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The Witch in the Well
Over a hundred years ago, the citizens of F - did something rather bad. And local school teacher Catherine Evans has made writing the definitive account of what happened when Ilsbeth Clark drowned in the well her life's work.
The town's people may not want their past raked up, but Catherine is determined to shine a light upon that shameful event. For Ilsbeth was an innocent, after all. She was shunned and ostracised by rumour-mongers and ill-wishers and someone has to speak up for her. And who better than Catherine, who has herself felt the sting and hurt of such whisperings?
But then a childhood friend returns to F -. Elena is a successful author whose book, The Whispers Inside: A Reawakening of the Soul, has earned her a certain celebrity. In search of a new subject, she takes an interest in the story of Ilsbeth Clark and announces her intention to write a book about the long-dead woman, focusing on the natural magic she believes she possessed.
And Elena has everything Catherine has not, like a platform and connections and no one seems to care that Elena's book will be pure speculation, tainting Ilsbeth's memory rather than preserving it. Catherine is determined that something must be done and plots to blunt her rival's pen. However she had not allowed for the fact that the past might not be so dead after all—that something is reaching out from the well, disturbing her reality.
Before summer's over, one woman will be dead, the other accused of murder...but is she really guilty, or are there other forces at work? And who was Ilsbeth Clark, really? An innocent? A witch? Or something else entirely?
The town's people may not want their past raked up, but Catherine is determined to shine a light upon that shameful event. For Ilsbeth was an innocent, after all. She was shunned and ostracised by rumour-mongers and ill-wishers and someone has to speak up for her. And who better than Catherine, who has herself felt the sting and hurt of such whisperings?
But then a childhood friend returns to F -. Elena is a successful author whose book, The Whispers Inside: A Reawakening of the Soul, has earned her a certain celebrity. In search of a new subject, she takes an interest in the story of Ilsbeth Clark and announces her intention to write a book about the long-dead woman, focusing on the natural magic she believes she possessed.
And Elena has everything Catherine has not, like a platform and connections and no one seems to care that Elena's book will be pure speculation, tainting Ilsbeth's memory rather than preserving it. Catherine is determined that something must be done and plots to blunt her rival's pen. However she had not allowed for the fact that the past might not be so dead after all—that something is reaching out from the well, disturbing her reality.
Before summer's over, one woman will be dead, the other accused of murder...but is she really guilty, or are there other forces at work? And who was Ilsbeth Clark, really? An innocent? A witch? Or something else entirely?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2022
226 people are currently reading
18346 people want to read
About the author
Camilla Bruce
11 books869 followersCamilla Bruce was born in central Norway and grew up in an old forest, next to an Iron Age burial mound. She has a master's degree in comparative literature, and have co-run a small press that published dark fairy tales. Camilla currently lives in Trondheim with her son and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 703 reviews
September 13, 2025
The Witch in the Well sounds intriguing. The cover image is subtly haunting. The title makes me want to discover what is happening. Is there actually a witch?
Sadly, even after reading it, I have no idea what happened. This is one of the extremely rare cases where I get progressively more ticked off the further I get into a story.
There's a property, I guess a castle and a well on this property, where many years ago a local woman, Ilsbeth, who the townspeople believed was a witch, drowned.
Many years later, two young girls, playing in the woods discover the well and have mystical, or spiritual, or supernatural experiences there.
These girls, Elena and Cathy, grow apart and eventually become estranged. As adults, one of the women, Elena, I think, moves back to the castle after her Uncle's death, as I understand it, to prep it for sale.
In the meantime, both women, inspired by the events at the well during their childhood, have taken it upon themselves to write books about Ilsbeth; to tell her story. Each believes they have the right to write it and the other one should stop.
Then I'm not sure, there's like an Adult version of a prank war, there's a handsome repairman turned suitor, and most confusing to me was a lot of content regarding a horse, or a ghost horse, and a horse as an embodiment of a demon.
Honestly, your guess is as good as mine and there it is. That's what I got out of this book.
Oh, wait, one more thing, I think you also get the perspective of Ilsbeth, but I could be wrong on this. I think so, but I'm not 100%. Also, don't get me started on how confusing the presentation of events was. I could not in a million years assemble a timeline for this story.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was okay, but I am not lying, or exaggerating, when I tell you that I RARELY knew whose perspective I was reading from and where the events fit in time.
I could not wait for this to be over. I didn't want to DNF because, mistakenly, I thought perhaps I would have some sort of epiphany and it would suddenly all make sense.
Alas, this story just was not for me. I know there are some positive reviews out there and I'm definitely glad those Readers had a better experience with this one than I did. Please be sure you read those reviews and take them into account as well.
There's a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. Only you can decide if this one is for you or not.
Thank you to the publisher, Tor, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was excited for this one. I'm sad it didn't work out.
On to the next!
Sadly, even after reading it, I have no idea what happened. This is one of the extremely rare cases where I get progressively more ticked off the further I get into a story.
There's a property, I guess a castle and a well on this property, where many years ago a local woman, Ilsbeth, who the townspeople believed was a witch, drowned.
Many years later, two young girls, playing in the woods discover the well and have mystical, or spiritual, or supernatural experiences there.
These girls, Elena and Cathy, grow apart and eventually become estranged. As adults, one of the women, Elena, I think, moves back to the castle after her Uncle's death, as I understand it, to prep it for sale.
In the meantime, both women, inspired by the events at the well during their childhood, have taken it upon themselves to write books about Ilsbeth; to tell her story. Each believes they have the right to write it and the other one should stop.
Then I'm not sure, there's like an Adult version of a prank war, there's a handsome repairman turned suitor, and most confusing to me was a lot of content regarding a horse, or a ghost horse, and a horse as an embodiment of a demon.
Honestly, your guess is as good as mine and there it is. That's what I got out of this book.
Oh, wait, one more thing, I think you also get the perspective of Ilsbeth, but I could be wrong on this. I think so, but I'm not 100%. Also, don't get me started on how confusing the presentation of events was. I could not in a million years assemble a timeline for this story.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was okay, but I am not lying, or exaggerating, when I tell you that I RARELY knew whose perspective I was reading from and where the events fit in time.
I could not wait for this to be over. I didn't want to DNF because, mistakenly, I thought perhaps I would have some sort of epiphany and it would suddenly all make sense.
Alas, this story just was not for me. I know there are some positive reviews out there and I'm definitely glad those Readers had a better experience with this one than I did. Please be sure you read those reviews and take them into account as well.
There's a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. Only you can decide if this one is for you or not.
Thank you to the publisher, Tor, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was excited for this one. I'm sad it didn't work out.
On to the next!
January 4, 2023
Norwegian writer Camilla Bruce writes a creepy gothic tale with elements of horror that draws on folklore, many decades previously, children went missing and Ilsbeth Clark was shockingly drowned in the well, the shame of the events have echoed in F-- (?) through the years. The narrative includes a blog, journal entries, along with other documentation. Cathy, a local teacher, has taken to the historical figure, feeling a sense of kinship with her, she wants to focus her attention on Ilsbeth's innocence by researching and writing about her. Elena, a friend from childhood summers, returns to the Norwegian town to facilitate the sale of her uncle's dilapidated family manor. She is now a renowned figure, a social media influencer who wrote the book 'The Whispers Inside: A Reawakening of the Soul'.
