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A review by bethpeninger
The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown
2.0
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
It's 1645 and Alice Hopkins is traveling back home after a tragic accident has taken the life of her husband. She is without means and knows that her brother, Matthew, will take her in. Once upon a time, Alice and Matthew were close but the years have put a strain on their relationship and she's unsure of what kind of welcome will be extended to her. What she arrives at surprises, and dismays her. Matthew has become a witch hunter and is obsessed with flushing out all the witches in their town and surrounding villages. It isn't a good look on him. And it's rather terrifying to watch him murder innocent people. As the months pass and Matthew's hunt spreads farther and farther, Alice is caught between obeying him and saving innocent lives. She also goes on a hunt of her own, to find out what started Matthew down this road.
So, Matthew Hopkins was a real person who hunted (for lack of a better word or perhaps that is the best word to use) witches. He was referenced in some resource Underdown was reading and it sparked her curiosity. He was real and what he did was accurate but the rest of Underdown's book, in regards to characters and locations, is fiction. I believe the methods of interrogation described in the book are accurate to some of the ones used in the days of witch-hunting. It's terrifying and rage-inducing because versions are still employed to this day. I almost gave up on the book. I was at least halfway in and it felt so tedious and slow that I wondered if I cared enough to finish it. But I did stick with it because I felt Alice's situation was going to go one of two ways and I was curious enough to find out which way. The last third of the book felt easier to read and in the end, my curiosity was answered. What this book did was ignite my overall curiosity about the history of witch-hunting and murdering people so I'm guessing a deep dive down the rabbit hole of witches and such is in my near future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
It's 1645 and Alice Hopkins is traveling back home after a tragic accident has taken the life of her husband. She is without means and knows that her brother, Matthew, will take her in. Once upon a time, Alice and Matthew were close but the years have put a strain on their relationship and she's unsure of what kind of welcome will be extended to her. What she arrives at surprises, and dismays her. Matthew has become a witch hunter and is obsessed with flushing out all the witches in their town and surrounding villages. It isn't a good look on him. And it's rather terrifying to watch him murder innocent people. As the months pass and Matthew's hunt spreads farther and farther, Alice is caught between obeying him and saving innocent lives. She also goes on a hunt of her own, to find out what started Matthew down this road.
So, Matthew Hopkins was a real person who hunted (for lack of a better word or perhaps that is the best word to use) witches. He was referenced in some resource Underdown was reading and it sparked her curiosity. He was real and what he did was accurate but the rest of Underdown's book, in regards to characters and locations, is fiction. I believe the methods of interrogation described in the book are accurate to some of the ones used in the days of witch-hunting. It's terrifying and rage-inducing because versions are still employed to this day. I almost gave up on the book. I was at least halfway in and it felt so tedious and slow that I wondered if I cared enough to finish it. But I did stick with it because I felt Alice's situation was going to go one of two ways and I was curious enough to find out which way. The last third of the book felt easier to read and in the end, my curiosity was answered. What this book did was ignite my overall curiosity about the history of witch-hunting and murdering people so I'm guessing a deep dive down the rabbit hole of witches and such is in my near future.