The Witches' Kitchen

The Life and Times of Corban Loosestrife #2

by Cecelia Holland

Corban Loosestrife's life changed one clear morning years ago, when he returned from hunting to his family steading in Ireland and found it destroyed by Vikings and his father, mother, and brothers, slain. But his twin sister Mav was not among the dead, and so he knew that she had been taken as a slave. Corban set out to find her and redeem her, if he could, and in doing so became a man. Corban found his sister through blood and battle, now the property of the sorcerous Lady of Hedeby and pregnant with Eric Bloodaxe's child, gotten in rape. Corban took his revenge; he killed Eric, then the King of Jorvik, and in doing so he became bound in the net of alliances and blood debt that marked the battles for kingship among the Vikings.

Upon the death of Eric Bloodaxe, Corban Loosestrife and his wife Benna fled into the west with Corban's sister Mav and her son. There they made a home for themselves in Vinland, hunting, fishing, raising crops to support themselves and their growing family. There they were happy, until one day when a ship appeared on the horizon, bringing Benna's sister and her husband, bringing a summons to Corban to return to Jorvik and intrigues of those who would be King.

With Corban goes his son Conn and his sister-son Raef, young men now, ready to prove themselves in war. Waiting for them in Denmark is Gunnhild Kings-mother, a woman of great power, who was Eric's wife. Her son Harald Ericsson is now King of Norway, and he has become a Christian. In Jorvik, there is no King, just an Archbishop who owes fealty to Harald. And in Hedeby there awaits the unquiet spirit of the Lady, to whom Corban swore an oath.

It is a clash of clan against clan, and army against army, in the coming war of succession, while the new power of the Christ strives with the ancient worship of Thor. Corban must tread a careful path between those who hate him, and those would be his ally, while concealing Raef's true parentage. And meanwhile, in Vinland, the native tribes are eyeing Corban's fortified island, and wondering if the strangers can finally be driven away.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fantasy

384 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2004

About the author

Pen name used by Elizabeth Eliot Carter.

Cecelia Holland is one of the world's most highly acclaimed and respected historical novelists, ranked by many alongside other giants in that field such as Mary Renault and Larry McMurtry. Over the span of her thirty year career, she's written almost thirty historical novels, including The Firedrake, Rakessy, Two Ravens, Ghost on the Steppe, Death of Attila, Hammer For Princes, The King's Road, Pillar of the Sky, The Lords of Vaumartin, Pacific Street, Sea Beggars, The Earl, The King in Winter, The Belt of Gold, The Serpent Dreamer, The High City, Kings of the North, and a series of fantasy novels, including The Soul Thief, The Witches Kitchen, The Serpent Dreamer, and Varanger. She also wrote the well-known science fiction novel Floating Worlds, which was nominated for a Locus Award in 1975. Her most recent book is a new fantasy novel, Dragon Heart.

Reviews

[Dameon Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful historical fiction, with some slight elements of pagan mysticism. Northwest Europe, circa ninth century, is in upheaval, both political and religious. Corban Loosestrife, the hero of the preceding novel 'The Soul Thief', has tried to abandon the uncertainty and bloodshed of Europe by moving to the New World, where he and his wife, sister, and four children occupy a small coastal island. Corban has a tenuous but peaceful relationship with the neighboring indigenous tribe. In the late spring, Ulf arrives with Corban's sister-in-law, Arre, and Arre's husband Euan, who has become a successful merchant back in Jorvik (York, England). When a warlike native tribe from the West comes to terrorize Corban's family and neighbors, Corban realizes that he has brought with him to the New World a sinister blood omen, which can be lifted only by returning to Denmark and tying up the loose ends he had left fifteen years earlier.

He sets out to Europe with his son Conn and Mav's son, Raef. Quickly, they are tied up in the political and tactical intrigue of the kings and bishops of England, Norway, Denmark, and even Germany. Corban's name has become something of legend in the time that he has been gone. He is regarded as a powerful wizard, and as such he is treated as a commodity, looked upon with both awe and suspicion. Meanwhile, Conn and Raef join a fledgling company led by Sweyn, a young man who claims to be the son of the king. Conn and Raef both adjust from life on the small coastal island to continental life, along with all the threats and opportunities entailed by life in the city and in war.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read; however, you must be open (as I am) to slight elements of mysticism in your historical fiction. (Who is to say that pagan magic didn't die out with the spread of Christianity across north Europe?) I suppose that my only gripe is that after the first Act, the events of the novel never return to the island in the New World. However, it is possible that this strand will be tied up in the next novel of the series, 'The Serpent Dreamer'.

