Book Stack :: Witch hunts and wise women

March 29, 2020

Hello! This weekend I've been participating/ following along with the BookHiBearNation readathon that Simon from Savidge Reads is hosting. To be honest, I haven't done as much reading as I expected/wanted - I've just been finding it tricky to settle into a new routine of having everyone home, and where my reading fits into that. But in any case, it's still always fun to follow along with a readathon on Instagram and see what everyone is reading (and snacking on!).

Simon suggested a bunch of prompts for the readathon (you can see them all on his video, here.)
One of the prompts is "a comfort read from your favourite time period". When I watched the video I couldn't think of whether I had a favourite time period, and it wasn't until I sat down with The Darkest Shore by Karen Brooks - which I previewed here this week - that I realised that witch hunts is my favourite time period to read. I know it isn't exactly a set time period, but I love historical fiction set around witch hunts, and other ways that the patriarchy (and the church, in particular) used 'witch craft' as an excuse for the persecution of wise women, or healers, or other women that were seen as too outspoken or independent.


I grabbed a couple from my shelves to make a (very small) stack - I have read and loved loads more, but these were the first two I could get my hands on quickly.

- THE GOOD PEOPLE by Hannah Kent. This might be my favourite. I loved her writing and this story both fascinated and moved me

- HEXENHAUS by Nikki McWatters. You know how I feel about #loveozya books, and this one cleverly linked the stories of young women in three different time periods.

- I also want to give a shout out to THE FAMILIARS by Stacey Hall, which I really enjoyed and reviewed here.

Have you read any of these? Do you have favourites you recommend? Or a favourite time period to read?

xo Bron

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1 comments

  1. I hope you find a decent reading routine soon. I know how important reading is to you. It's an important thing for our sanity in times like this.
    💜

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