horrific fire that killed Aila’s father. When a temporary minister moves to the area he develops a fascination with Aila and her mother that begins to alienate them from the community – but at what cost?

The Last Witch of Scotland is a moving, haunting tale and one that I kept thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it. The story felt so detailed and well researched and the writing style meant the story was really easy to get into. The story is quite quick paced so I definitely found myself glued to the story. Told in alternating points of view, I really liked both Aila and Jack as the main protagonists. They both had compelling storylines and complicated pasts and it was fascinating to see their relationship develop.

Despite having some harrowing moments, The Last Witch of Scotland does have quite a hopeful ending and this was something I hadn’t expected but really enjoyed. The Last Witch of Scotland is a beautifully written story and if you’re a fan of books like The Witches of Vardo this should definitely be on your wishlist.