On a side note, I charitably assume that Ms. Holland was not the one to sign off on the novel's cover art. I believe that Viking helmets did not actually have horns on them; that is a fictional convention which arose in opera.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the first book in the series, Soul Thief, but I found this one even more interesting. On to The Serpent Dreamer.

[Randal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a long time to get into this one ... not sure if that's because it's the second of a series and I hadn't read the first or what. I didn't find the whole Svenska Family Robinson thing believable. There is a significant drop-off in the depth of the native characters from that of the norsemen. The natives are pretty much typecast inscrutable ... one noble savage and one bloodthirsty, but both feel like they are following those roles more than any individual characteristics. That bothered me more from a readability standpoint than as a PC thing but readers looking for a good first-contact tale should look elsewhere.
I'm glad I stuck with it, though, as the court intrigue and naval battles back in Europe were good. The weak point here again was that the antagonists are thinly drawn. Alan Rickman RIP would have had a field day playing Harald Bluetooth as portrayed by Holland and my mind's eye pretty much just inserted the actor who played Grima Wormtongue into the face of Eelmouth. I never even conjured a face for Hakon One-note, the Norwegian usurper. He and the shady bishop Poppo might as well have been called Generic Henchman 1 & 2.
I've listed this as fantasy as magic works to a degree. A few characters fly & scry and there's a fully functional ghost but there's no spellcasting as such.
Overall an entertaining read, not a classic. I would neither avoid nor seek out the rest of the series.

[Ginger Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf, want to finish

[Keith Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the series; at least as good as the first. Holland marries Vikings, magic, York, Denmark and the New World together in an exciting adventure. I enjoyed this a lot.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecelia Holland is one of my favorite authors. This series is particularly good!

[Sue Chant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't care for the first half in the Americas - it was dull and a bit obvious - but once back in Europe it picked up again.

[Ozymandias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 8 (epic and full of new discoveries)
Characters: 9 (distinct trio of leads with unique personalities)
Accuracy: 9 (generally accurate)

After being not very fond of the first book in this series I was pleasantly surprised to find this one much more enjoyable. I'm not completely sure what changed. The magic I found so out of place is still there, even more extreme in fact than last time. In addition to the sort of overwhelming mind powers we get ghosts and a woman who can turn into a hawk. Yet somehow it fits in better now. Possibly because it's no longer so relegated to the background it's a lot easier to accept. It seems an integral part of this world rather than some strange departure from it. It's used as part of this story rather than an often clumsy narrative hammer designed to force characters to behave in unreasonable ways. If I still have a problem with her handling of magic it's that it has no discernible rules, meaning that it can be used as a get out of jail free card to resolve problems in a way that seems anticlimactic. I'm not quite of the Brandon Sanderson school where all magic systems need clear and precisely defined rules, but for a situation to be resolved through magic in a satisfactory way you need to have some idea of the powers and limits it offers. Otherwise it's just a cheat.

Another big part of the book's success is the characters. I don't hate Corban, but his whole character seems based around a loathing for epic quests and high politics. Since both books are basically about exactly that it can be very frustrating to follow him around. But now he has two sons (or rather one son and a closet nephew) and they make all the difference. Conn (his birth son) absolutely craves adventure and battle. He yearns for glory. And that's the sort of thing you need in an adventure novel. A sense of fun. You get your doom and gloom too in the form of Raef (the nephew and illegitimate son of King Eric Bloodaxe), but unlike Corban he has a reason for going on all these adventures. He's tied to his brother and despite being a year older constantly tags along behind him. So we don't need to hear Corban's constant excuses for getting involved in big events, or his anger at every man around him. Together they form what Corban should have been: a dichotomy between a desire for adventure and a desire for calm and order. They're outsiders as well, American born and raised, so we get the outsiders' viewpoint this series seems to crave. Looking ahead to future books they seem to consistently remain outsiders, giving us tales set in North America, Russia, Byzantium, and southern England.