A bitter rivalry is set to develop between the ambitious women, as Elena too finds herself inspired to write about Ilsbeth Clark, with a focus on her natural magic side, something Cathy intensely resents, particularly as she thinks it is far too speculative, additionally she is unhappy about Elena's fame. All three come across as unreliable narrators, and none of the women are likeable. This is an atmospheric read with the old manor, the notorious well, the forest location, and the growing and disturbing sense of unease, and incorporates other elements with regard to the long dead Ilsbeth. It all culminates in a dead woman and accusations of murder, whilst raising the question of who exactly is Ilsbeth Clark?
I found this an uneven read that often struggled to hold my attention, there were occasions when the storytelling felt incoherent, and the main characters did not really appeal to me. However, I think there will be readers who will love this far more than me. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
A bitter rivalry is set to develop between the ambitious women, as Elena too finds herself inspired to write about Ilsbeth Clark, with a focus on her natural magic side, something Cathy intensely resents, particularly as she thinks it is far too speculative, additionally she is unhappy about Elena's fame. All three come across as unreliable narrators, and none of the women are likeable. This is an atmospheric read with the old manor, the notorious well, the forest location, and the growing and disturbing sense of unease, and incorporates other elements with regard to the long dead Ilsbeth. It all culminates in a dead woman and accusations of murder, whilst raising the question of who exactly is Ilsbeth Clark?
I found this an uneven read that often struggled to hold my attention, there were occasions when the storytelling felt incoherent, and the main characters did not really appeal to me. However, I think there will be readers who will love this far more than me. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
September 30, 2022
Ilsbeth Clark was accused of witchcraft centuries ago when area children went missing. Townspeople doled out her punishment by drowning her in a well.
Elena and Cathy met when they were children. Cathy grew up in the small Norwegian town while Elena and her family spent their summers there. Now adults, Social Media influencer, Elena has come back to the town to prepare her family's manor house ready to sale. But she becomes inspired to write about Ilsbeth's spirit. Elena is not the only one who has been inspired to write about Ilsbeth. Cathy has been researching and writing about Ilsbeth for years.
What has inspired both women to write about Ilsbeth and her story? Who owns the right to write about her?
This was an atmospheric and dark book. It is told using Elena's journal, books, Cathy’s blog, and mysterious pages. It took me a little bit of time to get used to this style of storytelling. It's a little confusing (at least it was for me) at times I wasn't sure who was telling the story. Yet, it was oddly compelling and enjoyable.
The characters are not likeable as we see them in written form (remember the book is told through journals, blogs, book, etc.). I wondered who is reliable, who isn't, etc. But the mystery sucked me in. This is a book that creeps up on readers, sucking them in with questions, trapping their interest while soaking them with unease and tension.
The Manor is old and not in the best shape. This creates the perfect stage for the creepy, dark feel of the book. An old manor home, the forest and the infamous well provide the atmospheric and sense of impending doom.
This is the perfect book to read on a dreary, dark day or perhaps at dusk. It's creepy and odd. It's not horrific or scary yet it sets a mood. It's mysterious but does not have a huge reveal or knock-your-socks-off at the end moment. More like a soft 'aha' at the ending.
Gothic, Dark, Atmospheric
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Elena and Cathy met when they were children. Cathy grew up in the small Norwegian town while Elena and her family spent their summers there. Now adults, Social Media influencer, Elena has come back to the town to prepare her family's manor house ready to sale. But she becomes inspired to write about Ilsbeth's spirit. Elena is not the only one who has been inspired to write about Ilsbeth. Cathy has been researching and writing about Ilsbeth for years.
What has inspired both women to write about Ilsbeth and her story? Who owns the right to write about her?
This was an atmospheric and dark book. It is told using Elena's journal, books, Cathy’s blog, and mysterious pages. It took me a little bit of time to get used to this style of storytelling. It's a little confusing (at least it was for me) at times I wasn't sure who was telling the story. Yet, it was oddly compelling and enjoyable.
The characters are not likeable as we see them in written form (remember the book is told through journals, blogs, book, etc.). I wondered who is reliable, who isn't, etc. But the mystery sucked me in. This is a book that creeps up on readers, sucking them in with questions, trapping their interest while soaking them with unease and tension.
The Manor is old and not in the best shape. This creates the perfect stage for the creepy, dark feel of the book. An old manor home, the forest and the infamous well provide the atmospheric and sense of impending doom.
This is the perfect book to read on a dreary, dark day or perhaps at dusk. It's creepy and odd. It's not horrific or scary yet it sets a mood. It's mysterious but does not have a huge reveal or knock-your-socks-off at the end moment. More like a soft 'aha' at the ending.
Gothic, Dark, Atmospheric
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
October 19, 2022
So many POVs and none of which were particularly likeable or interesting. Had a hard time developing buy in.
This book didn't lend itself to audio very well. The voice actresses all sounded similar and the chapters were unnamed so it took awhile to figure out who was talking. Not sure if I have a lot of questions about the book because the material wasn't covered or if I just spaced it, because this book couldn't hold my attention.
Not the spooky witchy mystery I was looking for.
This book didn't lend itself to audio very well. The voice actresses all sounded similar and the chapters were unnamed so it took awhile to figure out who was talking. Not sure if I have a lot of questions about the book because the material wasn't covered or if I just spaced it, because this book couldn't hold my attention.
Not the spooky witchy mystery I was looking for.
December 11, 2022
3.5 rounded up
How can Ilsbeth Clark accused of witchcraft and subsequently drowned in a well in 1862 cause such catastrophic results nearly 160 years later? Childhood friends Cathy and Elena become very bitter rivals because of Ilsbeth. Local teacher Cathy believes she has written the definitive account of Ilsbeth’s case believing in her innocence. When successful author Elena returns to the area in order to sell her deceased uncles house whose grounds contain the well, she reconnects to Ilsbeth’s story. Elena also begins to write about the case but she focuses on the magic she believes Ilsbeth possesses. This contradictory point of view sets both women on a collision course which overturns lives, bringing tragedy in its wake and at the centre of the ensuing storm is the enigma of Ilsbeth, a witch or an innocent? The story is told in various formats such as Elena‘s journal, Cathy’s book, documents, letters and so on with the question of the reliability of all three women being an intriguing conundrum but I can’t say I love the approach to telling the story.
This novel has much in common with other Camilla Bruce books in that it is full of atmosphere which she always does incredibly well and it also has a dark theme. The dilapidated castle/Manor house of Elena’s uncle adds a considerable amount of creep and a smidgen of horror and is used effectively to highlight the dark tone and the sense of mystery and supernatural elements surrounding Ilsbeth. The folklore and legends that arise as a consequence of the witches drowning is also an excellent element.
The novel is well written and there are plot twists and suspense to keep you interested. The principal characters are very hard to like with the once upon a time friendship souring with the growth of intense rivalry and obsession over Ilsbeth is done very well. Cathy in particular is hard to like, she’s spiky and bitter whereas Elena is more upbeat but doesn’t necessarily have her feet on terra firma. The bitter rivalry definitely makes for interesting reading in this multilayered novel.
However, I find the format and the changing points of view very confusing especially at the start. It zips between them, flipping backwards and forwards so it lacks cohesion. You do get used to it but I can’t honestly say I like it. It also feels overlong and would’ve had great impact if shorter in length.
