Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow. I have not read a nonfiction book that has gripped me as much as this one in a long time. I did not know much of anything about the history of witch trials (or witchcraft, for that matter) and this book provided a great, comprehensive overview of this unusual history.

Not only was this book detailed, it was also incredibly approachable and each trial often read more like an engaging story than a bland historical text. I have never claimed to be a history fan, but hey, if more history books were like this one, I could easily be converted into one.

I also liked how the author made sure to connect the thirteen witch trials to their underlying causes of sexism, racism, classism, and ableism. I loved how this line of patriarchal oppression against these groups was traced throughout history and across the globe. Given that these themes were explored so thoroughly, I was pleasantly surprised that the technical language was kept to a minimum and that this book was understandable to normal folks like myself!

In addition to all of this, I teach New England Gothic literature in my high school English classroom, which was heavily influenced by the Salem Witch Trials. I plan on getting this book as a reference book for my classroom and hopefully incorporating more of this history into my lectures!

Publication Date: January 16, 2024.