The novel also has a pretty clear narrative to tell. The first part is a bit fragmented as basically all that happens is Corban decides he has to leave their nice little American island and go back to Europe to pay wergeld for the (justified) murders he's committed. This narrative is completely unconnected with anything that happens in the rest of the novel and I don't completely get why it's there. Once they arrive in Denmark however, the boys immediately get themselves involved with Sweyn Harraldson, Harald Bluetooth's illegitimate son, and end up on a series of adventures as he seeks to claim the throne from his ruthless father. It's old-fashioned Viking heroics on a journey across Europe. Mixed in there is a lot of magic and mysticism as Corban and Raef are directed on their own quests; Corban to appease the spirits of those he's slain and Raef simply to accept his nature. The ending is ultimately satisfying (rare for a Holland novel) and leaves several directions for the series to pursue. The book feels increasingly confident in its use of magic and embraces being part of a larger series (while still resolving a self-contained narrative) in a way that the Soul Thief simply didn't. The book's not particularly deep, but it's all good fun and provides a pleasant adventure novel with good characters and larger-than-life scenarios.

[Vicki G]

I LIKED the first book. That's why I'm so surprised I DON'T like the second one.
I mean I liked every book in the Harry Potter series and I assume that, with most sequel books, the plot's going to continue in a sequential fashion; otherwise it would be kind of stupid to call it a sequel. You might as well call it a second book, not a sequel.

The main reason I don't like the book is the character Conn. He's not likable. In fact, he's hatable in every way I can imagine, and he has a ridiculous propensity for using violence every time someone doesn't agree with him or he just doesn't like something they say. And all you ever see of his character is the violent actions that seem to propel it through its daily life.
And, right now, I couldn't be in LESS of a mood to read about senseless death and destruction and violence. Especially after I've been told so repeatedly NOT to talk about anything violent, that hearing it from anyone else would feel similar to banging my head against a wall.
It always comes around to the same question: Why do people damn-near lust for death and destruction in their reading, but then turn around and hate it in real life?
I can understand that there would be a small difference between wanting to read it vs. knowing it exists in real life. I mean, I'd prefer that reading be the only way I know of it too.
But the difference in the intensity of their desire to read about and watch it on television is way disproportionate to how intensely they DON'T want it in their lives in even the smallest way. It's like opposite poles of the clime. They rabidly hate it in life and rabidly love it in their entertainment.
In this case, it's not going to be that a person both loves the crap out of televised and literary violence but acts like they want to shoot a person for mentioning that violence happened in their family. It really is as simple as liking both or neither. Or disliking both or neither.
But then, I'm speaking from the viewpoint of someone who was forced to watch while her daughter's dad was burned out of existence so effectively that they've never recovered evidence of 'earthly remains.'
So what do I really know about violence in my entertainment.
I wasn't the least bit entertained while watching that happen despite the fact that a popular author turned the watching of the towers falling into some little personal joke. (I say personal, b/c he's the only one, of the two of us, who thought it was funny.) Unless everybody finds a joke funny, I consider it a personal joke.
Anyway, the only violence I've ever been able to read about or watch is that which has a reason behind it. Like in 'The Lovely Bones,' where she concentrated on the victim and the family, and the murderer never got to be known for his crimes.
Which is more than I can say for the murderer of my daughter's dad who, like Hitler, will go down in history as someone who made a huge impact on the world while all his victims fade into obscurity. Where you'll only hear about THEM if you visit the memorial, but their names will pass out of history except for the memorial. Which people will have to seek out.
You don't seek out history books, they come to you.
I think that's the worst thing about violent death. The person who created the problem becomes remembered in history by their names: John Wayne Gacy, Mark David Chapman, Tedy Bundy, Charles Manson.
With the exception of the victim being famous already, in the case of John Lennon, no other victims' names are mentioned and I doubt they're even known. Like I said, you'd have to search further for them.
Now how in the world does it make a damn bit of sense to know all the names of murderers without even trying but nothing of the people they ripped away from their families?
IMO it doesn't make a lick of sense. Those people don't have the sense God gave paste, and they don't deserve to be remembered in history. IMO, which admittedly isn't a humble viewpoint.