Overall though, it’s an interesting combination of local folklore with some mild horror and spooky supernatural with questionable narrators. It’s a good book but doesn’t hook me in the same way as In the Garden of Spite which remains my favourite Camilla Bruce book.
Ps. Not giving the town a name but just F_________ ... why???
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
How can Ilsbeth Clark accused of witchcraft and subsequently drowned in a well in 1862 cause such catastrophic results nearly 160 years later? Childhood friends Cathy and Elena become very bitter rivals because of Ilsbeth. Local teacher Cathy believes she has written the definitive account of Ilsbeth’s case believing in her innocence. When successful author Elena returns to the area in order to sell her deceased uncles house whose grounds contain the well, she reconnects to Ilsbeth’s story. Elena also begins to write about the case but she focuses on the magic she believes Ilsbeth possesses. This contradictory point of view sets both women on a collision course which overturns lives, bringing tragedy in its wake and at the centre of the ensuing storm is the enigma of Ilsbeth, a witch or an innocent? The story is told in various formats such as Elena‘s journal, Cathy’s book, documents, letters and so on with the question of the reliability of all three women being an intriguing conundrum but I can’t say I love the approach to telling the story.
This novel has much in common with other Camilla Bruce books in that it is full of atmosphere which she always does incredibly well and it also has a dark theme. The dilapidated castle/Manor house of Elena’s uncle adds a considerable amount of creep and a smidgen of horror and is used effectively to highlight the dark tone and the sense of mystery and supernatural elements surrounding Ilsbeth. The folklore and legends that arise as a consequence of the witches drowning is also an excellent element.
The novel is well written and there are plot twists and suspense to keep you interested. The principal characters are very hard to like with the once upon a time friendship souring with the growth of intense rivalry and obsession over Ilsbeth is done very well. Cathy in particular is hard to like, she’s spiky and bitter whereas Elena is more upbeat but doesn’t necessarily have her feet on terra firma. The bitter rivalry definitely makes for interesting reading in this multilayered novel.
However, I find the format and the changing points of view very confusing especially at the start. It zips between them, flipping backwards and forwards so it lacks cohesion. You do get used to it but I can’t honestly say I like it. It also feels overlong and would’ve had great impact if shorter in length.
Overall though, it’s an interesting combination of local folklore with some mild horror and spooky supernatural with questionable narrators. It’s a good book but doesn’t hook me in the same way as In the Garden of Spite which remains my favourite Camilla Bruce book.
Ps. Not giving the town a name but just F_________ ... why???
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
October 5, 2022
In the small, storybook town of F—, two women – once childhood friends – become rivals when they both decide to write books about the same subject: Ilsbeth Clark, a local woman who was ostracised from the community and denounced as a witch in the 19th century. The first author, Elena, is a relentlessly optimistic free-spirit type who has achieved success and minor fame after publishing a bestselling ‘spiritual guidance’ manual. The second, Cathy, is a teacher who’s been researching Ilsbeth for years and becomes bitter and paranoid when she hears about Elena’s proposed book. The Witch in the Well opens with reports of Elena’s death, and is told through her journal, Cathy’s blog and documents reportedly written by Ilsbeth herself... in the present day.
The Witch in the Well sees Camilla Bruce making a welcome return to the winning formula of unreliable narrator + hints of horror/fantasy/folklore that made her debut, You Let Me In, so dazzling. The three voices are distinct, creating a tangible persona for each of our main players – and even where they seem to overlap, this only adds to the intrigue. Indeed, I wanted more of everything; the scenes involving Elena and Cathy as children, for example, are so atmospheric that I longed to spend more time in that particular milieu. Bruce is just incredibly good at weaving inexplicable, fantastical things into the stories her characters tell, while at the same time throwing in details that make you question/doubt everything you’ve just read. It’s a combination I find irresistible, and I enjoyed every weird, slippery word of The Witch in the Well.
I received an advance review copy of The Witch in the Well from the publisher through Edelweiss.
TinyLetter | Linktree
The Witch in the Well sees Camilla Bruce making a welcome return to the winning formula of unreliable narrator + hints of horror/fantasy/folklore that made her debut, You Let Me In, so dazzling. The three voices are distinct, creating a tangible persona for each of our main players – and even where they seem to overlap, this only adds to the intrigue. Indeed, I wanted more of everything; the scenes involving Elena and Cathy as children, for example, are so atmospheric that I longed to spend more time in that particular milieu. Bruce is just incredibly good at weaving inexplicable, fantastical things into the stories her characters tell, while at the same time throwing in details that make you question/doubt everything you’ve just read. It’s a combination I find irresistible, and I enjoyed every weird, slippery word of The Witch in the Well.
I received an advance review copy of The Witch in the Well from the publisher through Edelweiss.
TinyLetter | Linktree
March 23, 2023
An atmospheric, creepy story, told from three POV using diary entries and blogs. Two women - ex childhood friends - at odds over who gets to write the story of Ilsbeth, a local woman, murdered many years before by the townspeople for being a witch.
I approached this one with some trepidation due to the lukewarm reviews, in fact I almost skipped it entirely, I have to say I'm glad I didn't. The characters were unlikeable for sure, self obsessed, bitter, weird and unpleasant but they intrigued me, and though the diary entries and blogs were a little difficult to get to grips with at first, I really enjoyed it, I sped through the short chapters in no time. A tidy 4 stars, and yet another to add to my run of books with gorgeous covers.
I approached this one with some trepidation due to the lukewarm reviews, in fact I almost skipped it entirely, I have to say I'm glad I didn't. The characters were unlikeable for sure, self obsessed, bitter, weird and unpleasant but they intrigued me, and though the diary entries and blogs were a little difficult to get to grips with at first, I really enjoyed it, I sped through the short chapters in no time. A tidy 4 stars, and yet another to add to my run of books with gorgeous covers.
October 31, 2022
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was ok. I was so excited for this but it turned out to be different from what I thought. Not necessarily in a bad way but it was kind like eh for me until the last few chapters. The action really heated up and that I liked.
Centuries ago after a few kids disappeared, IIsbeth Clark was accused of witchcraft. Even though she was found innocent, she was still condemned and drowned in the well where the kids were last spotted.
Author and social media personality Elena goes back to her family’s home to get it ready to sell. She ends up writing about IIsbeth and what happened to her. She forms a connection with her. Simultaneously her best friend Cathy was researching IIsbeth for years. This unofficial competition between the two changes everything for the two women.
The Witch in the Well is available now.
Centuries ago after a few kids disappeared, IIsbeth Clark was accused of witchcraft. Even though she was found innocent, she was still condemned and drowned in the well where the kids were last spotted.
Author and social media personality Elena goes back to her family’s home to get it ready to sell. She ends up writing about IIsbeth and what happened to her. She forms a connection with her. Simultaneously her best friend Cathy was researching IIsbeth for years. This unofficial competition between the two changes everything for the two women.
The Witch in the Well is available now.
June 11, 2022
3.5 stars. Another great read from Camilla Bruce. Last year's YOU LET ME IN was a creepy and twisty story within a story, and THE WITCH IN THE WELL could be described the same way, while being a totally different book. It still has a lot of folklore running through it, but it's distinctly modern.
There are a whole bunch of layers here, you might get away with calling it an Epistolary Novel because it is really just a bunch of documents put together. That can make for a rough structure, where you don't feel like the story is really unfurling, but that is not the case here. Instead it lets us see several stories through several points of view.
