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The Vanishing Witch
Vanishing Witch
608 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2014
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December 2, 2014
Like pain, you can use threats to make you stronger. If they hide a serpent in your bed, you must catch it and make it bite the hand of him who left it.
I really should make a habit of reading more historical fiction. I always love the blend of fact and imagination that comes with taking a specific point in history and weaving a brand new tale into it. And yet, I almost always steer clear of it in favour of something with magic and teenagers.
But there *is* something magic about this familiar but completely different world, anyway. The Vanishing Witch is the first book I've read by Maitland but I doubt it will be the last.
After the darkly mysterious prologue, this book first paints us a quiet picture. It's small town life in Lincoln (north of England) during the reign of Richard II (1367-1400). We are introduced to families, to errant husbands, to comely widows and to an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. As I said, the picture starts quiet... but it becomes louder as more layers are peeled away and we get to see what lies underneath.
Despite the title, this is not really a supernatural novel. It does, however, carry a heavy sense of magical foreboding that permeates the entire book. The times in question were laden with fear of the supernatural and suspicion of witchcraft. When people start dying in strange circumstances, accusations of witchcraft rear their ugly head and infect the entire town.
From the very first chapter, there's a gradual and growing sense of dark malevolence creeping in behind the scenes. It increases as the story moves along and more is revealed. I would say it's a very creepy novel that would make a great horror film because of all the mystery and uncertainty. You get the feeling that something much darker and far more terrible is hanging over the story and the characters the whole time.
Dark, historical creepiness.
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I really should make a habit of reading more historical fiction. I always love the blend of fact and imagination that comes with taking a specific point in history and weaving a brand new tale into it. And yet, I almost always steer clear of it in favour of something with magic and teenagers.
But there *is* something magic about this familiar but completely different world, anyway. The Vanishing Witch is the first book I've read by Maitland but I doubt it will be the last.
After the darkly mysterious prologue, this book first paints us a quiet picture. It's small town life in Lincoln (north of England) during the reign of Richard II (1367-1400). We are introduced to families, to errant husbands, to comely widows and to an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. As I said, the picture starts quiet... but it becomes louder as more layers are peeled away and we get to see what lies underneath.
Despite the title, this is not really a supernatural novel. It does, however, carry a heavy sense of magical foreboding that permeates the entire book. The times in question were laden with fear of the supernatural and suspicion of witchcraft. When people start dying in strange circumstances, accusations of witchcraft rear their ugly head and infect the entire town.
From the very first chapter, there's a gradual and growing sense of dark malevolence creeping in behind the scenes. It increases as the story moves along and more is revealed. I would say it's a very creepy novel that would make a great horror film because of all the mystery and uncertainty. You get the feeling that something much darker and far more terrible is hanging over the story and the characters the whole time.
Dark, historical creepiness.
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November 30, 2015
Paradoxically, this unusual, complex book can best be described in just three words: "Expect the unexpected." Its subject matter, narration, characters, and plot are all deliciously surprising, making THE VANISHING WITCH quite unlike anything else I have read. It is even difficult to assign it a genre - it contains magic but is not a fantasy novel, it contains ghosts but is not a ghost story, it contains intrigue and suspense but is not a thriller. The best I can say is that "historical fiction" is probably closest to the mark. And it's a witching good story!
There are many books dealing with medieval women unjustly accused of witchcraft, and many dealing with medieval women who dabble in the supernatural for benevolent reasons and with ambiguous results (was it really magic that produced those results, or just coincidence?) But THE VANISHING WITCH asks what if it wasn't all just hocus-pocus and superstition? What if there really were witches, whose enchantments, potions, spells, and talismans worked exactly as they were believed to? And what if the people around them had very good reason to fear the malevolence of these wicked women?
The narration of the story is as quirky as everything else about it. We are all used to the ubiquitous and usually anonymous "omniscient narrator," but while the main storyteller of THE VANISHING WITCH is all but omniscient, he is not anonymous ... he is a ghost. And as if that were not enough to get used to, a chapter here and there is hijacked by the first-person narration of one or other of the story's two main women characters, before it is relinquished once more to the more-or-less third-person account of our spectral friend. This does take a little getting used to, but I became accustomed to it reasonably quickly, and thereafter found it to be just one more facet that makes this story fascinating.
As is usual for me, however, it was the characterization that really made this book shine. Set in an era in which wealthy men had virtually all the power and women and girls had almost none, THE VANISHING WITCH turns all of this upside down, so that almost all the male characters are mere dupes and ciphers, and the females are empowered and placed in the spotlight. Although the cast of characters is not huge, there is a reasonable balance between virtuous and evil females - and interestingly, the more "evil" they are, the more power they have. This is no mere coincidence, it is because they have deliberately empowered themselves, which has interesting implications for the traditional semiotic maxim that "female" should equate with "passivity," and when it does not, something wicked will this way come.
The categories of good and evil women are problematized more and more as the story progresses, until I began to ponder on how evil these witches really were. Medieval women had such a scant handful of means by which they could improve upon the circumstances into which they were born, and almost all of these involved them being considered evil and unnatural by society. Could I really condemn them for trying to improve their lot using the only options available to them? I would even venture to say that in THE VANISHING WITCH, Karen Maitland has provided feminist literary theorists with a fresh new text for study in relation to the concept of "the pit or the pedestal."
The plot and pacing of THE VANISHING WITCH are very skillfully handled. The story does start out a little sedately, but I suspect this was done purposely to allow the reader the necessary time to become accustomed to the unusual narration and concepts of the book. Once the story does get started, it builds momentum relentlessly, ending in a deliciously jaw-dropping crescendo. The latter half of the book reveals several twists to the story, and I was initially rather smug that I had guessed one or two of them before they were revealed - until I realized that I had only guessed a couple of minor ones, which were nothing in comparison with the story's true climax.
THE VANISHING WITCH is a truly unique book that deserves high praise for its innovative approach to the subject of medieval witchcraft, womanhood, and ways of relating to the world. The spells it casts with its mode of narration and its characterization are also potent indeed. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something a little bit different and more than a little wicked.
★This review can also be seen on my blog at feelthepowerofstory.wordpress.com★
There are many books dealing with medieval women unjustly accused of witchcraft, and many dealing with medieval women who dabble in the supernatural for benevolent reasons and with ambiguous results (was it really magic that produced those results, or just coincidence?) But THE VANISHING WITCH asks what if it wasn't all just hocus-pocus and superstition? What if there really were witches, whose enchantments, potions, spells, and talismans worked exactly as they were believed to? And what if the people around them had very good reason to fear the malevolence of these wicked women?
The narration of the story is as quirky as everything else about it. We are all used to the ubiquitous and usually anonymous "omniscient narrator," but while the main storyteller of THE VANISHING WITCH is all but omniscient, he is not anonymous ... he is a ghost. And as if that were not enough to get used to, a chapter here and there is hijacked by the first-person narration of one or other of the story's two main women characters, before it is relinquished once more to the more-or-less third-person account of our spectral friend. This does take a little getting used to, but I became accustomed to it reasonably quickly, and thereafter found it to be just one more facet that makes this story fascinating.
As is usual for me, however, it was the characterization that really made this book shine. Set in an era in which wealthy men had virtually all the power and women and girls had almost none, THE VANISHING WITCH turns all of this upside down, so that almost all the male characters are mere dupes and ciphers, and the females are empowered and placed in the spotlight. Although the cast of characters is not huge, there is a reasonable balance between virtuous and evil females - and interestingly, the more "evil" they are, the more power they have. This is no mere coincidence, it is because they have deliberately empowered themselves, which has interesting implications for the traditional semiotic maxim that "female" should equate with "passivity," and when it does not, something wicked will this way come.
The categories of good and evil women are problematized more and more as the story progresses, until I began to ponder on how evil these witches really were. Medieval women had such a scant handful of means by which they could improve upon the circumstances into which they were born, and almost all of these involved them being considered evil and unnatural by society. Could I really condemn them for trying to improve their lot using the only options available to them? I would even venture to say that in THE VANISHING WITCH, Karen Maitland has provided feminist literary theorists with a fresh new text for study in relation to the concept of "the pit or the pedestal."
The plot and pacing of THE VANISHING WITCH are very skillfully handled. The story does start out a little sedately, but I suspect this was done purposely to allow the reader the necessary time to become accustomed to the unusual narration and concepts of the book. Once the story does get started, it builds momentum relentlessly, ending in a deliciously jaw-dropping crescendo. The latter half of the book reveals several twists to the story, and I was initially rather smug that I had guessed one or two of them before they were revealed - until I realized that I had only guessed a couple of minor ones, which were nothing in comparison with the story's true climax.
THE VANISHING WITCH is a truly unique book that deserves high praise for its innovative approach to the subject of medieval witchcraft, womanhood, and ways of relating to the world. The spells it casts with its mode of narration and its characterization are also potent indeed. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something a little bit different and more than a little wicked.
★This review can also be seen on my blog at feelthepowerofstory.wordpress.com★
August 5, 2014
After the lacklustre The Falcons of Fire and Ice, Maitland is back on great form with The Vanishing Witch. If you've read anything by the author before, nothing in this fifth novel will come as a big surprise: it's set in the Middle Ages, has lots of characters, there's murder, witchcraft, and something that initially seems like a romance but is actually much more twisted. This time we're back in England, Lincoln to be precise, after Falcons' sojourn to Portugal and Iceland. It's 1381, and wealthy merchant Robert Bassingham finds himself torn between his wife Edith, who is succumbing to an inexplicable illness, and an enigmatic, attractive widow named Catlin. Meanwhile, an impoverished boatman named Gunter is struggling to protect his family from rising taxes and rent. All of these characters (and their children) are haunted by the menacing presence of a man dressed as a friar: is he a ghost, or someone seeking revenge on an old enemy? And who is the all-knowing presence narrating the story? Historical context is provided by a backdrop that includes the Peasants' Revolt, with several of the characters finding themselves drawn into the rebellion.
Over the past year I have often complained about how soapy and contrived I think modern historical fiction has become. Characters with too-modern attitudes and speech, historical inaccuracies and a general feeling of 'trashiness' pervade so many of these novels, even those acclaimed as literary triumphs, that I struggle to stop myself from being so annoyed I can't enjoy the book at all. Not because I'm some great history expert who's offended by the lack of accuracy, I'm just fed up of encountering the exact same thing in book after book. I really enjoy Maitland's books not only in spite of these things, but actually, perhaps perversely, because of them. Even though I know what to expect from the author, it's still refreshing to read a historical novel that has fun with its premise and handles its characters lightly, rather than trying to be desperately serious and attempting to create an 'authentic voice'. Ironically, it's this lightness, combined with what seems like genuinely detailed knowledge of the time period (habits and customs at a local level, as well as bigger societal/political events), that makes the characters seem more believable.
The Vanishing Witch doesn't match the brilliance of The Gallows Curse, and perhaps isn't quite as original as The Owl Killers, but it's an enjoyable read that I found instantly engrossing and strangely comforting. It's immensely frustrating that one character in particular doesn't get their comeuppance () but there are enough fun twists - some you'll guess, and some you probably won't - and gleefully dark bits to almost make up for that. While some characters are obviously villains from the start, Maitland bravely avoids making the vast majority of them completely likeable, except for the minor servant characters Tenney and Beata. The reader's sympathies for Robert and Catlin, in particular, flip up and down with every new chapter. And, aside from the aforementioned character, everyone who does something awful gets a horrible, and satisfying, bit of karma.
Recommended to existing fans of the author and those who enjoy entertaining historical fiction.
Over the past year I have often complained about how soapy and contrived I think modern historical fiction has become. Characters with too-modern attitudes and speech, historical inaccuracies and a general feeling of 'trashiness' pervade so many of these novels, even those acclaimed as literary triumphs, that I struggle to stop myself from being so annoyed I can't enjoy the book at all. Not because I'm some great history expert who's offended by the lack of accuracy, I'm just fed up of encountering the exact same thing in book after book. I really enjoy Maitland's books not only in spite of these things, but actually, perhaps perversely, because of them. Even though I know what to expect from the author, it's still refreshing to read a historical novel that has fun with its premise and handles its characters lightly, rather than trying to be desperately serious and attempting to create an 'authentic voice'. Ironically, it's this lightness, combined with what seems like genuinely detailed knowledge of the time period (habits and customs at a local level, as well as bigger societal/political events), that makes the characters seem more believable.
