Welcome to Litsy!

I love Blakemore's writing... I used to think her writing was a bit contrived... She can describe a puddle in the most florid way! However, the juxtaposition of her gorgeous writing style with some very unsettling subjects (it was the same in 'The Glutton') and is actually very effective and I really enjoy it. This is based on true events, which I found a bit enraging!

It‘s 1643, men have left to fight at the Civil War and women are left behind. In Manningtree, Rebecca West chafes against the drudgery of her days until Matthew Hopkins arrives and starts making damning accusations.

I truly enjoyed following the story through Rebecca‘s eyes, hearing her voice and observations. As it‘s based on true events, it was powerful to have perspective of the victims and see how women were treated during those times.

My boyfriend picked this for me in a book shop a few weeks ago, purely because he says I cackle like a witch when I laugh. As it turns out it‘s actually an incredible read! A raw, brutally honest and at times darkly humorous account of the witch trials. Really enjoyed reading this one.. might have to get him to pick books for me again #pick #witchtrials

This book really captured a sense of time and place. The author used language excellently to reveal the victims of the East Anglian witch hunts and to shine light on their lives. The women are real. They have humour and grit - they‘re filled with pride and survival. A fabulous retelling of this true story - done with respect and grace to its victims.

This has been on my kindle for almost 2 years and I thought this October was the one but it took me a really long time to get into it - well written it felt a little cold until half way in. Undoubtedly great historical fiction of the witch finder general and the women he aimed to find

"I would rather be a woman. We understand our abjection before God, because we understand our abjection before man. And we get to laugh behind their backs."

"God- the Devil. How is a silly woman who signs her name with a cross meant to tell the difference, their methods being so alike?"

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

One last read for 2022! Happy New Year 🥳

#12booksofchristmas
@andrew65 Thanks for the prompt Andrew, merry Christmas everyone. My choice for Jan was a really interesting story about witch trials in the 17th century with Matthew Hopkins as a troubled character. I was in Suffolk for our summer holiday + saw signs for Manningtree so was tempted to visit, maybe next time but a great holiday. A fascinating area + this book by a new author was a brilliant evocation of paranoia, time + place

Good mix of fact and fiction of the town of Manningtree when the witch finder general arrives. The story follows Rebecca as she comes to terms, in a wild sense, witnessing the arrest of “witches”. One is her mother, another an old woman with a limp. The ole English writing was a challenge. There didn‘t feel to be a major climax, as the end begin to feel more like it. But I guess that goes with the Salem witch trials history being so quick

Putting together my first bookshelf at my BF‘s 🥰

#Basicwitchswap2022 #Basicwitch
@sprainedbrain

I've signed up for my 1st Litsy swap. 😁 Obvs gonna be a witchy one with my favourite spooky season coming up fast. Here's to cosy nights, pumpkin soup and all things witchy. 🎃🧹🧙‍♀️🍂🥮
Thanks for organising Jenni ❤️

This was such an interesting read. Fiction mixed with real life characters. An enjoyable read and learn

@Mitch This looks AMAZING! Thank you so much my dear friend. I can‘t wait to read it!

full of fascinating facts and very well researched the fictional re telling of the horrific witch trials and the suffering of the poor and innocent. However for me the book started well but towards the end I felt it dragged slightly and reading it was like wading through treacle ; how crazy to our modern sensibilities was Matthew Hopkins truly an evil warped man I hope he suffered terribly at the end of his life thank goodness he died so young !

Hairdresser 💇‍♀️ reading ; Interesting 🤔 point made in this book ; the women arrested for witchcraft tended to be elderly, menopausal, teenagers, the outspoken , independent, different all poor - however the prostitutes working in brothels were clearly sinning (for that period of time of the puritans) how come none of them were arrested for witchcraft? Il Tell you why ; because they were busy servicing the men ! That makes my blood boil 😡

Hairdresser 💇‍♀️ reading 📖 😊 I‘m enjoying this read more than I thought I would , it is a stark reminder how women & girls who were considered “different “ were preyed upon by misogynists! #aprilbookbingo #aprilbingopick #bookbingo

I‘m trying to read 😂🥰🥰
#booksandpups💖🐶💖

#manningtreewitches @TheAromaofBooks @supanovashelley starting 2nd April book bingo read this afternoon with a well deserved coffee ☕️ after bathing a long haired German shepherd baby 🐶😅 just realised how blind I am with the mega big font and no reading 📖 glasses 👓 😆
#AprilBookSpin
#AprilBookBingo
#sunnyafternoonreading 😌

Two-thirds of the way into this and it‘s finally picking up pace! The Manningtree Witches documents the stories of the witch hunts in the 1600s and follows the community that persecute women who don‘t follow the strict social/moral code of the time and live on the outskirts of society mostly in poverty and as widows. It‘s a story about fear mongering and control by men in God‘s name.

#FirstLineFridays

I really appreciated this novel which unusually put the perspective of the persecuted upfront. Although these were poor and abandoned women they were feisty intelligent and knew what they had to do to survive. The horrible injustices they suffered are more powerful because it is clear these women were more than simple passive victims. A great read

‘Mother and daughter‘, he says hoarsely, still advancing, still narrowing the space between us, ‘all alone in a house on the hillside‘. His smile. When women think alone, they think evil, it is said‘.

Just started this and I am loving the atmosphere landscape and language which conjure up a sense of fear and menace

My 1st read of 2022 & a great start. Set in 1643 in a small village in South of England Becky West lives with her mother and has lessons from a local yng man. When Matthew Hopkins ,notorious witch hunter arrives her mother, becky, & other women in the area are targeted as witches when natural events are attributed to the devil. Great writing + storytelling it captures the paranoia of civil war, scapegoating women + religious fervour brilliantly.

I got these three books and more at a book swap I normally attend. I am super pleased!

So excited for a new notebook and this fake book box — thanks so much for the books @Clare-Dragonfly there wasn‘t a note so could you tell me what stones you included? I especially like the green one.

Thanks for hosting #basicwitchswap @mklong and @sprainedbrain

I didn‘t realise what a seasonal reader I was till I went on Litsy! 😂 I love reading spooky, gothic, witchy , scary reads in October! Considering I average about a book a week this TBR pile is MASSIVELY over ambitious… just how I like it! 😊 🍂 🎃 🧙‍♀️

I am a sucker for a good historical fiction about witches and this is a great one! Of course, you root for the accused women, even if (or in my case ESPECIALLY if), they really were witches. It sent me down some research rabbit holes about the actual 17th century witch trials in England and I would love to know more. Does anyone have a nonfiction recommendation for that?

Accusations of witchcraft fly in Manningtree in the seventeenth century and a feisty young woman is caught up in them. I enjoyed this book and the familiar voice but it does get pretty dark at times, following Rebecca West from her life with her mother before the puritanical town descends into witch trials until her eventual false admission and acquittal.

Set in England in 1643 this a reimagining of the witch trials that occurred. Based on real events it follows the young narrator Rebecca and the women who were hunted down and persecuted by Matthew Hopkins the witch finder general
This was beautifully written, atmospheric and well researched

Oh - I love a good reading list. Here‘s one for the summer full of great choices! I‘m jumping into the tagged one first #listlovesummerswap

https://lithub.com/38-novels-you-need-to-read-this-summer/?utm_source=Sailthru&u...

Loved this atmospheric, beautifully written debut. The sender of impending doom and the feeling of place and time were exemplary. @TheAromaofBooks #bookspin

When working from home translates as reading outside

Read lots of excepts via Blackwells site. The tagged book looks good - I saw the author do a tarot reading to promote her book last week 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home#/!