At the center of everything is Elena and Cathy in a small Norwegian town. Cathy grew up there and had few friends, but Elena spent summers there and they were friends for a few years as children. Now adults, Elena is back cleaning out her uncle's house after his death. Elena is a spiritual wellness influencer who wrote a very woo woo book about communicating with your soul and now she becomes interested in the story of Ilsbeth Clark, a woman who was killed hundreds of years before after townsfolk accused her of being a witch. Cathy, who has spent years researching Ilsbeth and working on a novel about her, is threatened by Elena's reappearance. We hear their story through Cathy's blog where she defends herself to the town, Elena's journal, Cathy's novel, and through other mysterious pages that may be written by the long-dead Ilsbeth herself.
Elena, Cathy, and Ilsbeth all have very different stories, they are practically living in entirely different novels, but Bruce skillfully weaves them together in a way that works and draws out suspense.
My only complaint here is that there is no climax. It just kind of ends and I would have liked something bigger.
Hope we get many more from Bruce, this is not nearly as scary as her previous novel, but still fits firmly in folk horror.
There are a whole bunch of layers here, you might get away with calling it an Epistolary Novel because it is really just a bunch of documents put together. That can make for a rough structure, where you don't feel like the story is really unfurling, but that is not the case here. Instead it lets us see several stories through several points of view.
At the center of everything is Elena and Cathy in a small Norwegian town. Cathy grew up there and had few friends, but Elena spent summers there and they were friends for a few years as children. Now adults, Elena is back cleaning out her uncle's house after his death. Elena is a spiritual wellness influencer who wrote a very woo woo book about communicating with your soul and now she becomes interested in the story of Ilsbeth Clark, a woman who was killed hundreds of years before after townsfolk accused her of being a witch. Cathy, who has spent years researching Ilsbeth and working on a novel about her, is threatened by Elena's reappearance. We hear their story through Cathy's blog where she defends herself to the town, Elena's journal, Cathy's novel, and through other mysterious pages that may be written by the long-dead Ilsbeth herself.
Elena, Cathy, and Ilsbeth all have very different stories, they are practically living in entirely different novels, but Bruce skillfully weaves them together in a way that works and draws out suspense.
My only complaint here is that there is no climax. It just kind of ends and I would have liked something bigger.
Hope we get many more from Bruce, this is not nearly as scary as her previous novel, but still fits firmly in folk horror.
November 26, 2022
From the Norwegian author who busted onto the scene so auspiciously with You Let Me In a while back comes a new tale of witches, possessions, and childhood rivalries gone toxic.
Get ready, it’s a doozy.
Apparently not an especially well loved one, going by the other reviews on GR, so let’s see if I can weight in for the other side.
To be fair, yes, I can see how this might not be an easy book to love: its storylines are very different and are dizzyingly woven into a cohesive sum total, its protagonists are unlikeable, the overall narrative is complex and tricky and does its best to mess with the readers.
And yet, while though things may have precluded me from outright loving the book, they were the very things that made me appreciate it.
It may not be a hug-it-and-love-it-book, but it’s viciously clever and that sort of thing goes along way with me.
Yeah, the protagonists are tough to enjoy – both the obnoxious, hashtagging, yogi-like new age guru who comes back to sort her uncle’s estate and her once upon a time bestie turned bitter rival obsessive raving lunatic of a local.
The rivalry is all about a book both of them seem to be writing. And the book is all about a local witch accused of killing some kids ages ago and (metaphorically) pitchforked by the villagers for it. The witch is…well, you know where she is, the title tells you. Or perhaps, not just there, but also in the souls and minds of two very different women obsessed with her.
Wanna see how far their obsession will take them? Read the book.
Its appeal may not be so wide as to cover all genre fans, but those who prefer their thrills with a darkly psychological, profoundly messed up, wicked and wickedly clever spice to them, ought to be pleased. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Get ready, it’s a doozy.
Apparently not an especially well loved one, going by the other reviews on GR, so let’s see if I can weight in for the other side.
To be fair, yes, I can see how this might not be an easy book to love: its storylines are very different and are dizzyingly woven into a cohesive sum total, its protagonists are unlikeable, the overall narrative is complex and tricky and does its best to mess with the readers.
And yet, while though things may have precluded me from outright loving the book, they were the very things that made me appreciate it.
It may not be a hug-it-and-love-it-book, but it’s viciously clever and that sort of thing goes along way with me.
Yeah, the protagonists are tough to enjoy – both the obnoxious, hashtagging, yogi-like new age guru who comes back to sort her uncle’s estate and her once upon a time bestie turned bitter rival obsessive raving lunatic of a local.
The rivalry is all about a book both of them seem to be writing. And the book is all about a local witch accused of killing some kids ages ago and (metaphorically) pitchforked by the villagers for it. The witch is…well, you know where she is, the title tells you. Or perhaps, not just there, but also in the souls and minds of two very different women obsessed with her.
Wanna see how far their obsession will take them? Read the book.
Its appeal may not be so wide as to cover all genre fans, but those who prefer their thrills with a darkly psychological, profoundly messed up, wicked and wickedly clever spice to them, ought to be pleased. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
October 9, 2022
I wish I read the book everyone else apparently read and loved. This was severely disappointing to me. Both Elena and Cathy's narration was annoying and somewhat unhinged. Cathy lived in intense paranoia, convinced everyone in town is talking about her and hates her (to be fair they do when they all suspect she killed Elena (not a spoiler)), obsessed with the concept of Ilsbeth. Elena, dead by the book's beginning, was very "new aged social media," using hashtags in her private journals and speaking at length about listening to your SOUL'S VOICE (it is always written in all caps) to find your WILL and INNER STRENGTH.
Neither narration was enjoyable to read.
Halfway through the book you do get a 3rd narrator, which made things slightly better, but not enough to make the other two bareable.
Also, please just name the city. Calling it The City of F-- did not give me a found footage realism feel, it just seemed silly. Maybe if the two primary narrators felt like real people the redacted name would feel realistic, but instead it just feels strange.
Neither narration was enjoyable to read.
Halfway through the book you do get a 3rd narrator, which made things slightly better, but not enough to make the other two bareable.
Also, please just name the city. Calling it The City of F-- did not give me a found footage realism feel, it just seemed silly. Maybe if the two primary narrators felt like real people the redacted name would feel realistic, but instead it just feels strange.
October 31, 2022
This was absolutely asinine
October 1, 2023
This story felt perfect to start the fall with and it was intruiging. Neither of the characters was likeable but that's sometimes not necessary in a good book. Liked that I didn't really know what side to be on between the two and the weird side characters was intruiging.
October 7, 2022
The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce is difficult to classify. I wouldn't say horror, but the supernatural aspect is creepy. It's also a mystery.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher MacMillan-Tor/Forge and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Elena returns to "the castle", her uncle's home where she spent summers as a child. She is there to get the house ready to sell. She is still grieving his death, and she hopes that the peaceful atmosphere will inspire her to write her second book.
She gets more than inspired when she seems to connect with the ghost of Ilsbeth Clark, who, centuries ago, was accused of witchcraft after several children disappeared. Although acquitted, the town drowned her in the well. Elena decides her next book will be about Ilsbeth, who she feels was unfairly treated.