The Vanishing Witch doesn't match the brilliance of The Gallows Curse, and perhaps isn't quite as original as The Owl Killers, but it's an enjoyable read that I found instantly engrossing and strangely comforting. It's immensely frustrating that one character in particular doesn't get their comeuppance () but there are enough fun twists - some you'll guess, and some you probably won't - and gleefully dark bits to almost make up for that. While some characters are obviously villains from the start, Maitland bravely avoids making the vast majority of them completely likeable, except for the minor servant characters Tenney and Beata. The reader's sympathies for Robert and Catlin, in particular, flip up and down with every new chapter. And, aside from the aforementioned character, everyone who does something awful gets a horrible, and satisfying, bit of karma.
Recommended to existing fans of the author and those who enjoy entertaining historical fiction.
November 8, 2018
Karen Maitland's supernatural-laced tales of medieval England are among my favorite go-to- creepy-crawler books. Ever since her masterful and terrifying A COMPANY OF LIARS, I've been an ardent fan. Sadly, she's no longer published in the U.S. and my print addiction compels me to acquire her novels as imports from the UK - but they're always worth the extra effort. Her books are published in lovely, large trade paperback formats that are collector-worthy.
In THE VANISHING WITCH, Maitland spins a gets-under-your-skin tale of illicit witchcraft, social injustice, and revolt during boy-king Richard II's tumultuous reign. The opening chapter featuring the voice of a spectral being seduces us into intertwined stories of a poverty-stricken river boatman and his struggling family as they navigate the savagery of the waters, the trade, and of the poll tax driving them toward famine, of a self-satisfied merchant whose infatuation with a mysterious widow (who is far more than she seems) leads his family into perdition, of a vengeful stalker intent on getting his due, and of a city, Lincoln, on the verge of chaos as the kingdom descends into anarchy.
Though this particular entry in Maitland's oeuvre can feel a bit disconnected due to the disparate characters whose encounters run parallel but rarely collide until the denouement, her insight into the dark underbelly of medieval life is on full, queasy display. One of her strengths is her uncanny ability to sink us into the very mire of life in the past, before such luxuries as antibiotics, dry cleaning, and basic hygiene; her world is one of ceaseless subjugation, sacrifice, toil, and terrible lawlessness. There are no fairy-tales here, just the evil that we perpetuate on one another in the name of ambition, overlaid by the insidious menace of the unseen. Nor is there any Harry Potter magic to save us: her witches are blood creatures, crones and herbalists and angelic-looking children whose shadowy influences seep through crevices to sicken their victims. Maitland's gift for conjuring innocence-clad girls whose ease with pins and dolls can kill a neurotic wife is a masterclass in writing. You're never sure of who to root for, which I personally love. Other than her poor river man beset by heart-breaking troubles, her other characters force you, the reader, to wonder if they should ever be trusted.
It all makes for a thrilling and educational read, a reminder that the past was not gauze and damask but rather a dangerous and treacherous place, where superstition ran rife, social class was a iron fist used to shove others aside, and scheming witches haunted the night.
In THE VANISHING WITCH, Maitland spins a gets-under-your-skin tale of illicit witchcraft, social injustice, and revolt during boy-king Richard II's tumultuous reign. The opening chapter featuring the voice of a spectral being seduces us into intertwined stories of a poverty-stricken river boatman and his struggling family as they navigate the savagery of the waters, the trade, and of the poll tax driving them toward famine, of a self-satisfied merchant whose infatuation with a mysterious widow (who is far more than she seems) leads his family into perdition, of a vengeful stalker intent on getting his due, and of a city, Lincoln, on the verge of chaos as the kingdom descends into anarchy.
Though this particular entry in Maitland's oeuvre can feel a bit disconnected due to the disparate characters whose encounters run parallel but rarely collide until the denouement, her insight into the dark underbelly of medieval life is on full, queasy display. One of her strengths is her uncanny ability to sink us into the very mire of life in the past, before such luxuries as antibiotics, dry cleaning, and basic hygiene; her world is one of ceaseless subjugation, sacrifice, toil, and terrible lawlessness. There are no fairy-tales here, just the evil that we perpetuate on one another in the name of ambition, overlaid by the insidious menace of the unseen. Nor is there any Harry Potter magic to save us: her witches are blood creatures, crones and herbalists and angelic-looking children whose shadowy influences seep through crevices to sicken their victims. Maitland's gift for conjuring innocence-clad girls whose ease with pins and dolls can kill a neurotic wife is a masterclass in writing. You're never sure of who to root for, which I personally love. Other than her poor river man beset by heart-breaking troubles, her other characters force you, the reader, to wonder if they should ever be trusted.
It all makes for a thrilling and educational read, a reminder that the past was not gauze and damask but rather a dangerous and treacherous place, where superstition ran rife, social class was a iron fist used to shove others aside, and scheming witches haunted the night.
May 27, 2015
Description:
Description: The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland, author of the hugely popular Company of Liars will thrill fans of CJ Sansom and Kate Mosse with its chilling recreation of the Peasants' Revolt.
It offers an intelligent, beautifully researched glimpse of a more deadly, superstitious era...
'A compelling blend of historical grit and supernatural twists' Daily Mail on The Falcons of Fire and Ice
The reign of Richard II is troubled, the poor are about to become poorer still and landowners are lining their pockets. It's a case of every man for himself, whatever his status or wealth. But in a world where nothing can be taken at face value, who can you trust?
The dour wool merchant?
His impulsive son?
The stepdaughter with the hypnotic eyes?
Or the raven-haired widow clutching her necklace of bloodstones?
And when people start dying unnatural deaths and the peasants decide it's time to fight back, it's all too easy to spy witchcraft at every turn.
Cast of Characters
Proem
Prologue
Story
Epilogue
Historical Notes
Timeline
Glossary
Opening: While I lived I was never one of those who could see ghosts. I thought those who claimed they did were even moon-touched or liars. But when you are dead, my darlings, you find yourself amazed at what you didn't see when you were alive. I exist now in a strange half-light.
Richard II (6 January 1367 – February 1400), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed on 30 September 1399.
Juicy beginning or what!?
5* Company of Liars
5* The Owl Killers
4* The Gallows Curse
3* The Falcons of Fire and Ice
CR The Vanishing Witch
WL The Raven's Head
Hattip Pat: Plucked straight from the website - Latest Myth & Magic: Witch-napping: A witch who lived in Berkeley, Gloucestershire had a ‘familiar’ (a bid) in the form of a jackdaw who could read the future. One day the jackdaw warned her that she would shortly endure a great tragedy and would die soon after. When news came that her son and his family had all been killed, the witch became extremely alarmed and sent for her daughter who was a nun and her second son who was monk. She told them that while her soul could not be saved they must save her body.
After her death the witch’s body was to be sewn up in a stag’s hide and placed in a stone coffin bound with three iron chains and left in the church for three nights, while her children kept vigil. After that she considered that they might safely bury her body.
The first night demons entered the church and broke the first chain. The second night they shattered the second chain and on the third night the devil himself appeared in a great thunderstorm. He broke the last chain and dragged her from the coffin and led her to a black horse which had iron hooks protruding from it all over its hide. The devil impaled her on the hooks on the horse’s back and all three of them vanished. The screams of the witch could be heard for miles as they galloped away through the night.
Description: The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland, author of the hugely popular Company of Liars will thrill fans of CJ Sansom and Kate Mosse with its chilling recreation of the Peasants' Revolt.
It offers an intelligent, beautifully researched glimpse of a more deadly, superstitious era...
'A compelling blend of historical grit and supernatural twists' Daily Mail on The Falcons of Fire and Ice
The reign of Richard II is troubled, the poor are about to become poorer still and landowners are lining their pockets. It's a case of every man for himself, whatever his status or wealth. But in a world where nothing can be taken at face value, who can you trust?
The dour wool merchant?
His impulsive son?
The stepdaughter with the hypnotic eyes?
Or the raven-haired widow clutching her necklace of bloodstones?
And when people start dying unnatural deaths and the peasants decide it's time to fight back, it's all too easy to spy witchcraft at every turn.
Cast of Characters
Proem
Prologue
Story
Epilogue
Historical Notes
Timeline
Glossary
Opening: While I lived I was never one of those who could see ghosts. I thought those who claimed they did were even moon-touched or liars. But when you are dead, my darlings, you find yourself amazed at what you didn't see when you were alive. I exist now in a strange half-light.
Richard II (6 January 1367 – February 1400), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed on 30 September 1399.Juicy beginning or what!?5* Company of Liars
5* The Owl Killers
4* The Gallows Curse
3* The Falcons of Fire and Ice
CR The Vanishing Witch
WL The Raven's Head
Hattip Pat: Plucked straight from the website - Latest Myth & Magic: Witch-napping: A witch who lived in Berkeley, Gloucestershire had a ‘familiar’ (a bid) in the form of a jackdaw who could read the future. One day the jackdaw warned her that she would shortly endure a great tragedy and would die soon after. When news came that her son and his family had all been killed, the witch became extremely alarmed and sent for her daughter who was a nun and her second son who was monk. She told them that while her soul could not be saved they must save her body.
After her death the witch’s body was to be sewn up in a stag’s hide and placed in a stone coffin bound with three iron chains and left in the church for three nights, while her children kept vigil. After that she considered that they might safely bury her body.
The first night demons entered the church and broke the first chain. The second night they shattered the second chain and on the third night the devil himself appeared in a great thunderstorm. He broke the last chain and dragged her from the coffin and led her to a black horse which had iron hooks protruding from it all over its hide. The devil impaled her on the hooks on the horse’s back and all three of them vanished. The screams of the witch could be heard for miles as they galloped away through the night.
July 6, 2014
This novel takes us from September 1380 to September 1381 and takes place mainly around the city of Lincoln. The main plot revolves around respected wool merchant, Robert of Bassingham, married to Edith and with two sons, Jan and Adam. When Robert is approached by wealthy widow, Catlin, he is flattered and happy to help give her advice. Before long, Catlin has wormed her way into Robert’s affections and into his household, although Edith’s maid Beata is suspicious of her motives and Jan feels he is making a fool of himself with the younger woman.
A side story concerns river boatman Gunter, who lives with his beloved wife and children in a small village outside of the city. Work is hard to find and the family live in poverty, but their troubles are about to be increased with the new poll tax. This was a tax to be paid for every person in a household over the age of fifteen and, not trusting those paying to declare everyone in their family, Commissioners would visit and carry out intrusive and crude investigations into the age of children living there which caused outrage among the people already struggling to pay.
I have read, and enjoyed, all of Karen Maitland’s novels and this is certainly one of her best. Anyone familiar with her books will know that there is often a magical element to her stories and this is the case in this one too. With tales of ghosts, sorcery and witchcraft, this is a tale of murder and magic. From the beginning, we doubt the motives of Caitlin and her children – the arrogant Edward and the sinister Leonia – and her designs on Robert and his family.
Although I really enjoyed the mystery concerning Robert of Bassingham, I felt the storyline concerning the Peasants’ Revolt worked less well. This is a pretty hefty book, but still the author perhaps tries to fit too many side stories into the plot. However, as always, her characters are interesting and her ability to create a realistic historical background excellent. Each chapter begins with spells and anti-witchcraft charms, taken from medieval texts and folklore, which help set the scene and create an arresting atmosphere. Lincoln is a city where the rich fear attack, the poor fear starvation and unrest lurks, alongside the spirits, in the narrow lanes. If you enjoy historical mysteries, then Karen Maitland is an author that you should certainly add to your reading list.
A side story concerns river boatman Gunter, who lives with his beloved wife and children in a small village outside of the city. Work is hard to find and the family live in poverty, but their troubles are about to be increased with the new poll tax. This was a tax to be paid for every person in a household over the age of fifteen and, not trusting those paying to declare everyone in their family, Commissioners would visit and carry out intrusive and crude investigations into the age of children living there which caused outrage among the people already struggling to pay.
I have read, and enjoyed, all of Karen Maitland’s novels and this is certainly one of her best. Anyone familiar with her books will know that there is often a magical element to her stories and this is the case in this one too. With tales of ghosts, sorcery and witchcraft, this is a tale of murder and magic. From the beginning, we doubt the motives of Caitlin and her children – the arrogant Edward and the sinister Leonia – and her designs on Robert and his family.
