I’ve been fascinated by witch trials since I was a young girl, no doubt because I was burned in a previous life 🔥

“The Witchfinder’s Sister” is the story of a disgusting human being known as Matthew Hopkins, who was responsible for a prolific witch hunt in England around 1645  that resulted in the hanging of over 100 women.

Matthew’s story is told by his sister, Alice, who is not really known to have existed. It’s yet another horrific story of a man compensating for his weakness and ineptitude by killing elderly and mentally ill women, or any woman who dared to challenge him in some direct or imaginary way. 

This book reminded me of two things:

1) Men weren’t the only ones guilty in the witch hunts; insecure and weak women were culpable as well. It was truly devastating what was done by the most deplorable of both genders behind the shield of Christianity.

2) Not all church leaders were supportive of the witch hunts. 

The story is heavily fictionalized and, in my opinion, the author took that a bit too far at the very end. It’s highly unlikely that it actually ended in the way she described. But, I learned a lot and am better for having read this heartbreaking story.