Unfortunately, Elena's old friend Cathy has been researching Ilsbeth Clark for a number of years, and is also planning on writing a book. Elena and Cathy were once close, but no longer. Now their real and imagined grudges, ambitions and attitudes will clash. Competition is dangerous.
My Opinions:
This was interesting. We knew up front that one of them is dead, and the other accused of her murder. But their stories were wonderful. Although it was a little confusing in the beginning, a little more concentration on my part revealed the separate entities.
Through Elena's journal entries, Cathy's blog, and another's writings, we learn of both the past and the present. It is a rather dark book, the atmosphere rather creepy, and your mind doesn't quite know who to believe -- the unreliable narrator could be everyone! The supernatural aspect was really good, and the beast unique.
Unfortunately, I really wish I had liked the characters, any of them. Both Cathy and Elena were rather self-centered, and both just annoyed me at different times in the book. As well, I felt the ending was a little weak.
However, the premise and prose was wonderful. The writing is very descriptive, and you felt you were actually in that small, gossipy Norwegian town and woods. The overall story was really quite good, and I can't wait for Camilla Bruce to write another book!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
September 21, 2022
I loved the idea of this one but the outcome fell flat for me. It felt all over the place and none of the POVs held my interest for all that long. The first 30% of the book was great but I really had to force myself to finish it. But with that being said: it is an extremely atmospheric book and the setting is eerie as heck so I know people will love it for that alone!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 22, 2023
I picked this up on a whim (as I do) because I was in the mood to read some horror this October. But then, when I added it to my Goodreads account, I saw the abysmally low average rating for this book, and I almost... ALMOST changed my mind on this.
I don't read book descriptions, and almost never read reviews of books I haven't read yet. I don't want to know about a book going in to avoid having preconceived notions before I've even started. But I was curious why this one had SUCH a low average. (It was in the high 2's when I read this a nearly a month ago, for the record, but it has clawed its way up a bit to just over 3 stars.) So I skimmed some reviews, and a lot of the criticisms were about this book "just not making sense" and "being hard to follow" and "confusing", and "especially confusing on audio".
And I am here to say that I don't think that this is fair criticism. Not that the readers who felt this way are not entitled to feel that way. Not every book is for every reader. This one requires a bit more patience in order to get to the story, and I can completely understand if people are not willing to wade through the initial crap to get to the goods underneath.
The first "prologue" chapter is... meh. Honestly could have been cut, or told in flashback, and the rest of the book wouldn't have suffered at all. The reaction to what was described felt RIDICULOUSLY over the top to me, but... I stuck with it hoping it would be explained later (and it was).
The characters are not very nice, kind of shitty, really. They aren't easy to identify with, and probably 83.7% of the book had me wanting to slap one of them. But I still was very curious about what their DEAL was, and so I kept going. And unlikable as they were... I ended up really understanding all of them. Even if I didn't agree with them.
So anyway... Let's get to why I think that the criticism for this book is a bit unfair, in my opinion. (NO spoilers, I mostly just talk about structure and general background. FYI.)
This book is about three women, and is told from three narrative perspectives. All of them are unreliable to certain degrees.
We have Elena, who is our "main" main character, I'd say. Her perspective is told in direct first person via diary entries. Elena's uncle's just passed away, and she's there to clean out his house to ready it for sale... but the history of the place, and the legend of a local witch (or woman accused of being one, which is a distinction without a difference given the attitudes of the time), tempt her to stay. More on this in a bit.
Then we have Cathy, who had befriended Elena when they were younger, but after a miscalculation on Cathy's part, they grew apart. Elena was well-to-do, not from the area, and had popular friends and a whole life of potential back home, and it was the highlight of Cathy's year when Elena would visit. She considered them best friends, and when Elena effectively ghosted her after something that Cathy showed her scared her badly, Cathy felt she had lost everything, and became bitter. She had no friends, few prospects in a small town, and over the years, came to identify strongly with the legend of the local "witch", wanting to tell the TRUE story of the unfair accusation and murder perpetrated against the woman, in an effort to show that the town was "bad" and they would always single out a woman to mistreat.
Then finally, we have the perspective of the woman accused of witchcraft herself, Ilsbeth. Her story is VERY intriguing, and quite different than I was expecting. I don't want to say much more than that, other than the writings through which we get HER perspective are effectively "found footage" kind of papers.
Both Elena and Cathy set out to write this "true" story of Ilsbeth, and have VERY different reasons and ideas about how to go about doing so. I've mentioned Cathy's, because she feels persecuted by the town in the same way that she believes Ilsbeth was, but Elena's is quite different.
Elena is something of a Woo Woo Influencer type. She wrote a book about communing with one's soul to something something true purpose something find your truth something something. I will absolutely admit to losing about 15 IQ points listening to that part, and very seriously contemplated DNF'ing the book while this section about her book was droning on and on with something something soul being said about once every 3 words. At one point I had the thought (OK, the direct shout at my phone) that if I heard the word "soul" one more damn time in the next 30 seconds I was calling it quits. But then that mercifully passed, and aside from Elena's influencer-ish hashtag-annoying-traits, hashtag-really-stupid-diary-writing-style, I was invested once more.
And I'm glad that I continued, because it DID get quite interesting to me, especially the clash between Cathy and Elena over who can write about Ilsbeth. And I can kind of see some of the criticism around this, because it does get quite melodramatic... but I didn't feel like it was out of character for either of them to behave as they did, given their personalities and histories.
Cathy's narrative perspective is told via lengthy blog post format. She's publishing her account of events online, publicly, because she is convinced that if she does, convinced that if she is COMPLETELY honest, that the town will side with her.
So here's the thing. We have three women, telling three sides to a story they all feel entitled to. Each of their perspectives are identified. We are told when we are shifting from an Elena perspective to a Cathy perspective... BUT, they are not tied to chapters. A single perspective might span several chapters, and we aren't reminded whose perspective it is. I think that this aspect is why there's so much criticism around it being hard to follow, and confusing, and such. But it's really not, in my opinion. There's no law that says that multiple perspectives must be 1 chapter each. That's silly.
As far as people not understanding what happens in this book... well, that's kind of a shame, because it was actually REALLY good. Not at ALL what I expected, and quite dark and ominous. OK well I was hoping for that, because it is supposed to be Horror-tober after all, but too often with these kinds of books, you end up with a nice and tidy ending all wrapped up and pretty... but that's NOT the case with this one. The ending is very good, but if one had struggled to follow the narratives and events up to that point, it probably wouldn't make much sense.
So, anyway. I'm usually not one to criticize other people for how they feel and react to a book, and I feel a bit bad for doing it even to the extent that I have here, but TRULY I feel like this book is quite good, and the framing and structure gives the reader everything they need. I can understand just not LIKING it - there were times when I absolutely didn't either - but it DOES make sense.
I finished it in a day, ended up liking it quite a lot, and have found myself thinking about it off and on since I finished it. That's usually a pretty good sign.
Before I go, just a couple comments on the audio version. This was narrated by: Charlotte Davey, Christina Cole, & Emily Barber
1) I do think that the three readers were quite similar in the beginning of the book, but once I got a feel for their voices and characters, they were all quite distinct and easy to identify, even without the perspective-shift header.