Although I really enjoyed the mystery concerning Robert of Bassingham, I felt the storyline concerning the Peasants’ Revolt worked less well. This is a pretty hefty book, but still the author perhaps tries to fit too many side stories into the plot. However, as always, her characters are interesting and her ability to create a realistic historical background excellent. Each chapter begins with spells and anti-witchcraft charms, taken from medieval texts and folklore, which help set the scene and create an arresting atmosphere. Lincoln is a city where the rich fear attack, the poor fear starvation and unrest lurks, alongside the spirits, in the narrow lanes. If you enjoy historical mysteries, then Karen Maitland is an author that you should certainly add to your reading list.
October 27, 2014
I was pretty excited when I received a copy of this to review via Bookbridgr, because I've enjoyed all Maitland's work so far. And this is certainly very much like her other work in tone and style -- the historical setting, carefully drawn; female characters focused on, as least as much as the male ones; hints at supernatural aspects without anything being completely overt.
Unfortunately, it also has the kind of plot and twist I expected from Karen Maitland's work, as well. It's very effective in the first couple of books I've read by her, but I predicted it here and that took away some of the enjoyment. She still has great control of pacing, a great handle on her characters and how they relate to each other, how people manipulate each other. But I expected the story to play out as it did, almost from reading the first hundred pages.
It's still a good story, but that knowing really disappointed me. I'm hoping for something more different from Maitland's next novel: something that will surprise and intrigue me the way her first book did, instead of just being enjoyable. I've read all her other books in almost one sitting, but the last two have been more comfortable, just books to sit down and read when I had time. I'm hoping for the compulsive quality of the first couple.
Unfortunately, it also has the kind of plot and twist I expected from Karen Maitland's work, as well. It's very effective in the first couple of books I've read by her, but I predicted it here and that took away some of the enjoyment. She still has great control of pacing, a great handle on her characters and how they relate to each other, how people manipulate each other. But I expected the story to play out as it did, almost from reading the first hundred pages.
It's still a good story, but that knowing really disappointed me. I'm hoping for something more different from Maitland's next novel: something that will surprise and intrigue me the way her first book did, instead of just being enjoyable. I've read all her other books in almost one sitting, but the last two have been more comfortable, just books to sit down and read when I had time. I'm hoping for the compulsive quality of the first couple.
February 26, 2015
I loved Company of Liars so when I got my hands on this one I could not wait to read it. Unfortunately the experience was not quite what I wanted…..
I really liked how each chapter opened with a medieval spell or charm to ward off evil or witches. Some chapters were narrated by an unknown, clearly dead person, which added much needed humor in an otherwise quite dark and malevolent tale.
Very early on it’s clear that there is something not quite right with the widow Caitlin and her two children. Especially Leonia….
I think that as a lot of the big twists were hinted at very early on I knew exactly where the story was headed which meant that very little was left to create suspense and momentum. Also, towards the middle of the book the uprising and Peasants revolt was worked into the story but it felt as if this very interesting part of history was just brushed over.
I really struggled to feel sympathy for any of the main characters (Gunter and family excluded) and found the plot really slow moving. At the 2/3 mark I actually put this down in favour of 2 other books. When I started reading again I found the pace much faster and enjoyable, so perhaps the initial lukewarm feelings had more to do with me that the book.
But even with the above list of things that bothered, I enjoyed it enough to finish it. The scenes and descriptions of life in the late 1300's were done very well in portraying the struggles, hardship and poverty of this time. I do, however, think that 100 pages or so could have been omitted to make the whole story less drawn out.
I really liked how each chapter opened with a medieval spell or charm to ward off evil or witches. Some chapters were narrated by an unknown, clearly dead person, which added much needed humor in an otherwise quite dark and malevolent tale.
Very early on it’s clear that there is something not quite right with the widow Caitlin and her two children. Especially Leonia….
I think that as a lot of the big twists were hinted at very early on I knew exactly where the story was headed which meant that very little was left to create suspense and momentum. Also, towards the middle of the book the uprising and Peasants revolt was worked into the story but it felt as if this very interesting part of history was just brushed over.
I really struggled to feel sympathy for any of the main characters (Gunter and family excluded) and found the plot really slow moving. At the 2/3 mark I actually put this down in favour of 2 other books. When I started reading again I found the pace much faster and enjoyable, so perhaps the initial lukewarm feelings had more to do with me that the book.
But even with the above list of things that bothered, I enjoyed it enough to finish it. The scenes and descriptions of life in the late 1300's were done very well in portraying the struggles, hardship and poverty of this time. I do, however, think that 100 pages or so could have been omitted to make the whole story less drawn out.
October 5, 2014
really enjoyed this the latest book by Karen Maitland located in Lincoln in the late 14th century around the time of the peasant's revolt by wat tyler and the start of the reign of the infamous boy king Richard II. the novel itself mixes historical fiction with supernatural and witches into a mix which keeps the reader interested and doesn't disappoint.
February 27, 2025
If you like dark, gory, old English tales of witchcraft and poison this book is a must read.
December 18, 2014
Oh, what a recipe for a book to read on a dark winter night!
A setting in Mediaeval England!
The Peasants Revolt of 1381 as a backdrop!
Witches – and a ghost!
A touch of the Gothic!
And a very strong thread of suspense!
I have loved Karen Maitland’s novels in the past and, after being rather disappointed in the one before this one, I am so pleased to be able to say that this is a return to form.
The setting is city of Lincoln, where the wool trade is in decline and rich and poor are feeling the consequences. The city and the period are wonderfully evoked, but at the heart of the story are the people. Because this is a very human story; a story of a family and community, jealousy and ambition, bitterness and retribution ….
Robert of Bassingham is a prosperous wool merchant and a pillar of the community. His dour wife, Edith, runs his home well; their elder son, Jan, is his father’s steward; and their younger son, 12-year-old Adam, shows great promise.
Caitlin, a widow newly arrived in Lincoln, asks him to advise how she should invest her savings. She charms him, and very soon he is utterly smitten. He finds Leonia, her precocious 13-year-old daughter, just as charming, but he is wary of Edward, her arrogant and indolent adult son.
When Edith falls ill Caitlin is quick to offer support and practical help.
Is she acting from the goodness of her heart, or does she have some other motive?
There are new alliances formed and there are fallings out as the two families move closer together. There are also consequences that nobody could have foreseen.
Loyal servants, Beata and Tenney, are pulled into the situation.
Gunter, a poor boatman, fears for his son, Hankin, who has run away to join the revolt is involved too.
A stranger to the city is trying to reach Robert, trying to warn him, but there is always something in his way.
And there is a ghost, whose identity, whose purpose, will not be revealed until the story ends.
The characters are well drawn and defined, and the story twists and turns so cleverly as the narration moves between them. I had ideas, but I was never quite sure where the story was going to go, I never quite knew who was reliable and who was unreliable.
Each chapter begins a spell or a charm, taken from medieval texts and folklore; they’re fascinating, and they echo and emphasise the thread of fear and superstition that runs through the story.
I found much to enjoy: I loved Beata and the dramatic twist her story took; I was fascinated – and horrified – at the way Leonina’s character grew; I loved the atmosphere that Karen Maitland conjured up; and I really loved the way my perceptions shifted as different characters took their turn to tell the tale.
But there were things I found disappointing. The story around the Peasants Revolt was less effective than the story around Robert of Bassingham’s family; some revelations came too soon, and some of them weren’t as startling – or as convincing – as they might have been; and I couldn’t help the story could have been tightened up a little, that this book didn’t need to be quite as hefty.
But, that said, it was engaging from start to finish and utterly readable; a dark historical mystery, underpinned by solid research, that moves like a thriller.
It starts slowly but as the seemingly disparate strands are drawn together, it picks up pace and builds to an dramatic and incendiary final act.
This isn’t Karen Maitland’s best book, but I’m glad that she does what she does, and I know I’ll be picking up her next book next year.
A setting in Mediaeval England!
The Peasants Revolt of 1381 as a backdrop!
Witches – and a ghost!
A touch of the Gothic!
And a very strong thread of suspense!
I have loved Karen Maitland’s novels in the past and, after being rather disappointed in the one before this one, I am so pleased to be able to say that this is a return to form.
The setting is city of Lincoln, where the wool trade is in decline and rich and poor are feeling the consequences. The city and the period are wonderfully evoked, but at the heart of the story are the people. Because this is a very human story; a story of a family and community, jealousy and ambition, bitterness and retribution ….
Robert of Bassingham is a prosperous wool merchant and a pillar of the community. His dour wife, Edith, runs his home well; their elder son, Jan, is his father’s steward; and their younger son, 12-year-old Adam, shows great promise.
Caitlin, a widow newly arrived in Lincoln, asks him to advise how she should invest her savings. She charms him, and very soon he is utterly smitten. He finds Leonia, her precocious 13-year-old daughter, just as charming, but he is wary of Edward, her arrogant and indolent adult son.
When Edith falls ill Caitlin is quick to offer support and practical help.
Is she acting from the goodness of her heart, or does she have some other motive?
There are new alliances formed and there are fallings out as the two families move closer together. There are also consequences that nobody could have foreseen.
Loyal servants, Beata and Tenney, are pulled into the situation.
Gunter, a poor boatman, fears for his son, Hankin, who has run away to join the revolt is involved too.
A stranger to the city is trying to reach Robert, trying to warn him, but there is always something in his way.
And there is a ghost, whose identity, whose purpose, will not be revealed until the story ends.
The characters are well drawn and defined, and the story twists and turns so cleverly as the narration moves between them. I had ideas, but I was never quite sure where the story was going to go, I never quite knew who was reliable and who was unreliable.
Each chapter begins a spell or a charm, taken from medieval texts and folklore; they’re fascinating, and they echo and emphasise the thread of fear and superstition that runs through the story.
I found much to enjoy: I loved Beata and the dramatic twist her story took; I was fascinated – and horrified – at the way Leonina’s character grew; I loved the atmosphere that Karen Maitland conjured up; and I really loved the way my perceptions shifted as different characters took their turn to tell the tale.
But there were things I found disappointing. The story around the Peasants Revolt was less effective than the story around Robert of Bassingham’s family; some revelations came too soon, and some of them weren’t as startling – or as convincing – as they might have been; and I couldn’t help the story could have been tightened up a little, that this book didn’t need to be quite as hefty.
But, that said, it was engaging from start to finish and utterly readable; a dark historical mystery, underpinned by solid research, that moves like a thriller.
It starts slowly but as the seemingly disparate strands are drawn together, it picks up pace and builds to an dramatic and incendiary final act.
This isn’t Karen Maitland’s best book, but I’m glad that she does what she does, and I know I’ll be picking up her next book next year.
October 28, 2017
4 1/2 stars rounded up
July 15, 2015
Oh I give up! I've read a book in between, picked this up again and now at page 100. I have spent a lot of energy on avoiding reading, such as weeding and laundry. Yep, that's how much fun this was. May my next book interest me more!