[P. Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Circa the year 964. Corban Loosestrife, his wife Benna, their four children and Corban's half-mad sister Mav, are living on an island somewhere off the coast of the Americas. He brought his family there to escape the political machinations of his homeland in Ireland. Previously, (in The Soul Thief), nearly all his family was slaughtered by Vikings; his sister taken and raped by Eric Bloodaxe. Corban did what any sensible man of the 900s would do--he killed Bloodaxe to redeem his sister's honor.

This, however, ignited all manner of political upheaval, which Corban fled by moving to his cozy little island.

But even the long trip across the Atlantic isn't enough to keep his problems from following him. On a warm summer day, a ship arrives bringing his sister-in-law, Arre, and her husband, Euan. Euan has run afoul of the powers that be back home and he wants Corban to return and sort things out--somehow. Ultimately, Corban agrees to return, but mostly because he wants to settle some blood debt to someone, somehow--I don't know exactly why.

And therein lies my 3-star rating. The Witches' Kitchen starts off very strong, with Corban and his two sons out fishing in their leaky hide boat. They haul in a huge catch and the boat promptly starts to take on water. Bailing water--water red with fish blood--brings sharks. Big sharks. It's all very exciting, especially since all of this takes place at a time when an iron tool is considered a luxury, and boats were sealed with tree sap.

But the story's focus doesn't remain with Corban and the boys, instead leaping to the Native Americans who live on the nearby mainland. Okay. Except, once Corban, along with the boys, leaves the island, there is a skirmish between the indiginous people and Corban's remaining kin and friends, and ... Corban's people then leave the island. The natives' POV drops away, only to be replaced with a variety of others, including a child's. Some of those POVs add to the story, but others, like the child's, seem included solely for sentiment.

Spoiler alert.
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Even more annoying is the death of Corban's wife, Benna. Benna is one of the strongest characters in the book. She's an artist at time when art isn't much more than a few colorful decorations on stones. She seems to be a woman much in possession of her own opinions. In short, she's interesting. And the author kills her off in a very uninteresting way, (she pines away, a la Bella from Twilight, only Benna literally dies of a broken heart.) Well, she's sort of dead. Benna's ghost then travels to the British Isles where she does the poltergeist thing for Corban.

With the exception of Corban, the narrative spends entirely too much time on the least interesting characters in the story--Conn (Corban's son), Arre, Euan, etc.--largely ignoring the more intriguing characters like Corban's foster son, Raef.

I can't speak to the historical accuracy of the book, since what I know about history would fit in a thimble. But I found the ease at which Conn and Raef, two young, untrained, untested boys, take on and kill other men, rather ridiculous. Maybe the men they faced in battle were as green as they were, but the two rather easily take on boatloads of Vikings, dispatching them quickly, and emerging with no wounds themselves.

And yet...I finished the book. At times, I was very engaged with the story, even though I often didn't know what was going on or why. Eventually, I may go back and someday read The Soul Thief, the first book in the series.

[Cayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books have really brought this time and the Viking culture alive for me! I’m so glad I randomly picked up the one book at the library last year. I find Corbin and his wife Benna’s relationship one of the best ones I’ve ever read. They are so loyal, supportive and loving of each other it warmed my spirits reading it. At first I didn’t understand why Benna did what she did, and I was so angry at Holland for it and crushed for Corbin…but then Holland made it right with the just a tiny touch of the mystical that is present in these series. Then I fell even harder for Corbin & Benna. So Benna really reminded me of a thing I read about Owls, that when they get upset; they just turn their heads towards the wall and will themselves to death. That was what I saw happened with Benna, and I was tormented for Corbin, and when he would find out that she was gone. Having her let herself die so that she could go over to the Norselands with Corbin and help him...LOVED IT, so thankful for that little touch of the fantastical in these stories! I was still sad, but it created such a tender and sacred bond between them both.

Such an interesting and turbulent time period in history, after reading these books I really want to get my hands on books set in this time period by other authors as well.

I might have to rate Cecelia Holland up there with George R.R. Martin in the taking away the characters you love department. (I can preface this with, I accidently read the #4th title Varanger first, late last year because I thought it was a stand-alone and the ending crushed my soul.) But, in the end that marks it as a fantastic read for me, that she can make me care so much for the characters and their lives. Have to roll with the punches. I’m a bit more optimistic going into book 3….I don’t think anything could happen there that would really surprise me, though I know I’ll fall in love with Raef and Conn and then be even more gutted when I remember book 4.!