2) I don't particularly love the way Elena's name was pronounced, and to my ear it kept sounding like "Eleanor" if the last syllable was kind of "er". Like "Ellen-er" or "Ellen-uh". I know that's a legitimate pronunciation of Elena, (as opposed to how I generally pronounce it, more like "El-layne-uh") but it kept throwing me off, and I would have liked a bit more enunciation/clarity there. Though, honestly, it doesn't really matter except that I would look silly writing a whole review about "Eleanor" when that wasn't the character's name - so I'm glad I finally looked it up. LOL
I don't read book descriptions, and almost never read reviews of books I haven't read yet. I don't want to know about a book going in to avoid having preconceived notions before I've even started. But I was curious why this one had SUCH a low average. (It was in the high 2's when I read this a nearly a month ago, for the record, but it has clawed its way up a bit to just over 3 stars.) So I skimmed some reviews, and a lot of the criticisms were about this book "just not making sense" and "being hard to follow" and "confusing", and "especially confusing on audio".
And I am here to say that I don't think that this is fair criticism. Not that the readers who felt this way are not entitled to feel that way. Not every book is for every reader. This one requires a bit more patience in order to get to the story, and I can completely understand if people are not willing to wade through the initial crap to get to the goods underneath.
The first "prologue" chapter is... meh. Honestly could have been cut, or told in flashback, and the rest of the book wouldn't have suffered at all. The reaction to what was described felt RIDICULOUSLY over the top to me, but... I stuck with it hoping it would be explained later (and it was).
The characters are not very nice, kind of shitty, really. They aren't easy to identify with, and probably 83.7% of the book had me wanting to slap one of them. But I still was very curious about what their DEAL was, and so I kept going. And unlikable as they were... I ended up really understanding all of them. Even if I didn't agree with them.
So anyway... Let's get to why I think that the criticism for this book is a bit unfair, in my opinion. (NO spoilers, I mostly just talk about structure and general background. FYI.)
This book is about three women, and is told from three narrative perspectives. All of them are unreliable to certain degrees.
We have Elena, who is our "main" main character, I'd say. Her perspective is told in direct first person via diary entries. Elena's uncle's just passed away, and she's there to clean out his house to ready it for sale... but the history of the place, and the legend of a local witch (or woman accused of being one, which is a distinction without a difference given the attitudes of the time), tempt her to stay. More on this in a bit.
Then we have Cathy, who had befriended Elena when they were younger, but after a miscalculation on Cathy's part, they grew apart. Elena was well-to-do, not from the area, and had popular friends and a whole life of potential back home, and it was the highlight of Cathy's year when Elena would visit. She considered them best friends, and when Elena effectively ghosted her after something that Cathy showed her scared her badly, Cathy felt she had lost everything, and became bitter. She had no friends, few prospects in a small town, and over the years, came to identify strongly with the legend of the local "witch", wanting to tell the TRUE story of the unfair accusation and murder perpetrated against the woman, in an effort to show that the town was "bad" and they would always single out a woman to mistreat.
Then finally, we have the perspective of the woman accused of witchcraft herself, Ilsbeth. Her story is VERY intriguing, and quite different than I was expecting. I don't want to say much more than that, other than the writings through which we get HER perspective are effectively "found footage" kind of papers.
Both Elena and Cathy set out to write this "true" story of Ilsbeth, and have VERY different reasons and ideas about how to go about doing so. I've mentioned Cathy's, because she feels persecuted by the town in the same way that she believes Ilsbeth was, but Elena's is quite different.
Elena is something of a Woo Woo Influencer type. She wrote a book about communing with one's soul to something something true purpose something find your truth something something. I will absolutely admit to losing about 15 IQ points listening to that part, and very seriously contemplated DNF'ing the book while this section about her book was droning on and on with something something soul being said about once every 3 words. At one point I had the thought (OK, the direct shout at my phone) that if I heard the word "soul" one more damn time in the next 30 seconds I was calling it quits. But then that mercifully passed, and aside from Elena's influencer-ish hashtag-annoying-traits, hashtag-really-stupid-diary-writing-style, I was invested once more.
And I'm glad that I continued, because it DID get quite interesting to me, especially the clash between Cathy and Elena over who can write about Ilsbeth. And I can kind of see some of the criticism around this, because it does get quite melodramatic... but I didn't feel like it was out of character for either of them to behave as they did, given their personalities and histories.
Cathy's narrative perspective is told via lengthy blog post format. She's publishing her account of events online, publicly, because she is convinced that if she does, convinced that if she is COMPLETELY honest, that the town will side with her.
So here's the thing. We have three women, telling three sides to a story they all feel entitled to. Each of their perspectives are identified. We are told when we are shifting from an Elena perspective to a Cathy perspective... BUT, they are not tied to chapters. A single perspective might span several chapters, and we aren't reminded whose perspective it is. I think that this aspect is why there's so much criticism around it being hard to follow, and confusing, and such. But it's really not, in my opinion. There's no law that says that multiple perspectives must be 1 chapter each. That's silly.
As far as people not understanding what happens in this book... well, that's kind of a shame, because it was actually REALLY good. Not at ALL what I expected, and quite dark and ominous. OK well I was hoping for that, because it is supposed to be Horror-tober after all, but too often with these kinds of books, you end up with a nice and tidy ending all wrapped up and pretty... but that's NOT the case with this one. The ending is very good, but if one had struggled to follow the narratives and events up to that point, it probably wouldn't make much sense.
So, anyway. I'm usually not one to criticize other people for how they feel and react to a book, and I feel a bit bad for doing it even to the extent that I have here, but TRULY I feel like this book is quite good, and the framing and structure gives the reader everything they need. I can understand just not LIKING it - there were times when I absolutely didn't either - but it DOES make sense.
I finished it in a day, ended up liking it quite a lot, and have found myself thinking about it off and on since I finished it. That's usually a pretty good sign.
Before I go, just a couple comments on the audio version. This was narrated by: Charlotte Davey, Christina Cole, & Emily Barber
1) I do think that the three readers were quite similar in the beginning of the book, but once I got a feel for their voices and characters, they were all quite distinct and easy to identify, even without the perspective-shift header.
2) I don't particularly love the way Elena's name was pronounced, and to my ear it kept sounding like "Eleanor" if the last syllable was kind of "er". Like "Ellen-er" or "Ellen-uh". I know that's a legitimate pronunciation of Elena, (as opposed to how I generally pronounce it, more like "El-layne-uh") but it kept throwing me off, and I would have liked a bit more enunciation/clarity there. Though, honestly, it doesn't really matter except that I would look silly writing a whole review about "Eleanor" when that wasn't the character's name - so I'm glad I finally looked it up. LOL
February 24, 2023
I would like to say that I had better news about The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce, but unfortunately, my experience was basically the same as the 3.09 average it has on Goodreads. I can't remember what drew my attention to this book in the first place, but I do have Bruce's You Let Me In sitting on my shelf so maybe that had something to do with it. I loved this book's gothic and witchy vibes the most, and it had an eeriness that was also quite fantastic. However, that was about where it ended for me regarding enjoyment. I found the storyline very confusing and had a hard time keeping the different characters straight. This may have been due to the audiobook, and although each chapter is broken into characters and seasons, for some reason I had a really hard time telling them all apart.
The audiobook itself was really good, but the narrator's voices were rather similar as well which made it equally as hard to tell the characters apart. I always appreciate more than one narrator, but in the case of Charlotte Davey, Christina Cole & Emily Barber, it didn't help me as much as it usually does. The story is also a really slow mover, and while there are some suspenseful moments, I don't think I would be able to think of it as a thriller. Overall, this was mostly a miss for me, but I would still recommend it to the right person.