December 1, 2017
*The Vanishing Witch* by Karen Maitland
Its been a long time since I read a standalone book. I was never fascinated by standalone books but Karen Maitland’s The Vanishing Witch has left me amazed. I have planned on continuing to read more of the author’s books. (In fact, the complete bibliography). So, this is my first Maitland novel, and I already know that mostly all her novels are historical thrillers, or historical horror and that is a new genre I have begun to explore. This book is comparatively vast and surely not for beginner readers. It broadens over 600 pages and took me 10 days to read. I was addicted to this book, it has almost no flaws and there’s nothing I can complain about. There’s a lot of story hidden inside these 600 pages, all the stuff that you will be surprised to read. There is some high vocabulary used. Some content is inappropriate for younger readers so they should keep their hands of this book. If you ask me this book contains many elements, both good and bad, such as witchcraft, violence, blood, gore, adultery, poverty, business, historical villages, revolts, rivers, towns and a whole lot of varied and vivid characters, each of them unique and providing magic to the story. The chapters go slow, but the overall story moves around a year and a half. Maitland succeeds in creating a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere right from the beginning of the book, you know right from the first page that this is quality writing and narration. This book has been inspired some Norse Mythology elements and is based on England’s history and the Dark Ages. It takes place during the rule of Richard II in the town of Lincoln, River Bratheforde, London and other minor places. The characters are well placed, both rich and the poor and have to go through a lot in the book. The book is full of surprises and quality narration. In fact,t eh narrator is a Lincoln Town ghost who overlooks the people of the town. The story revolves around Robert, a wealthy businessman of wool and textile and how he faces a variety of dangers and paranormal experiences when three women enter his life. I.e. Catlin, Leonia and Diot. Also young children and their dreams are laid out in the story. The plot becomes much more complex as various relationships are intertwined and many of our beloved characters die giving us surprise and shock. The book is full with descriptions, philosophical quotes, hardships of life, some terrifying events, historical lifestyle and culture, witchcraft, usage of poison and murder and life during the hard times when poverty existed in England. I just loved the character of Adam, Robert, Leonia, Edward. Gunter’s story line seems fluctuating. The book seems very realistic as if the events actually happened and as if Maitland has lived the life of every characters, for she is so proficient in explaining everybody's feeling and traits. Even the geographical layout and setup are distant and clearly understood. A good job to researching about history and converting the data in a fiction story is indeed well done. As the climax approaches, all the events align and the end is full of surprises. Something you cannot guess. There is some poetry or medieval myths and beliefs at the beginning of each chapter which may hint towards something. The reader is bombarded with some mysteries that are answered over the time. There’s even a backstory here. This characters in the book develop slowly but at the end of the book they are completely different. You will be amazed by reading this piece of literery art. It even highlights the poor conditions of people, the hearts of women, relationships between father and son and most importantly about how the people have the real power. There are a lot of emotional scenes in the book that will change your outlook towards the world, but worry not, the plot and the story line will keep you at the edge of your set. This is a definitive page turner. There’s even a bonus content available, in it a detailed appendix about various terms is given along with a timeline of the Peasant’s Revolt. I liked the Prague, The Prologue and the Epilogue too. There’s even a realm of ghosts. This book underlines and highlights human behavior and prejudices along with the fun of some scares and violent event. Strongly recommended. Karen does a wonderful job at creating the atmosphere. It also serves as a history lesson. Mountains, Rivers, Seas, Castles, Palaces, Warehouses and the English countryside are richly described. The seasons, the time, the locations and the events that take place compliments each other. The only thing I have to complain about is that this book stole a lot of my bed time. I have discovered a new writing style that keeps the reader enchanted to the beautiful story and the compelling characters that make this novel a wonderful and a definitive read. Surely recommended to everybody over 15. Nice Reading.
Its been a long time since I read a standalone book. I was never fascinated by standalone books but Karen Maitland’s The Vanishing Witch has left me amazed. I have planned on continuing to read more of the author’s books. (In fact, the complete bibliography). So, this is my first Maitland novel, and I already know that mostly all her novels are historical thrillers, or historical horror and that is a new genre I have begun to explore. This book is comparatively vast and surely not for beginner readers. It broadens over 600 pages and took me 10 days to read. I was addicted to this book, it has almost no flaws and there’s nothing I can complain about. There’s a lot of story hidden inside these 600 pages, all the stuff that you will be surprised to read. There is some high vocabulary used. Some content is inappropriate for younger readers so they should keep their hands of this book. If you ask me this book contains many elements, both good and bad, such as witchcraft, violence, blood, gore, adultery, poverty, business, historical villages, revolts, rivers, towns and a whole lot of varied and vivid characters, each of them unique and providing magic to the story. The chapters go slow, but the overall story moves around a year and a half. Maitland succeeds in creating a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere right from the beginning of the book, you know right from the first page that this is quality writing and narration. This book has been inspired some Norse Mythology elements and is based on England’s history and the Dark Ages. It takes place during the rule of Richard II in the town of Lincoln, River Bratheforde, London and other minor places. The characters are well placed, both rich and the poor and have to go through a lot in the book. The book is full of surprises and quality narration. In fact,t eh narrator is a Lincoln Town ghost who overlooks the people of the town. The story revolves around Robert, a wealthy businessman of wool and textile and how he faces a variety of dangers and paranormal experiences when three women enter his life. I.e. Catlin, Leonia and Diot. Also young children and their dreams are laid out in the story. The plot becomes much more complex as various relationships are intertwined and many of our beloved characters die giving us surprise and shock. The book is full with descriptions, philosophical quotes, hardships of life, some terrifying events, historical lifestyle and culture, witchcraft, usage of poison and murder and life during the hard times when poverty existed in England. I just loved the character of Adam, Robert, Leonia, Edward. Gunter’s story line seems fluctuating. The book seems very realistic as if the events actually happened and as if Maitland has lived the life of every characters, for she is so proficient in explaining everybody's feeling and traits. Even the geographical layout and setup are distant and clearly understood. A good job to researching about history and converting the data in a fiction story is indeed well done. As the climax approaches, all the events align and the end is full of surprises. Something you cannot guess. There is some poetry or medieval myths and beliefs at the beginning of each chapter which may hint towards something. The reader is bombarded with some mysteries that are answered over the time. There’s even a backstory here. This characters in the book develop slowly but at the end of the book they are completely different. You will be amazed by reading this piece of literery art. It even highlights the poor conditions of people, the hearts of women, relationships between father and son and most importantly about how the people have the real power. There are a lot of emotional scenes in the book that will change your outlook towards the world, but worry not, the plot and the story line will keep you at the edge of your set. This is a definitive page turner. There’s even a bonus content available, in it a detailed appendix about various terms is given along with a timeline of the Peasant’s Revolt. I liked the Prague, The Prologue and the Epilogue too. There’s even a realm of ghosts. This book underlines and highlights human behavior and prejudices along with the fun of some scares and violent event. Strongly recommended. Karen does a wonderful job at creating the atmosphere. It also serves as a history lesson. Mountains, Rivers, Seas, Castles, Palaces, Warehouses and the English countryside are richly described. The seasons, the time, the locations and the events that take place compliments each other. The only thing I have to complain about is that this book stole a lot of my bed time. I have discovered a new writing style that keeps the reader enchanted to the beautiful story and the compelling characters that make this novel a wonderful and a definitive read. Surely recommended to everybody over 15. Nice Reading.
August 18, 2014
When I heard Karen Maitland had written a new book I jumped with joy when I found a copy available for review via Bookbridgr. I accepted my advance copy with gratitude and glee and despite a teetering pile of lovely books all crying out to be read couldn't resist the chance to dive straight into the dark and menacing middle ages.
Karen Maitland truly is the Doyenne of medieval fiction and has excelled herself once more with an epic story brimming with amazing characters whom I either despised, loathed, admired, feared and in just one or two cases actually liked.
Central to this story set in medieval Lincolnshire, is cloth merchant Robert, respected member of the town council, wealthy, ambitious, yet oh so gullible and susceptible to a womans wiles. His wife Edith, mother of their two boys, young Adam and older Jan, is ailing. Robert artlessly allows a poor, attractive, widow he has taken under his wing, to enter their home ostensibly to nurse his wife. The widow, Catlin brings her beautiful young daughter Leonie and her elderly retainer Diot, into the home and soon introduces Edward, her adult son and Roberts life soon begins to spiral out of control. His loyal manservant Tenney and the scarred yet kind Beata look on in horror as the well ordered life they have known is ripped apart and become a sham. Everyones lives are changed subtly at first then with more sinister and darker events. I mistrusted almost everyone at one point or another, and the only person who bumbles along unheedingly is the main character Robert.
The only slight niggle I had with is, surely, SURELY no man could be as easily taken in as Robert, there were points where I wanted to scream at him - "Oh you FOOL" but if he hadn't been a malleable character the story might have panned out very differently.
We also meet another family, local peasants, Gunter a one legged boatman, his wife and children living in a hovel and struggling for every mouthful whose paths cross those of Roberts family and they are dragged even lower by circumstances.
The background is the peasants rebellion and there is a good deal of truly gory and gritty historical fact, which as you know is often stranger than fiction, woven through the book.
The story is narrated by a ghost and there are many references to ghostly characters all based on local legend, so I'd recommend anyone local to Lincolnshire to read this, it's an area I'm not familiar with yet this time travel trip has left me feeling it must be a very atmospheric place steeped in history and legends.
Interspersed with local myths, traditions and beliefs related to superstition and witchcraft the story is as unputdownable as all of Karen Maitlands previous novels. It's authenticity and elegance of prose, subtly draws the reader in and then tightens its grip until you are flying through the pages. I was eager to discover who the sinister character in a dark hood is who keeps appearing, what kind of dark magic is in play and who is bewitching whom?
A tempting, beguiling and truly bewitching read, for the reader who loves their historical fiction to contain a little bit of everything presented with an authentic magical quality.
My thanks go to Bookbridgr and Headline Publishing for my copy.
Karen Maitland truly is the Doyenne of medieval fiction and has excelled herself once more with an epic story brimming with amazing characters whom I either despised, loathed, admired, feared and in just one or two cases actually liked.
Central to this story set in medieval Lincolnshire, is cloth merchant Robert, respected member of the town council, wealthy, ambitious, yet oh so gullible and susceptible to a womans wiles. His wife Edith, mother of their two boys, young Adam and older Jan, is ailing. Robert artlessly allows a poor, attractive, widow he has taken under his wing, to enter their home ostensibly to nurse his wife. The widow, Catlin brings her beautiful young daughter Leonie and her elderly retainer Diot, into the home and soon introduces Edward, her adult son and Roberts life soon begins to spiral out of control. His loyal manservant Tenney and the scarred yet kind Beata look on in horror as the well ordered life they have known is ripped apart and become a sham. Everyones lives are changed subtly at first then with more sinister and darker events. I mistrusted almost everyone at one point or another, and the only person who bumbles along unheedingly is the main character Robert.
The only slight niggle I had with is, surely, SURELY no man could be as easily taken in as Robert, there were points where I wanted to scream at him - "Oh you FOOL" but if he hadn't been a malleable character the story might have panned out very differently.
We also meet another family, local peasants, Gunter a one legged boatman, his wife and children living in a hovel and struggling for every mouthful whose paths cross those of Roberts family and they are dragged even lower by circumstances.
The background is the peasants rebellion and there is a good deal of truly gory and gritty historical fact, which as you know is often stranger than fiction, woven through the book.
The story is narrated by a ghost and there are many references to ghostly characters all based on local legend, so I'd recommend anyone local to Lincolnshire to read this, it's an area I'm not familiar with yet this time travel trip has left me feeling it must be a very atmospheric place steeped in history and legends.
Interspersed with local myths, traditions and beliefs related to superstition and witchcraft the story is as unputdownable as all of Karen Maitlands previous novels. It's authenticity and elegance of prose, subtly draws the reader in and then tightens its grip until you are flying through the pages. I was eager to discover who the sinister character in a dark hood is who keeps appearing, what kind of dark magic is in play and who is bewitching whom?
A tempting, beguiling and truly bewitching read, for the reader who loves their historical fiction to contain a little bit of everything presented with an authentic magical quality.
My thanks go to Bookbridgr and Headline Publishing for my copy.
July 25, 2015
I did not enjoy this one as much as The Owl Killers or The Company of Liars, but it wasn't a bad book. Recently found out that John of Gaunt was my 18th Great Grandfather (a fact that I probably share with thousands of other people) but he is a background villain in this book; he never shows his face.
Speaking of villains, I can't rightly figure out who is a "good guy", except for Gunter and his family, Beata, and Tenney. You have bona fide bad guys: Catlin, Edward, Martin and his son, Fulk. And then you have the ? people: Robert, Godwin, Jan, Diot, Adam, and Leonia. Gunter is a good, common man trying to pay his taxes and do right by his family. Beata is a devoted servant reduced to madness for trying to protect her employer, and Tenney waits too late to understand his feelings for Beata, but in the end rescues her and takes her away.
There were a few questions that weren't answered at the end. Like, what happens to Adam? And why did he suddenly hate Robert? Actually, why did Leonia hate Robert enough to convince his son to help destroy him? While Robert wasn't exactly "innocent", he was just a man cuckolded by his scheming 2nd wife. What the heck did he do wrong to deserve such vengeance from 2 teenagers, including his own son? I could understand Leonia wanting to destroy Catlin and Edward, but not Robert. So what happens to Adam at the end of the book? Did Leonia destroy him to take his money? Am I supposed to LIKE Leonia and her ghostly father? Because I can't, not really. I want to, because they got rid of Catlin, but I can't, because they also killed Jan. And I guess they killed Jan because he was about to expose Catlin, but isn't that what they wanted anyway? Ugh. And what's with Diot visiting the old women? Was she a witch? Is she the one that taught Leonia? Because Catlin wasn't a witch, just a manipulative schemer.
