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wordsofclover 's review for:
Her Kind: The gripping story of Ireland's first witch hunt
by Niamh Boyce
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Penguin Ireland.
It's 1324 and Bébinn and Líadan arrive in Kilkennie (Kilkenny) seeking refuge from the wilds of Ireland with an old friend of Bébinn. Moneylender Alice takes in the mother and daughter as her new servants, and gives them new names - Petronella and Basilia - to protect them from Gaelic-haters in the town. But the pair soon find that they may also be in danger in Alice's house as the town bishop is jealous of the moneylender's wealth and status and is intent on destroying her. Which all leads to the real events of the Kilkennie Witch Trial..
This historical novel tells the tale of a real event - the Kilkenny Witch Trail - which I know absolutely nothing about, and am ashamed to admit to, and I really enjoyed learning more about this time in Ireland and how the Irish were taught of. I don't actually think I've read enough set so far back in Irish history and this has really prompted me to seek out more.
There's a fantastic dynamic in this book between all the women in the story - most of whom live in the same house. Alice and Petronella share a childhood together but there's a lot of secrets there that could tear them apart forever and Alice takes too close an interest in Basilia, therefore isolating her mother. The writing and the richness of the history and the town, reminded me a bit of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and I think this book would appeal to fans of Burton's writing, and also that of Hannah Kent.
This is a fantastic tale about the women behind the witch trials and who they may have been - as Niamh Boyce says at the end of the story - the men have already had their say in history, and this is the story of the silenced women which I LOVED. This was a character-focused book and contained a range of strong women with different personalities and motives, and the wicked man who was jealous of a woman stronger and more influenced than him. Which is a tale as old as time really.
I urge people to pick up this book - it might not be one for everyone but it's full of fantastic female characters and tells a fascinating story.
It's 1324 and Bébinn and Líadan arrive in Kilkennie (Kilkenny) seeking refuge from the wilds of Ireland with an old friend of Bébinn. Moneylender Alice takes in the mother and daughter as her new servants, and gives them new names - Petronella and Basilia - to protect them from Gaelic-haters in the town. But the pair soon find that they may also be in danger in Alice's house as the town bishop is jealous of the moneylender's wealth and status and is intent on destroying her. Which all leads to the real events of the Kilkennie Witch Trial..
This historical novel tells the tale of a real event - the Kilkenny Witch Trail - which I know absolutely nothing about, and am ashamed to admit to, and I really enjoyed learning more about this time in Ireland and how the Irish were taught of. I don't actually think I've read enough set so far back in Irish history and this has really prompted me to seek out more.
There's a fantastic dynamic in this book between all the women in the story - most of whom live in the same house. Alice and Petronella share a childhood together but there's a lot of secrets there that could tear them apart forever and Alice takes too close an interest in Basilia, therefore isolating her mother. The writing and the richness of the history and the town, reminded me a bit of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and I think this book would appeal to fans of Burton's writing, and also that of Hannah Kent.
This is a fantastic tale about the women behind the witch trials and who they may have been - as Niamh Boyce says at the end of the story - the men have already had their say in history, and this is the story of the silenced women which I LOVED. This was a character-focused book and contained a range of strong women with different personalities and motives, and the wicked man who was jealous of a woman stronger and more influenced than him. Which is a tale as old as time really.
I urge people to pick up this book - it might not be one for everyone but it's full of fantastic female characters and tells a fascinating story.