The audiobook itself was really good, but the narrator's voices were rather similar as well which made it equally as hard to tell the characters apart. I always appreciate more than one narrator, but in the case of Charlotte Davey, Christina Cole & Emily Barber, it didn't help me as much as it usually does. The story is also a really slow mover, and while there are some suspenseful moments, I don't think I would be able to think of it as a thriller. Overall, this was mostly a miss for me, but I would still recommend it to the right person.
November 29, 2022
Not a bad book...but it's not horror the way the book was presented...mystical, yes, but not horror
February 3, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
When two former friends reunite after decades apart, their grudges, flawed ambitions, and shared obsession swirl into an all-too-real echo of a terrible town legend. Centuries age, beautiful young Ilsbeth Clark was accused of witchcraft after several children disappeared. Her acquittal did nothing to stop her fellow townsfolk from drowning her in the well where the children were last seen. when author and social media influencer Elena returns to the summer paradise of her youth to get her family's manor house ready to sell, the last thing she expected was connecting with - and feeling inspired to write Ilsbeth's infamous spirit.
This story is told from multiple points of view, but there are also two primary perspectives from Cathy and Elena. I didn't like any of the characters. The story is told in the past and present-day format. There are a few creepy parts to the story, but they are not scary. It's also quite a complex read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #CamillaBruce for my ARC of #TheWitchInTheWell in exchange for an honest review.
When two former friends reunite after decades apart, their grudges, flawed ambitions, and shared obsession swirl into an all-too-real echo of a terrible town legend. Centuries age, beautiful young Ilsbeth Clark was accused of witchcraft after several children disappeared. Her acquittal did nothing to stop her fellow townsfolk from drowning her in the well where the children were last seen. when author and social media influencer Elena returns to the summer paradise of her youth to get her family's manor house ready to sell, the last thing she expected was connecting with - and feeling inspired to write Ilsbeth's infamous spirit.
This story is told from multiple points of view, but there are also two primary perspectives from Cathy and Elena. I didn't like any of the characters. The story is told in the past and present-day format. There are a few creepy parts to the story, but they are not scary. It's also quite a complex read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #CamillaBruce for my ARC of #TheWitchInTheWell in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2023
I had a hard time getting into this book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. The multiple povs all told through different formats were confusing at times and hard to get used to. It did get better as it went along and I enjoyed much of the ending.
Overall it was just okay. I was hoping for more of a creepy/witchy vibe.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Overall it was just okay. I was hoping for more of a creepy/witchy vibe.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 5, 2023
The publisher describes The Witch in the Well as ‘a deliciously disturbing Gothic tale of a revenge reaching out across the years’. There are elements that match that description, notably the sections entitled ‘The Nicksby Documents’ which have a really fantastical, malevolent and creepy feel. Unfortunately I found the modern day storyline less diverting. It essentially depicts the increasingly fractious relationship between two women, Catherine and Elena, who were once childhood playmates but are now involved in a rivalry about who has the right to tell Ilsbeth Clark’s story.
Neither of the women are particularly likeable. Elena is a prolific poster on social media, a fan of hashtags and an advocate of listening to the voice of one’s SOUL (her capital letters, not mine). For her, the ancient well is not a place of menace but somewhere magical, hence it being her favourite place for her morning yoga workout. She believes she has formed a spiritual connection with Ilsbeth and is possessed by the idea that she can use this to prove the existence of ‘good magic’. Unfortunately, the situation is rather different, creepily different in fact.
On the other hand, Catherine sees Ilsbeth as a victim of prejudice, like so many other women through history, and is intent on bringing this injustice to light. Catherine can’t stop herself posting instalments from an open letter to the inhabitants of F- in response to their accusations against her. She feels she’s the victim of a modern day ‘witch hunt’. Unsurprisingly, comments such as ‘In my humble experience, none of you are geniuses’ don’t endear her to the local people. And her unfiltered posts which include conversations with her family and her lawyer, Louise don’t go down well either. Responding to Catherine’s protestation that she felt she had to write it all down, Louise says, ‘Then keep a journal, for God’s sake! You don’t have to paste it all over the internet!’. Quite.
A combination of folk tale, horror story and mystery, the book incorporates a number of narrative structures, including Elena’s journal, Catherine’s Facebook posts, emails, excerpts from Catherine’s novel about Ilsbeth Clark and the aforementioned ‘Nicksby Documents’ written by an unnamed author but whose identity it’s not too difficult to guess . The latter was probably the most successful bit of the book for me but overall the story felt rather disjointed and moved a bit too slowly.
Neither of the women are particularly likeable. Elena is a prolific poster on social media, a fan of hashtags and an advocate of listening to the voice of one’s SOUL (her capital letters, not mine). For her, the ancient well is not a place of menace but somewhere magical, hence it being her favourite place for her morning yoga workout. She believes she has formed a spiritual connection with Ilsbeth and is possessed by the idea that she can use this to prove the existence of ‘good magic’. Unfortunately, the situation is rather different, creepily different in fact.
On the other hand, Catherine sees Ilsbeth as a victim of prejudice, like so many other women through history, and is intent on bringing this injustice to light. Catherine can’t stop herself posting instalments from an open letter to the inhabitants of F- in response to their accusations against her. She feels she’s the victim of a modern day ‘witch hunt’. Unsurprisingly, comments such as ‘In my humble experience, none of you are geniuses’ don’t endear her to the local people. And her unfiltered posts which include conversations with her family and her lawyer, Louise don’t go down well either. Responding to Catherine’s protestation that she felt she had to write it all down, Louise says, ‘Then keep a journal, for God’s sake! You don’t have to paste it all over the internet!’. Quite.
A combination of folk tale, horror story and mystery, the book incorporates a number of narrative structures, including Elena’s journal, Catherine’s Facebook posts, emails, excerpts from Catherine’s novel about Ilsbeth Clark and the aforementioned ‘Nicksby Documents’ written by an unnamed author but whose identity it’s not too difficult to guess . The latter was probably the most successful bit of the book for me but overall the story felt rather disjointed and moved a bit too slowly.
October 28, 2022
Boring
March 18, 2023
Bruce's debut You Let Me In was my favourite read of 2021, so it's no exaggeration when I’m telling you that The Witch in the Well was my most-anticipated read of 2022. With expectations so high, it can be tricky to truly enjoy something. Luckily, The Witch in the Well didn’t disappoint!
I find it a little hard to put into words just how much I loved this book. It helps that it has a great many elements that I love: the novel is a collection of documents (and though it is a little odd that Cathy would throw all of that on her blog, it didn’t break my suspension of disbelief), it has lonely girls and witchy women, a mystery that keeps the reader turning the pages, layers (books are best when they’re like Shrek, I suppose), and some lovely creepy and original stuff. Though it has similarities with You Let Me In (a trial, not knowing whom to believe, young girls who make pacts with strange creatures), there’s plenty of new stuff here, too.
As an early modernist, I initially found myself siding with Cathy; I, too, HATE it when modern witches try and claim the men and women murdered during the witch trials as icons for their movement, so I could completely understand that Cathy was, to express it mildly, less than thrilled when she found out Elena wanted to take Ilsbeth’s story and use it to write a spiritualist book. But it soon becomes hard to like Cathy, doesn’t it? If you have to choose, you’d always pick Elena over Cathy, simply because she’s a cheerful and fun person and Cathy is spiteful and embittered and has a victim complex.