One thing I didn't like about this story was that the author tried too hard to misdirect us. I figured out Catlin and Edward's secret long before it was revealed. But I could see the author giving hints yet trying to convince us it wasn't true, like when Edward accused of Catlin having a lover while they were in private. Except that he was the lover so... what? Also, it was pretty obvious that Catlin was going to kill Robert, even though it wasn't "revealed" until the last 1/3 of the book. So why, when we're in her mind, do we see her questioning whether or not Beata poisoned Robert? It's not like she's deluding herself that she wasn't responsible; she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Did poor Edith really have cause to fear her maid? She seemed terrified of her. Was Beata threatening or hurting her when they were alone? From now on I would ensure that Beata was never left alone with her mistress." p.145
All in all a very long book but still enjoyable, even if you've predicted the ending.
Speaking of villains, I can't rightly figure out who is a "good guy", except for Gunter and his family, Beata, and Tenney. You have bona fide bad guys: Catlin, Edward, Martin and his son, Fulk. And then you have the ? people: Robert, Godwin, Jan, Diot, Adam, and Leonia. Gunter is a good, common man trying to pay his taxes and do right by his family. Beata is a devoted servant reduced to madness for trying to protect her employer, and Tenney waits too late to understand his feelings for Beata, but in the end rescues her and takes her away.
There were a few questions that weren't answered at the end. Like, what happens to Adam? And why did he suddenly hate Robert? Actually, why did Leonia hate Robert enough to convince his son to help destroy him? While Robert wasn't exactly "innocent", he was just a man cuckolded by his scheming 2nd wife. What the heck did he do wrong to deserve such vengeance from 2 teenagers, including his own son? I could understand Leonia wanting to destroy Catlin and Edward, but not Robert. So what happens to Adam at the end of the book? Did Leonia destroy him to take his money? Am I supposed to LIKE Leonia and her ghostly father? Because I can't, not really. I want to, because they got rid of Catlin, but I can't, because they also killed Jan. And I guess they killed Jan because he was about to expose Catlin, but isn't that what they wanted anyway? Ugh. And what's with Diot visiting the old women? Was she a witch? Is she the one that taught Leonia? Because Catlin wasn't a witch, just a manipulative schemer.
One thing I didn't like about this story was that the author tried too hard to misdirect us. I figured out Catlin and Edward's secret long before it was revealed. But I could see the author giving hints yet trying to convince us it wasn't true, like when Edward accused of Catlin having a lover while they were in private. Except that he was the lover so... what? Also, it was pretty obvious that Catlin was going to kill Robert, even though it wasn't "revealed" until the last 1/3 of the book. So why, when we're in her mind, do we see her questioning whether or not Beata poisoned Robert? It's not like she's deluding herself that she wasn't responsible; she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Did poor Edith really have cause to fear her maid? She seemed terrified of her. Was Beata threatening or hurting her when they were alone? From now on I would ensure that Beata was never left alone with her mistress." p.145
All in all a very long book but still enjoyable, even if you've predicted the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2015
This book is a real treat! I was hooked in from the very beginning. It takes place during the reign of Richard II, in the years 1380-1381. There are alternating narrators, but not too many, primarily the young attractive widow Mistress Catlin, river boatman Gunter, and a restless spirit who haunts the city streets with his dead pet ferret! When Mistress Catlin catches the attention of wealthy cloth merchant Robert of Bassingham, and bodies start piling up around him, everyone becomes suspect. Throw in a Peasants Revolt and you have some really rockin' times!
The author has a real gift for invoking the time and culture of this period. This is the third book of hers I've read, and I've loved them all. It's just too bad I have to order the books from the U.K.! Though kindle versions are available in the U.S..
The author has really awesome historical notes, and a glossary at the back - the only other thing I would have liked to have seen were a few maps. Not being English, all I knew about Lincoln was that it was in the north. And the only Boston I knew of was the one in Massachusetts, but I figured that wasn't the one being referred to in the book! So a map of England showing the locations of the major cities, and maybe one each of the cities of Lincoln and London at that time too. I'm also reading A Burnable Book right now, and was able to reference it's map of 1385 London, which was helpful. Of course I did minor in Geography in grad school (and work for the Census Bureau for almost 15 years), so I do kinda have a thing for maps!
The author has a real gift for invoking the time and culture of this period. This is the third book of hers I've read, and I've loved them all. It's just too bad I have to order the books from the U.K.! Though kindle versions are available in the U.S..
The author has really awesome historical notes, and a glossary at the back - the only other thing I would have liked to have seen were a few maps. Not being English, all I knew about Lincoln was that it was in the north. And the only Boston I knew of was the one in Massachusetts, but I figured that wasn't the one being referred to in the book! So a map of England showing the locations of the major cities, and maybe one each of the cities of Lincoln and London at that time too. I'm also reading A Burnable Book right now, and was able to reference it's map of 1385 London, which was helpful. Of course I did minor in Geography in grad school (and work for the Census Bureau for almost 15 years), so I do kinda have a thing for maps!
March 12, 2018
Enjoyable, although I found the first half of the book a bit slow-going, and felt a bit more attention should have been given to the Peasants' Revolt. But an engaging book. I rather liked the ghost who popped up at regular intervals to introduce chapters and the snippets of witchy-folk wisdom which began each chapter. My main issue was I didn't really feel for any of the characters. It's fine to have a book with no heroes, but each was as bad as the other, really. Only Adam was, I felt, deserving of sympathy. Despite the length, I found this a quick read, and will hunt out more of the author's work.
September 22, 2019
3.5-4 stars. I did enjoy the book although I found it to be quite slow paced. The historical notes were interesting - I was shocked to read the last witchcraft trial in England took place in 1944, much later than I’d have guessed at.
September 27, 2014
The Vanishing Witch, a tale of the mostly-mundane, with a touch of witchery and a few ghosts, is set in Lincoln and London around the time of the Peasant's Revolt. It has all the muck and stink, blood and gore, violence, injustice and cruelty you'd expect from such a setting, and at nearly 900 pages, it's a huge book, a big read indeed. There are many characters: rich and poor, good and thoroughly evil and all shades in between; some are living and some are dead - in fact one of the central characters is a ghost - their stories have many threads that wind about each other, and I'm not going to detail the plot because it would take all day and spoil the point in reading it. If you've read the author before, you'll find the usual Maitland ingredients: a good, historical setting; a set of lives about to be turned upside-down; a goodly pinch of spook and supernatural.
The Vanishing Witch is a thoroughly engrossing and enthralling - if maddening - read and, long as it is, it's not difficult or tricky or literary (I read it all in two days), just a good old fashioned, thrilling tale, well-populated and well-told. Karen Maitland's imagining of medieval Lincoln - a city I know well - is very nicely done; she helped me see the old place through new eyes.
A word of warning: don't read this if you like neatly tied, karmic conclusions; bad characters sometimes do get what's coming to them, but good and decent folk get badly thrashed too. It's not an easy book to read, if you're of a fair-minded disposition and enjoy seeing evil people getting their comeuppance.
My one and only real complaint is that it feels unfinished. There are an awful lot of loose ends drifting at story's end; too many characters awaiting a proper conclusion. Literary fiction can get away with that sort of thing - that's real life, after all - but an adventure novel like The Vanishing Witch really can't, and I imagine a sequel is on the way.
The Vanishing Witch is a thoroughly engrossing and enthralling - if maddening - read and, long as it is, it's not difficult or tricky or literary (I read it all in two days), just a good old fashioned, thrilling tale, well-populated and well-told. Karen Maitland's imagining of medieval Lincoln - a city I know well - is very nicely done; she helped me see the old place through new eyes.
A word of warning: don't read this if you like neatly tied, karmic conclusions; bad characters sometimes do get what's coming to them, but good and decent folk get badly thrashed too. It's not an easy book to read, if you're of a fair-minded disposition and enjoy seeing evil people getting their comeuppance.
My one and only real complaint is that it feels unfinished. There are an awful lot of loose ends drifting at story's end; too many characters awaiting a proper conclusion. Literary fiction can get away with that sort of thing - that's real life, after all - but an adventure novel like The Vanishing Witch really can't, and I imagine a sequel is on the way.
December 29, 2018
Set from September AD 1380 until September AD 1381 this book by Karen Maitland tells the story of the Peasants' Revolt (or the Great Rising which occured from 30 May - November 1381) during the reign of King Richard II.
The Government of King Richard II was mainly directed by his uncles of which John of Gaunt was the most prominent one due to the fact that he was at that time Regent of England until Richard II would become of age to rule the Kingdom by himself.
Taking into account that the common people are becoming poorer all the time and that landowners are filling their pockets to such a extent that it will become unavoidable at some point that a revolt will be finally unleashed with catastrophic results.
This book tells the story of the Peasants' Revolt in a most thrilling way, it pictures this time of history in a really splendid fashion of what fear, suspicion, suppression and anger can do to people, so much so that a whole society of Peasants finally stands up against the constitution and ultimately a battlefield will be formed between Peasants and Aristocrats.
And so when superstition starts spreading and when unnatural deaths are occurring, it's all too obvious to spy witchcraft at every turn and to suspect people at every place.
The story is really very exciting and entertaining about these turbulent times of English history, where country, King and his people are in a lot of turmoil and fighting with each other, in a world where survival is everything.
Recommended, because this author deserves really so much more credit and recognition, and this book alone is really "Bewitchingly Beautiful"!
The Government of King Richard II was mainly directed by his uncles of which John of Gaunt was the most prominent one due to the fact that he was at that time Regent of England until Richard II would become of age to rule the Kingdom by himself.
Taking into account that the common people are becoming poorer all the time and that landowners are filling their pockets to such a extent that it will become unavoidable at some point that a revolt will be finally unleashed with catastrophic results.
This book tells the story of the Peasants' Revolt in a most thrilling way, it pictures this time of history in a really splendid fashion of what fear, suspicion, suppression and anger can do to people, so much so that a whole society of Peasants finally stands up against the constitution and ultimately a battlefield will be formed between Peasants and Aristocrats.
And so when superstition starts spreading and when unnatural deaths are occurring, it's all too obvious to spy witchcraft at every turn and to suspect people at every place.
The story is really very exciting and entertaining about these turbulent times of English history, where country, King and his people are in a lot of turmoil and fighting with each other, in a world where survival is everything.
Recommended, because this author deserves really so much more credit and recognition, and this book alone is really "Bewitchingly Beautiful"!
April 13, 2015
This one I requested via Bookbridgr because all the people I trust in the reading world were raving about it - it is my first novel from Karen Maitland and certainly not my last - whilst it would not normally be within my "comfort" zone, historical fiction not being my first choice, the witchcraft aspect pulled me in and I really really enjoyed it.
There is a beautiful mix of magic and mundane here as we follow Robert, who's wife Edith is very ill. Enter into the mix an attractive widow, throw in some exceptional circumstances and a hint of nefarious doings and you have a tremendously wonderful story that keeps you turning the pages wondering what on earth is going on.
The historical element is terrific - authentic feeling and clever, the normal extremely difficult day to day lives mixing up with the supernatural elements really really well, I was just utterly enthralled throughout. I especially loved the little "Witch" facts at the beginning of each chapter, if I'm ever concerned about being cursed I think I shall return to this book for hints and tips. :)
Karen Maitland has spun a terrific yarn here - addictive writing and a haunting and wonderful sense of place and time, I am not sure why I have not read her before. My latest book buying spree will sort that out quick smart.
Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
There is a beautiful mix of magic and mundane here as we follow Robert, who's wife Edith is very ill. Enter into the mix an attractive widow, throw in some exceptional circumstances and a hint of nefarious doings and you have a tremendously wonderful story that keeps you turning the pages wondering what on earth is going on.
The historical element is terrific - authentic feeling and clever, the normal extremely difficult day to day lives mixing up with the supernatural elements really really well, I was just utterly enthralled throughout. I especially loved the little "Witch" facts at the beginning of each chapter, if I'm ever concerned about being cursed I think I shall return to this book for hints and tips. :)
Karen Maitland has spun a terrific yarn here - addictive writing and a haunting and wonderful sense of place and time, I am not sure why I have not read her before. My latest book buying spree will sort that out quick smart.
Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
March 11, 2015
I’ve wanted to read Karen Maitland’s work for years, ever since I read reviews for Company of Liars, but as often happens in a reviewer’s life, I never got to it. This made me doubly excited when this ARC for The Vanishing Witch appeared in my mailbox, but it was a big book – 688 pages in my proof copy – and it languished on my To Be Read pile. Now with the paperback for The Vanishing Witch out tomorrow, not to mention Maitland’s latest The Raven’s Head, this seemed a good time to read it. It was a wonderful read, super atmospheric and very much what I expected Maitland’s writing to be based of what I’ve read of her non-fiction articles on The History Girls.