[Anne Patkau · Rating 1 out of 5]

* (bits engage) "The Witches' Kitchen" (Soul Thief 2)refers to behind the scene women, all magic, who push/ pull men from situations where they don't belong, into deadly native and Viking battle scenes. Cecelia Holland lets out the secrets of Mav's slavery and rape from the prequel in dribbles and bursts, like real-life adults reveal the past to children. The final mishmash of focuses is uncomfortable to try to sort out. The main plot, political intrigue and Viking battles, diverts to Christian vs. pagan conflict, minor characters, dreams, memories, visions, and talking telekinetic ghosts.
This story starts fifteen years after Irish Corban fled to a remote island with his wife and sister. Initially they scrabbled for survival, now he and Brenna, parents, feel settled. But his sister Mav roams mad in the forest after birthing a son. Provoked by attacks from a shark and a greedy distant dark-skin tribe who hate whites, Corban takes his son and nephew, big and strong with work, to see the Queen mother and atone for killing the King of Norway. Too many pages on the invaders' guide, a greedy unwanted boy obsessed with his late grandmother's promises of greatness, and enchanted by a lustful glimpse of Mav, who finally calls him to "ease her hunger". Ick.
Raef, the elder unsociable nephew, "twitchy with magic", follows the gregarious son, who declares allegiance to a bastard claimant to the throne. The queen grandma discloses to Raef his royal resemblance, then turns into a hawk to help kill the present king in revenge. There are sequels. Is that why so many sidetracks? Girl toddler remembers only hungry deprivation on the island may come angry into adult power? or the dragged out ending where magic must have been used to finally survive? Sorcery is a lazy deus ex machina. Are the confusing place names from research?

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the middle of a fine historical fantasy series dealing with the clash of Viking, Celtic and German civilizations across northern Europe in the 10th century. In this novel, Corban and his family have settled in an island off the North American coast and come into conflict with Native American tribes. The majority of the action happens back in Europe, however, where Corban goes to try to overcome guilt from his past. He and his son Conn and nephew Raef get caught up in political turmoil around the king Harald Bluetooth, and the conflict between Christianity and paganism.

Being a middle book, it's not as tightly plotted as the one before it, but it still has the interesting characters, political drama, family pathos and sea battles of Holland's other books. I was most interested in Raef's development, since he is my favorite character in the series. In this one, he is a shy teenager coming into his own and learning to deal with his gifts. I especially appreciated the sensitivity about Christianity and paganism. The author does not "take sides," though the main characters are mostly of a mystical pagan bent, and churchmen are typically bad guys.

All in all, an absorbing read, though will probably be of most interest and make the most sense to those who are following the series.

[Melinda]

Such a horrible horrible book! I should've known since it was the sequel to The Soul Thief which I also disliked, but I was desperate for something to read! Plot was confusing and boring at the same time, characters didn't see true, facts were messed up, and it was not engaging at all. I do NOT recommend!

[Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed picking up the story of Corban Loosestrife. This does have quite a bit more of the fantasy element with a shape shifting witch as one of the characters. Still, Corban continues to interact with the great events of his day. If you are interested in the period, late 900's and don't mind some fantasy with your historical fiction, I recommend.

[Bruce Nordstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It begins in the 10th century A.D. with a family of Vikings in Vinland. Then it moves to Europe, where the adventures never end. Very interesting side plot involving witchcraft and ghosts, that not only sounded very realistic, but added a great deal to the plot.

Loved this book. Looking forward to next volume in the series.

[robert schratz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I read the book, but all Holland’s books flow easily, grab and hold your interest. Angel and the Sword was the first that I read, then I continued to read with enjoyment all her other books that our library had available.

If you like Bernard Cornwell, such as his Saxon Series/The Last Kingdom — then you’ll enjoy Hollands.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seconds

This,the second of The Soul Thief trilogy presents itself from the hearts and minds of the characters far more than many of her other books. That being said it does not lack for action, witches, shape shifters and Vikings on the prod.

[Deanna Drai Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ending of Soul Thief. mmmmm Loved how Benna lives on his back. I wonder can we do this? I love stories like this. John hated the ending. I however did not.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot stop reading this series. Well done!

[Laurie Pringle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent Corban Loosestrife book!