And yet the story is so much more than this spat between two girls who used to be best friends but now hate each other and find themselves on opposite ends when trying to write about a murdered woman. To let Ilsbeth tell her own story was a masterful stroke on Bruce’s part, because it shows us that both Cathy and Elena get things wrong, and is it even all right for them to use Ilsbeth for their own gain (even if they don’t think of it like that themselves)?
Though I do love You Let Me In the best out of these two novels, I’m thoroughly impressed by The Witch in the Well. I look forward to reading Bruce’s two other novels, which deal with real-life historical serial killers (the woman has an interesting brand going for herself: dark, fairy-tale-esque horror stories as well as historical fiction centred on real-life murderers; LOVE).
I find it a little hard to put into words just how much I loved this book. It helps that it has a great many elements that I love: the novel is a collection of documents (and though it is a little odd that Cathy would throw all of that on her blog, it didn’t break my suspension of disbelief), it has lonely girls and witchy women, a mystery that keeps the reader turning the pages, layers (books are best when they’re like Shrek, I suppose), and some lovely creepy and original stuff. Though it has similarities with You Let Me In (a trial, not knowing whom to believe, young girls who make pacts with strange creatures), there’s plenty of new stuff here, too.
As an early modernist, I initially found myself siding with Cathy; I, too, HATE it when modern witches try and claim the men and women murdered during the witch trials as icons for their movement, so I could completely understand that Cathy was, to express it mildly, less than thrilled when she found out Elena wanted to take Ilsbeth’s story and use it to write a spiritualist book. But it soon becomes hard to like Cathy, doesn’t it? If you have to choose, you’d always pick Elena over Cathy, simply because she’s a cheerful and fun person and Cathy is spiteful and embittered and has a victim complex.
And yet the story is so much more than this spat between two girls who used to be best friends but now hate each other and find themselves on opposite ends when trying to write about a murdered woman. To let Ilsbeth tell her own story was a masterful stroke on Bruce’s part, because it shows us that both Cathy and Elena get things wrong, and is it even all right for them to use Ilsbeth for their own gain (even if they don’t think of it like that themselves)?
Though I do love You Let Me In the best out of these two novels, I’m thoroughly impressed by The Witch in the Well. I look forward to reading Bruce’s two other novels, which deal with real-life historical serial killers (the woman has an interesting brand going for herself: dark, fairy-tale-esque horror stories as well as historical fiction centred on real-life murderers; LOVE).
December 10, 2022
3 stars--I liked the book.
Camilla Bruce writes unusual stories--they never quite go where you think they will, and they're tragic and mysterious. This one surprised me a lot--I thought it was one thing, but then it turned into full supernatural horror. Or did it?
I didn't love this as much as her previous book, You Let Me In, but I was still blown away by the book's unusual plot and multilayered darkness.
Camilla Bruce writes unusual stories--they never quite go where you think they will, and they're tragic and mysterious. This one surprised me a lot--I thought it was one thing, but then it turned into full supernatural horror. Or did it?
I didn't love this as much as her previous book, You Let Me In, but I was still blown away by the book's unusual plot and multilayered darkness.
March 6, 2023
3.5⭐️ I really enjoyed this story, I personally love unhinged, unlikeable characters and toxic friendships, I find them so entertaining to read.
Both Catherine & Elena are the epitome of unhinged so to see them go back and forth over who has the right to write the book on Ilsbeth life was great! Especially Cathy she was my favourite unstable character, no self awareness, pure jealousy and self righteous
If you like books with likeable characters you want to root for…this is not the story for you
However it got 3.5⭐️ and not 4⭐️ for me because the beast/mistress/demon storyline confused me a bit and I’m still not sure how Ilsbeth ended up serving the thing. It probably was explained but I fear it went over my head.
Some other things confused me as well but I can’t say without spoilers so i’ll leave it here
Both Catherine & Elena are the epitome of unhinged so to see them go back and forth over who has the right to write the book on Ilsbeth life was great! Especially Cathy she was my favourite unstable character, no self awareness, pure jealousy and self righteous
If you like books with likeable characters you want to root for…this is not the story for you
However it got 3.5⭐️ and not 4⭐️ for me because the beast/mistress/demon storyline confused me a bit and I’m still not sure how Ilsbeth ended up serving the thing. It probably was explained but I fear it went over my head.
Some other things confused me as well but I can’t say without spoilers so i’ll leave it here
Want to read
March 30, 2022Ah, witches mixed with toxic friendship- I just know Camilla Bruce will do something wickedly awesome with this, can't wait to read it.
February 16, 2025
This was a very slow book filled with unreliable narrators and unlikeable main characters. It tooke me a while to plough through this as we follow two women, former childhood friends as they both write the story of a historical woman accused of witchcraft.
Although an interesting read, I struggled with he pacing or to stay engaged with the plot as the main characters acted so childishly. There was a slight supernatural element to the story but it was quite vague and I think it would have worked better if we were kept guessing on whether the woman was a witch.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and the author.
Although an interesting read, I struggled with he pacing or to stay engaged with the plot as the main characters acted so childishly. There was a slight supernatural element to the story but it was quite vague and I think it would have worked better if we were kept guessing on whether the woman was a witch.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and the author.
November 5, 2022
creepy small town stories ftw
April 30, 2022
What a fun and creepy book! I absolutely love the main personalities in this story. One bitter and lonely recluse, one modern hippie hashtagger, and one frustrated spirit of a would-be witch. And the structure is great as well! All the material in this narrative comes from “written” sources — journals, letters, emails, books, and other documents. This makes it feel almost as though you are looking at primary sources and trying to solve the mysteries yourself.
The setting itself is eerie, a moldering “castle” of a house in the middle of a haunted Norwegian wood? Not going to be my choice for a relaxing getaway. The imagery and the overall vibes illustrated throughout this book were subtly chilling. I found the occult aspects of this story sufficiently creepy without being too gory or off-putting. The book is rather fast-paced, and the chapters are short.
I have not read any Camilla Bruce before, but I find myself included to pick up more of her books, as I really enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Camilla Bruce, Tor Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
The setting itself is eerie, a moldering “castle” of a house in the middle of a haunted Norwegian wood? Not going to be my choice for a relaxing getaway. The imagery and the overall vibes illustrated throughout this book were subtly chilling. I found the occult aspects of this story sufficiently creepy without being too gory or off-putting. The book is rather fast-paced, and the chapters are short.
I have not read any Camilla Bruce before, but I find myself included to pick up more of her books, as I really enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Camilla Bruce, Tor Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
August 1, 2022
Dark and mysterious, The Witch in the Well is something of an enigmatic read. I did not relate to any of the characters (except for Ilsbeth herself), in fact, I found most of them a little trite (Elena) or uptight (Catherine). I wish the abbatoir hadn't been mentioned so much, that's a first-class off-putter for me and made Catherine's son less likable than he could have been.
Despite this, I quite enjoyed it, although I wish the author had explained the daemon in the well a little more. This is my first Camilla Bruce, but it certainly won't be my last.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Tor and the author for my ARC.
Despite this, I quite enjoyed it, although I wish the author had explained the daemon in the well a little more. This is my first Camilla Bruce, but it certainly won't be my last.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Tor and the author for my ARC.
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