Set in Lincoln around the time of the Peasant’s Revolt, The Vanishing Witch is an interesting story of love, lust, riches and intrigue seasoned with some supernatural elements. Maitland uses an interesting narrative structure, switching points of view between a number of characters and an omniscient narrator who sometimes interjects passages at the beginning of a chapter. It is only this unidentified narrator and the two female points of view who are written in the first person, the other (male) viewpoints are written in the third person. This not only allows her to show us all angles of the story, the reader is also presented with the mystery of the narrator’s identity and lets her introduce some uncertainty in the form of two unreliable narrators.
Even if the book is titled The Vanishing Witch Maitland never comes right out and confirms or denies whether there truly is witchcraft in the book or whether it is all done with the power of suggestion. I thought this was masterfully done and I enjoyed puzzling over it. There is certainly a sense of the supernatural to the narrative due to the unidentified narrator being a ghost, yet the magic in the book could theoretically all be reasoned away with more mundane explanations. Maitland manages to keep the possible identity of the titular witch nebulous too, leaving the reader to decide whether the women in the book are all or none of them witches.
At the heart of The Vanishing Witch is the family of Robert of Bassingham. His infatuation and eventual marriage to the Widow Catlin sets in motion a chain of events that will lead to heartbreak, death and grief for his entire family. While Robert isn't a bad man in essence, he lets himself be blinded by Catlin and go through what is essentially a mid-life crisis. He was a sympathetic character, but also very frustrating. His sons Jan and Adam as far more easily likeable and I enjoyed the way Maitland developed them, especially Adam. My favourite members of the original Bassingham household, however, were the servants Beata and Tenney. Through their long service with the family there seems to be a strong sense of loyalty and belonging on their part, which was echoed in Adam's trust in Beata. On the other hand, Maitland takes care to show the huge gap that existed between merchants such as Robert, people in positions of what we’d call middle management such as the overseer Fulk, and the regular workers like the boatmen, who while freemen are subject to the whim of their masters, demonstrating that the class system was already deeply ingrained in society and had already created fertile ground for the poll tax that seeded the Peasants' Revolt.
The new additions to Robert's family, Catlin and her children Edward and Leonia are simultaneously cast as victims and villains depending on whose point of view we're in. Robert only sees the good in them, at least in Catlin and Leonia, while Jan, Beata, and Adam are deeply distrustful of them. Maitland skilfully employs Catlin's point of view to keep the reader in suspense as to her true intentions, only revealing Catlin's full hand late in the game. The character in the book I found most disturbing was Leonia. Ostensibly a beautiful, innocent young girl on the cusp of womanhood, she has many secrets and is far more cunning than any fourteen-year-old should be and her treatment of Adam and Robert was quite creepy at times.
While the main story deals with Catlin and Robert, I found the chapters dealing with the boatman Gunter and his family very compelling and I really felt for Gunter. Here is a man who tries to do everything right, to care for his family and be a decent human being and he’s being worked over by the system left, right, and centre. It was his tale that made the reasons for the Peasants’ Revolt tangible and immediate. The poll tax and the way the commissioners double-checking the entrants abused their positions, especially as regards the young girls in a household, felt so unfair and made people so powerless, it is hard to see how they couldn’t have risen again the ruling class. The Peasants' Revolt is a fascinating event in English history and it made a wonderful backdrop for Maitland's story, interweaving the supernatural and historic, letting the latter serve as plausible explanations for what would otherwise have to be designated witchcraft.
The Vanishing Witch is set in a fascinating era and Karen Maitland tells a fabulous story. I really enjoyed The Vanishing Witch; it offered drama, pathos, and more than a hint of mystery. If you like the intersection between historical fiction and the supernatural, this is a story you definitely shouldn’t miss.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Set in Lincoln around the time of the Peasant’s Revolt, The Vanishing Witch is an interesting story of love, lust, riches and intrigue seasoned with some supernatural elements. Maitland uses an interesting narrative structure, switching points of view between a number of characters and an omniscient narrator who sometimes interjects passages at the beginning of a chapter. It is only this unidentified narrator and the two female points of view who are written in the first person, the other (male) viewpoints are written in the third person. This not only allows her to show us all angles of the story, the reader is also presented with the mystery of the narrator’s identity and lets her introduce some uncertainty in the form of two unreliable narrators.
Even if the book is titled The Vanishing Witch Maitland never comes right out and confirms or denies whether there truly is witchcraft in the book or whether it is all done with the power of suggestion. I thought this was masterfully done and I enjoyed puzzling over it. There is certainly a sense of the supernatural to the narrative due to the unidentified narrator being a ghost, yet the magic in the book could theoretically all be reasoned away with more mundane explanations. Maitland manages to keep the possible identity of the titular witch nebulous too, leaving the reader to decide whether the women in the book are all or none of them witches.
At the heart of The Vanishing Witch is the family of Robert of Bassingham. His infatuation and eventual marriage to the Widow Catlin sets in motion a chain of events that will lead to heartbreak, death and grief for his entire family. While Robert isn't a bad man in essence, he lets himself be blinded by Catlin and go through what is essentially a mid-life crisis. He was a sympathetic character, but also very frustrating. His sons Jan and Adam as far more easily likeable and I enjoyed the way Maitland developed them, especially Adam. My favourite members of the original Bassingham household, however, were the servants Beata and Tenney. Through their long service with the family there seems to be a strong sense of loyalty and belonging on their part, which was echoed in Adam's trust in Beata. On the other hand, Maitland takes care to show the huge gap that existed between merchants such as Robert, people in positions of what we’d call middle management such as the overseer Fulk, and the regular workers like the boatmen, who while freemen are subject to the whim of their masters, demonstrating that the class system was already deeply ingrained in society and had already created fertile ground for the poll tax that seeded the Peasants' Revolt.
The new additions to Robert's family, Catlin and her children Edward and Leonia are simultaneously cast as victims and villains depending on whose point of view we're in. Robert only sees the good in them, at least in Catlin and Leonia, while Jan, Beata, and Adam are deeply distrustful of them. Maitland skilfully employs Catlin's point of view to keep the reader in suspense as to her true intentions, only revealing Catlin's full hand late in the game. The character in the book I found most disturbing was Leonia. Ostensibly a beautiful, innocent young girl on the cusp of womanhood, she has many secrets and is far more cunning than any fourteen-year-old should be and her treatment of Adam and Robert was quite creepy at times.
While the main story deals with Catlin and Robert, I found the chapters dealing with the boatman Gunter and his family very compelling and I really felt for Gunter. Here is a man who tries to do everything right, to care for his family and be a decent human being and he’s being worked over by the system left, right, and centre. It was his tale that made the reasons for the Peasants’ Revolt tangible and immediate. The poll tax and the way the commissioners double-checking the entrants abused their positions, especially as regards the young girls in a household, felt so unfair and made people so powerless, it is hard to see how they couldn’t have risen again the ruling class. The Peasants' Revolt is a fascinating event in English history and it made a wonderful backdrop for Maitland's story, interweaving the supernatural and historic, letting the latter serve as plausible explanations for what would otherwise have to be designated witchcraft.
The Vanishing Witch is set in a fascinating era and Karen Maitland tells a fabulous story. I really enjoyed The Vanishing Witch; it offered drama, pathos, and more than a hint of mystery. If you like the intersection between historical fiction and the supernatural, this is a story you definitely shouldn’t miss.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
August 2, 2014
I confess, I haven't read any of Maitlands previous books, what drew me to The Vanishing Witch was the synopsis, being the history nerd that I am! And who can resist anything implying witchcraft?!
In the pages of The Vanishing Witch we dive headfirst in to the reign of Richard II, a true boy King, but unfortunately his reign is a tad bit troubled, with the poor facing some incredibly hard times when the poll tax takes the poor and makes them poorer. Not a fantastic time to live in, one could say. Hardly surprising that the poor rose up and riots broke out, with peasants fighting back, including one of our characters, Gunter.
While Gunter and his son become embroiled in the riots and we see the harsher side of life in 1380, we also see how the other half life. Gunter's boss, a wealthy wool merchant, happens to meet Widow Catlin, and it's not long before he's thoroughly enchanted, and his poor wife suddenly takes ill. Then promptly dies. With his son Jan crying murder, and Robert deaf to anything negative about Catlin, things aren't gonna be good! With a strange man following him, and seeing treachery everywhere, not to mention strange deaths everywhere, Robert comes to believe the only people he can trust are Catlin and her odd daughter. But all is not as it seems, some people aren't who they appear to be, and some aren't quite as innocent as they want you to believe.
Yes I know, I could have worded that clearer or made it clearer, but it's so hard to do so without some major spoilers going down! Anyways, we see a year of their lives, and the action is mostly centered around Lincoln with a brief jaunt to London.
I really enjoyed how we had the main story of Robert and Catlin and all that entailed, and seeing what life was like for the wealthy merchant, as well as how certain events effected him, and then having the side story of his employee, sort of, woven in to it showing how things where for the poorer half and how circumstances effected them.Both stories where perfectly woven together, with the characters each being crucial to the other at one point, but mostly having not much interaction despite being in the same world.
I just loved how you got two vastly different perspectives of what life was like at the time, and it was a huge insight. Although it was sometimes a slightly brutal insight, the book doesn't romanticize the time like so many do, we're treated to all the gritty details, some of which involving the revolt, are quite grim to say the least. Not to mention how you see how easily neighbours with grudges can go very badly when events such as in the book are going on.
Right from the opening pages, you're drawn straight in by the atmospheric writing and the world being woven, not to mention the curious little legend/myth right at the beginning which sets the tone of the book quite nicely. If that doesn't hook you, then the sufficiently creepy prologue will! As soon as you read you just have to know what happens next? Who is that man? and so on.
One of the things I loved about the book was how all the chapters had little tips/lore/whatever you wanna call it at the top, some of which where really interesting, this one, for example:
"If a storm is raging, it may be stilled if a woman strips herself naked and presents her body to the storm. For this reason figure-heads of bare-breasted women are often set on the prow of a ship to still the waves and abate the tempest."
I mean that one in particular I found fascinating, as I guess I'd never really questioned what the deal was with the ships having those figure-heads. Then there are others such as:
"If you fear that you are in the presence of a witch, clench both your hands into fists with the thumbs tucked under your fingers. Then she cannot enchant your mind"
Ones such as that really helped to plunge you in to the time, and the way of thinking of the characters and generally of people at the time. And again it was a fascinating look in to a world long lost to us. The chapter headers further help to draw you in to the world and times, as well as introduce you to the superstitions!
The story was fast paced, the flow smooth and the narrative engaging, with the chapters all being relatively small, so it's quite easy to zoom through it. The world was suitably crafted to give you a sense of what it was like, and as I said, the writing was very atmospheric throughout.
The characters are all fleshed out, and interesting, and at points you think you know a character, and then you discover something about them or that they did and you're like "oookay maybe not", they all have different faces shall we say?
I loved the sense of mystery the entire time you're reading, personally, I thought the book was going in one direction and then it abruptly went in another, the plot twists where truly OMG worthy. I mean, one of them, I'd kind of guessed, but I was like no it can't be, and I was trying to work out who else it could be, and then I was like "no way I was right whaaaatt". Each twists is a surprise and a shock.
From the very beginning you just read about Catlin and you can hear Snape in the back of your mind going "people might think you're.....up...to something". Seriously. As you read, Catlin's facade gradually melts away and you see her true colours, and find out more about her she goes from mildly suspicious to straight up biatch. Edward isn't even sly with his murderous intentions! I didn't suspect what he was up to at all, I just thought...well that he was lazy, I suppose?
In the pages of The Vanishing Witch we dive headfirst in to the reign of Richard II, a true boy King, but unfortunately his reign is a tad bit troubled, with the poor facing some incredibly hard times when the poll tax takes the poor and makes them poorer. Not a fantastic time to live in, one could say. Hardly surprising that the poor rose up and riots broke out, with peasants fighting back, including one of our characters, Gunter.
While Gunter and his son become embroiled in the riots and we see the harsher side of life in 1380, we also see how the other half life. Gunter's boss, a wealthy wool merchant, happens to meet Widow Catlin, and it's not long before he's thoroughly enchanted, and his poor wife suddenly takes ill. Then promptly dies. With his son Jan crying murder, and Robert deaf to anything negative about Catlin, things aren't gonna be good! With a strange man following him, and seeing treachery everywhere, not to mention strange deaths everywhere, Robert comes to believe the only people he can trust are Catlin and her odd daughter. But all is not as it seems, some people aren't who they appear to be, and some aren't quite as innocent as they want you to believe.
Yes I know, I could have worded that clearer or made it clearer, but it's so hard to do so without some major spoilers going down! Anyways, we see a year of their lives, and the action is mostly centered around Lincoln with a brief jaunt to London.
I really enjoyed how we had the main story of Robert and Catlin and all that entailed, and seeing what life was like for the wealthy merchant, as well as how certain events effected him, and then having the side story of his employee, sort of, woven in to it showing how things where for the poorer half and how circumstances effected them.Both stories where perfectly woven together, with the characters each being crucial to the other at one point, but mostly having not much interaction despite being in the same world.
I just loved how you got two vastly different perspectives of what life was like at the time, and it was a huge insight. Although it was sometimes a slightly brutal insight, the book doesn't romanticize the time like so many do, we're treated to all the gritty details, some of which involving the revolt, are quite grim to say the least. Not to mention how you see how easily neighbours with grudges can go very badly when events such as in the book are going on.
Right from the opening pages, you're drawn straight in by the atmospheric writing and the world being woven, not to mention the curious little legend/myth right at the beginning which sets the tone of the book quite nicely. If that doesn't hook you, then the sufficiently creepy prologue will! As soon as you read you just have to know what happens next? Who is that man? and so on.
One of the things I loved about the book was how all the chapters had little tips/lore/whatever you wanna call it at the top, some of which where really interesting, this one, for example:
"If a storm is raging, it may be stilled if a woman strips herself naked and presents her body to the storm. For this reason figure-heads of bare-breasted women are often set on the prow of a ship to still the waves and abate the tempest."
I mean that one in particular I found fascinating, as I guess I'd never really questioned what the deal was with the ships having those figure-heads. Then there are others such as:
"If you fear that you are in the presence of a witch, clench both your hands into fists with the thumbs tucked under your fingers. Then she cannot enchant your mind"
Ones such as that really helped to plunge you in to the time, and the way of thinking of the characters and generally of people at the time. And again it was a fascinating look in to a world long lost to us. The chapter headers further help to draw you in to the world and times, as well as introduce you to the superstitions!
The story was fast paced, the flow smooth and the narrative engaging, with the chapters all being relatively small, so it's quite easy to zoom through it. The world was suitably crafted to give you a sense of what it was like, and as I said, the writing was very atmospheric throughout.
The characters are all fleshed out, and interesting, and at points you think you know a character, and then you discover something about them or that they did and you're like "oookay maybe not", they all have different faces shall we say?
I loved the sense of mystery the entire time you're reading, personally, I thought the book was going in one direction and then it abruptly went in another, the plot twists where truly OMG worthy. I mean, one of them, I'd kind of guessed, but I was like no it can't be, and I was trying to work out who else it could be, and then I was like "no way I was right whaaaatt". Each twists is a surprise and a shock.
From the very beginning you just read about Catlin and you can hear Snape in the back of your mind going "people might think you're.....up...to something". Seriously. As you read, Catlin's facade gradually melts away and you see her true colours, and find out more about her she goes from mildly suspicious to straight up biatch. Edward isn't even sly with his murderous intentions! I didn't suspect what he was up to at all, I just thought...well that he was lazy, I suppose?
October 23, 2014
This review comes with many thanks to the lovely people at Book Bridgr and Headline Press for allowing me to read the latest novel by one of my favourite authors, Karen Maitland. As fans of the author will know, she is a wonder at combining the turbulent times of the Middle Ages with a little bit of the supernatural, a recipe that always results in a gritty historical mystery that never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat. This latest offering is set in the 14th century in the city of Lincoln against the backdrop of the Peasants’ Revolt. Richard II is on the throne and poverty is rife across England so what does our King do to assist those in need? Well, listen to his trusted advisor John of Gaunt of course and introduce a new tax to be paid for every person over fifteen years of age in a household. Furthermore, the way in which the King’s Commissioners went about checking to see whether someone was over fifteen years was so lewd and crass that it is no surprise the peasants revolted!
Our foray into the medieval involves a host of wonderful and wacky characters, laid out for us at the beginning of the book by the author under the heading Cast Of Characters (obviously). This always fills me with slight trepidation as there seem to be so many to contend with, but like her other novels, Maitland tends to focus in depth on a select few. In The Vanishing Witch we learn about two families on either side of the poverty scale, the first a boatman called Gunter, happily married and living with his family just outside the city. He ekes a living by transporting cargo from place to place with the help of his son. The new tax really hits his family hard, being in quite dire straits to begin with, and their quest for survival is prominent throughout the novel.
The head of the family on the opposite side of the scale is a wealthy wool merchant called Robert who is married to Edith and they have two sons, Jan the elder, confident and brash, who will take over the family business in time and Adam, scholarly and quiet. Robert’s troubles first begin when he is approached for advice from recently widowed Caitlin. Poor Robert practically bursts with pride at the attention Caitlin shows him and as Edith becomes seriously unwell, torn between his loyalties to his wife and gullible to her womanly wiles, he allows Caitlin to slowly worm her way into his life, eventually becoming his wife when Edith dies. She brings along two children of her own, Leonia and Edward, the former casting her own spell over Robert’s young and impressionable son, Adam. Can Caitlin be trusted? What is her motive for integrating herself with Robert’s family? Is there something a bit spookier i.e. witchcraft going on?
I have so much praise for this novel I hardly know where to start! I loved the way that the author transported us to medieval England with so much authenticity that I could almost smell the streets, hear the noises and taste the swill. Prior to every chapter Maitland gives the reader a glimpse back into history with anti-witchcraft charms and spells that come directly from medieval writings and grimoires (medieval spell books). Here’s a taster of one of many that stood out to me:
“If a family member goes on a long journey, a bottle of their urine or their knife is hung on the wall. If the urine remains clear, or the blade bright, they are well. If the urine becomes cloudy or the blade tarnished, they are ill or in danger. If the urine dries or the knife falls or breaks, they are dead.”
I enjoyed every character in this book for different reasons. Some were so damn unlikeable, like Edward, that I had to keep reading to see whether they would get their come-uppance. Others, like Caitlin’s daughter Leonia, or the strange man dressed as a friar who begins to follow Robert, I was so intrigued by that I had to know their story. Friend or foe? You get the picture, I just had to know. The author certainly does not make it an easy journey for the reader and I was continually confused (in a good way!) over who to trust as page by page, a different secret emerges. Medieval England comes to life all over again in the safe hands and imagination of a fantastic author who not only knows what she’s talking about but makes it so exciting too!
Please see my full review at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Our foray into the medieval involves a host of wonderful and wacky characters, laid out for us at the beginning of the book by the author under the heading Cast Of Characters (obviously). This always fills me with slight trepidation as there seem to be so many to contend with, but like her other novels, Maitland tends to focus in depth on a select few. In The Vanishing Witch we learn about two families on either side of the poverty scale, the first a boatman called Gunter, happily married and living with his family just outside the city. He ekes a living by transporting cargo from place to place with the help of his son. The new tax really hits his family hard, being in quite dire straits to begin with, and their quest for survival is prominent throughout the novel.
The head of the family on the opposite side of the scale is a wealthy wool merchant called Robert who is married to Edith and they have two sons, Jan the elder, confident and brash, who will take over the family business in time and Adam, scholarly and quiet. Robert’s troubles first begin when he is approached for advice from recently widowed Caitlin. Poor Robert practically bursts with pride at the attention Caitlin shows him and as Edith becomes seriously unwell, torn between his loyalties to his wife and gullible to her womanly wiles, he allows Caitlin to slowly worm her way into his life, eventually becoming his wife when Edith dies. She brings along two children of her own, Leonia and Edward, the former casting her own spell over Robert’s young and impressionable son, Adam. Can Caitlin be trusted? What is her motive for integrating herself with Robert’s family? Is there something a bit spookier i.e. witchcraft going on?
I have so much praise for this novel I hardly know where to start! I loved the way that the author transported us to medieval England with so much authenticity that I could almost smell the streets, hear the noises and taste the swill. Prior to every chapter Maitland gives the reader a glimpse back into history with anti-witchcraft charms and spells that come directly from medieval writings and grimoires (medieval spell books). Here’s a taster of one of many that stood out to me:
“If a family member goes on a long journey, a bottle of their urine or their knife is hung on the wall. If the urine remains clear, or the blade bright, they are well. If the urine becomes cloudy or the blade tarnished, they are ill or in danger. If the urine dries or the knife falls or breaks, they are dead.”
I enjoyed every character in this book for different reasons. Some were so damn unlikeable, like Edward, that I had to keep reading to see whether they would get their come-uppance. Others, like Caitlin’s daughter Leonia, or the strange man dressed as a friar who begins to follow Robert, I was so intrigued by that I had to know their story. Friend or foe? You get the picture, I just had to know. The author certainly does not make it an easy journey for the reader and I was continually confused (in a good way!) over who to trust as page by page, a different secret emerges. Medieval England comes to life all over again in the safe hands and imagination of a fantastic author who not only knows what she’s talking about but makes it so exciting too!
Please see my full review at http://www.bibliobeth.com
August 8, 2014
*I received a copy of this novel as a goodreads giveaway*
I approached this having never read a novel by Karen Maitland before, whilst having heard many good things about her novels, particularly Company Of Liars . So, I was pretty excited to win this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely like to read more by her.
The story takes place predominantly in Lincoln between September 1380 and September 1381. Although this period spans most of the peasant’s revolt and the synopsis refers to this, this played a smaller part in the story than I was really expecting. There is quite a large cast of characters, but much of the story focuses on Robert of Bassingham, a wealthy and respected wool merchant, who has two sons, Jan and Adam, with his wife Edith. When Caitlin, a seemingly wealthy and attractive widow, arrives in town and seeks his advice he is immensely flattered and the pair become close. However, it isn’t long before some start to grow suspicious of her intentions and as people start dying it seems that witchcraft could be at work.
We learn mostly about the peasant’s revolt and the circumstances which lead to it through the secondary character of Gunter, a painfully poor yet honest river boatman, who often struggles to find work and support his family. When a higher rent and increased poll tax are applied, we see him face increasing difficulty and we also see the egregious methods that were used to try and force people into paying up. All of which slowly creating the mood which spurred the peasant’s revolt.
In addition to this we meet Edward and Leonia - Caitlin’s children, Beata and Tenney - the servants in Robert’s household and Goodwin, a mysterious beggar who seems to be hanging around the family. In short, the ensemble of characters is varied and wide, which gives us quite a broad insight into life in the time period.
Throughout the novel we also have a mysterious omniscient and omnipresent narrator, whose identity we do eventually find out and it makes for quite a surprising reveal. I had more or less resolved myself to the opinion that the narrator was simply a storytelling device and we would not learn their identity, but we do and it’s a very clever and very interesting twist at the end of the story, which does change how we look back on previous events.
My biggest criticism would be leveled at around the first one hundred pages or so, which start of a little bit slowly, as not a lot really happens in this time, but this is mostly because Maitland is busy introducing her characters and setting up plot threads. The overall pay off for this, is that we are rewarded with characters of real depth, who continue to surprise us as we learn more and more about them as the novel progresses. No one is wholly good or wholly bad and Maitland does an excellent job of making us question who we can trust. Is there a witch among them? Who is safe? There are plenty of suspicions, even amongst the characters themselves, and Maitland hints slowly at these answers, crafting a very gripping story.
Each chapter is also prefaced by a small extract taken from a medieval source, typically these relate to beliefs concerning witchcraft, superstitions of the time, or something that will happen in the following chapter and this was a very nice touch. Plenty could be looked on with modern eyes and be seen now as just being so ridiculous (there were several I shared for amusement purposes), but this also helped to set the atmosphere and show the prevailing mood of the time period.
Overall, a novel firmly deserving of 4.5*, rounded to 5.
I approached this having never read a novel by Karen Maitland before, whilst having heard many good things about her novels, particularly Company Of Liars . So, I was pretty excited to win this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely like to read more by her.
The story takes place predominantly in Lincoln between September 1380 and September 1381. Although this period spans most of the peasant’s revolt and the synopsis refers to this, this played a smaller part in the story than I was really expecting. There is quite a large cast of characters, but much of the story focuses on Robert of Bassingham, a wealthy and respected wool merchant, who has two sons, Jan and Adam, with his wife Edith. When Caitlin, a seemingly wealthy and attractive widow, arrives in town and seeks his advice he is immensely flattered and the pair become close. However, it isn’t long before some start to grow suspicious of her intentions and as people start dying it seems that witchcraft could be at work.
We learn mostly about the peasant’s revolt and the circumstances which lead to it through the secondary character of Gunter, a painfully poor yet honest river boatman, who often struggles to find work and support his family. When a higher rent and increased poll tax are applied, we see him face increasing difficulty and we also see the egregious methods that were used to try and force people into paying up. All of which slowly creating the mood which spurred the peasant’s revolt.
In addition to this we meet Edward and Leonia - Caitlin’s children, Beata and Tenney - the servants in Robert’s household and Goodwin, a mysterious beggar who seems to be hanging around the family. In short, the ensemble of characters is varied and wide, which gives us quite a broad insight into life in the time period.
Throughout the novel we also have a mysterious omniscient and omnipresent narrator, whose identity we do eventually find out and it makes for quite a surprising reveal. I had more or less resolved myself to the opinion that the narrator was simply a storytelling device and we would not learn their identity, but we do and it’s a very clever and very interesting twist at the end of the story, which does change how we look back on previous events.
My biggest criticism would be leveled at around the first one hundred pages or so, which start of a little bit slowly, as not a lot really happens in this time, but this is mostly because Maitland is busy introducing her characters and setting up plot threads. The overall pay off for this, is that we are rewarded with characters of real depth, who continue to surprise us as we learn more and more about them as the novel progresses. No one is wholly good or wholly bad and Maitland does an excellent job of making us question who we can trust. Is there a witch among them? Who is safe? There are plenty of suspicions, even amongst the characters themselves, and Maitland hints slowly at these answers, crafting a very gripping story.
Each chapter is also prefaced by a small extract taken from a medieval source, typically these relate to beliefs concerning witchcraft, superstitions of the time, or something that will happen in the following chapter and this was a very nice touch. Plenty could be looked on with modern eyes and be seen now as just being so ridiculous (there were several I shared for amusement purposes), but this also helped to set the atmosphere and show the prevailing mood of the time period.
Overall, a novel firmly deserving of 4.5*, rounded to 5.
July 7, 2014
The previous other book that I had read by Karen Maitland was "A Company of Liars." I remembered her ability to weave a gripping story and produce a page turner of a historical novel, which is not always easy to do.
This book, like A Company of Liars has many strong and memorable characters. The book starts with the telling of the tale of a young maid called Aethelind set in a time 700 years before the timeline of the book. There is relevance to a later part of the book in it's telling. Moreover it sets the tone of the story. A tale steeped in blood, tragedy and supernatural.
The story mainly set in Lincoln and partly in London. It's told from the point of view of several of the main characters, one rather mysterious ghost whose identity you do not discover until almost the end was the most intriguing. Also added to the pot is the Peasants Revolt and you have all sections of society. A poor boatman called Gunter, a strange ragged man called Godwin, the scheming widow Catlin and her "children" Loyal servants, a doting wife and many victims of circumstance as well as position.
The writing paints a vivid tale of the grind of life in those times and how easily you can slip from prosperity to poverty. The angle of the peasants revolt interested me as I live in a village where the "Essex Men" were supposed to have marched through on their way to London to confront the King. You feel the horror of the revolt and the summary executions that took place during it. A Karen Maitland book is always a feast of words.
A nice touch is at the start of each chapter there are lore and anti-witchcraft charms written from the medieval times. It amazes you to think that they believed these signs and superstitions really worked. There are historical notes and the timeline of the Peasants revolt at the back of the book, as well as a helpful glossary of terms you might be unfamiliar with.
In conclusion, it is a story of many lives who touch each other and where things are not always as they first appear. If you loved Karen Maitland's other books, you will enjoy this too. I know it's a cliché, but this really was a page turner full of fascinating characters.
This book, like A Company of Liars has many strong and memorable characters. The book starts with the telling of the tale of a young maid called Aethelind set in a time 700 years before the timeline of the book. There is relevance to a later part of the book in it's telling. Moreover it sets the tone of the story. A tale steeped in blood, tragedy and supernatural.
The story mainly set in Lincoln and partly in London. It's told from the point of view of several of the main characters, one rather mysterious ghost whose identity you do not discover until almost the end was the most intriguing. Also added to the pot is the Peasants Revolt and you have all sections of society. A poor boatman called Gunter, a strange ragged man called Godwin, the scheming widow Catlin and her "children" Loyal servants, a doting wife and many victims of circumstance as well as position.
The writing paints a vivid tale of the grind of life in those times and how easily you can slip from prosperity to poverty. The angle of the peasants revolt interested me as I live in a village where the "Essex Men" were supposed to have marched through on their way to London to confront the King. You feel the horror of the revolt and the summary executions that took place during it. A Karen Maitland book is always a feast of words.
A nice touch is at the start of each chapter there are lore and anti-witchcraft charms written from the medieval times. It amazes you to think that they believed these signs and superstitions really worked. There are historical notes and the timeline of the Peasants revolt at the back of the book, as well as a helpful glossary of terms you might be unfamiliar with.
In conclusion, it is a story of many lives who touch each other and where things are not always as they first appear. If you loved Karen Maitland's other books, you will enjoy this too. I know it's a cliché, but this really was a page turner full of fascinating characters.
August 14, 2014
In The Vanishing Witch, the authentic feel of medieval England comes alive in a tale which thrives on intrigue and superstition. Effortlessly weaving supernatural elements with historical fact, the interpretation of the peasant’s revolt from its ungainly beginning in 1380, runs alongside the story of Robert of Bassingham, a wealthy Lincolnshire wool merchant, whose unwise relationship with an inscrutable widow, will have far reaching consequences. And, as the rich get richer, the disenchanted poor decide that the time to fight back is coming sooner rather than later.
Maitland’s command of the story really shines throughout the narrative. Beautifully written with an uncanny eye for detail, the peasant’s heroic struggles are convincingly portrayed and the complex nature of the story allows the multifaceted characters to evolve at their own pace. The stories they tell, their hidden secrets and mammoth lies, all coalesce to reveal an intricate novel in which treachery and heartless injustice walk hand in hand with the complexity of medieval life. There is never any part of the narrative that doesn’t transport you back to a time of ancient superstition, when danger is glimpsed on every street corner, and where dark and dangerous forces linger in the grey and gloomy alleyways of our medieval towns and cities.
Walking the medieval streets of Lincoln in the company of Karen Maitland is like stepping from a superior time travel machine, and even though you know that the world outside your door belongs to the 21st century, your mind is easily convinced that medieval England actually co-exists in the here and now. And lingering like a shadow in the darkness, you hear the muffled voice of a stranger calling for help, the mist swirls over the river and in your imagination the year 1380 has just begun.
Read an interview with the author and for the chance to win a copy of The Vanishing Witch please visit my book blog...
http://jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk/2...
My thanks to newbooks and Headline for my review copy of this book.
Maitland’s command of the story really shines throughout the narrative. Beautifully written with an uncanny eye for detail, the peasant’s heroic struggles are convincingly portrayed and the complex nature of the story allows the multifaceted characters to evolve at their own pace. The stories they tell, their hidden secrets and mammoth lies, all coalesce to reveal an intricate novel in which treachery and heartless injustice walk hand in hand with the complexity of medieval life. There is never any part of the narrative that doesn’t transport you back to a time of ancient superstition, when danger is glimpsed on every street corner, and where dark and dangerous forces linger in the grey and gloomy alleyways of our medieval towns and cities.
Walking the medieval streets of Lincoln in the company of Karen Maitland is like stepping from a superior time travel machine, and even though you know that the world outside your door belongs to the 21st century, your mind is easily convinced that medieval England actually co-exists in the here and now. And lingering like a shadow in the darkness, you hear the muffled voice of a stranger calling for help, the mist swirls over the river and in your imagination the year 1380 has just begun.
Read an interview with the author and for the chance to win a copy of The Vanishing Witch please visit my book blog...
http://jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk/2...
My thanks to newbooks and Headline for my review copy of this book.
January 28, 2016
http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2016/0...
I enjoy historical and paranormal novels so finding these genres in one story was always going to draw me in. The balance between the ordinary and the witchcraft was just right ensuring I was intrigued enough to keep turning those pages while becoming a part of the story myself.
Robert of Bassingham, newly elected master to the Guild of Merchants, looks out of the Guildhall and sees a woman wearing clothes made from the finest cloth and so his fate is sealed. Mistress Caitlin is not all she appears to be and weaves her way into Robert and his wife Edith's life. In Greetwell we follow Gunter as he punts his deliveries and tries to be a protector for his family. There's another narration that intrigued me (I didn't guess the link!) and an ambiguous figure who keeps turning up. Beta's narration (Robert's maid) was really interesting too.
I loved the history - the Flemish, poll tax, the uprisings. Everything felt very authentic and engaged my imagination. In my proof copy the author has added historical notes (and a glossary) which readers may find useful.
The witchery made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The weather and settings add to the 'darkness' and there are quite a few scenes that had my pulse racing. I loved the weather-lore and anti-witchcraft spells at the start of the months/chapters. Some I had heard of but most were new to me.
The Vanishing Witch was almost a keeper for me. I had worked out one particular relationship and so those scenes didn't hold the same curiosity as they would have done. It's a gloriously dark read in a world where although a totally different place than today still has the same emotions. I can guarantee you will identify with the characters. One for your wish list.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy historical and paranormal novels so finding these genres in one story was always going to draw me in. The balance between the ordinary and the witchcraft was just right ensuring I was intrigued enough to keep turning those pages while becoming a part of the story myself.
Robert of Bassingham, newly elected master to the Guild of Merchants, looks out of the Guildhall and sees a woman wearing clothes made from the finest cloth and so his fate is sealed. Mistress Caitlin is not all she appears to be and weaves her way into Robert and his wife Edith's life. In Greetwell we follow Gunter as he punts his deliveries and tries to be a protector for his family. There's another narration that intrigued me (I didn't guess the link!) and an ambiguous figure who keeps turning up. Beta's narration (Robert's maid) was really interesting too.
I loved the history - the Flemish, poll tax, the uprisings. Everything felt very authentic and engaged my imagination. In my proof copy the author has added historical notes (and a glossary) which readers may find useful.
The witchery made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The weather and settings add to the 'darkness' and there are quite a few scenes that had my pulse racing. I loved the weather-lore and anti-witchcraft spells at the start of the months/chapters. Some I had heard of but most were new to me.
The Vanishing Witch was almost a keeper for me. I had worked out one particular relationship and so those scenes didn't hold the same curiosity as they would have done. It's a gloriously dark read in a world where although a totally different place than today still has the same emotions. I can guarantee you will identify with the characters. One for your wish list.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2014
Published by Headline Review in paperback, trade paperback and hardback.
Hardback ISBN: 9781472215000
I am very glad to be able to say that Karen Maitland is a good friend. Still, this is not a log-rolling exercise.
I have a very simple policy when it comes to books. I do not like to give positive reviews to books I personally did not enjoy. Equally, the fact that I dislike a book is not a reason to believe that others would not be delighted by it. Different strokes for different folks is particularly true when it comes to books, because our own enjoyment of a book is entirely subjective. So, if I really dislike a book, I won't review it.
However, this book is one I find it easy to rave about.
It begins with the life of a punter on the River Witham, a man called Gunter. From there it goes to look at a wealthy man and his comfortable existence in Lincoln, considering his children, his wife, describing his business and how his business is affected by thefts of his goods. And then a woman arrives in town, a young widow called Catlin.
You are taken, as the reader, into their world with a wonderful ease that brings Lincoln to life at the turbulent times of the Peasant's Revolt. The story moves from one character's point of view to another with a fluid logic that leads the reader on a journey through the internal thoughts and feelings of all the protagonists, and the whole time the darker themes develop. There is a real sense of growing intimidation and lurking malevolence in the story that is unsettling, but utterly enthralling. You cannot put the book down until the last pages, and when you do, the story remains imprinted on your memory.
This is a story of violence and cruelty which is interwoven at every stage with the power of magic and the supernatural. Karen Maitland has a fabulous skill, bringing to life the fears and superstitions of a bygone age, and in this story she has excelled herself.
I thoroughly recommend this book.
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