What do you think?
Rate this book
Ashes and Stones: A Scottish Journey in Search of Witches and Witness
'Beautiful... A moving reminder for us all to connect with what's gone before' STYLIST
A moving and personal journey, along rugged coasts and through remote villages and cities, in search of the traces of those accused of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Scotland.
In Ashes and Stones we visit modern memorials and standing stones, and roam among forests and hedge mazes, folklore and political fantasies. From fairy hills to forgotten caves, we explore a spellbound landscape.
Allyson Shaw untangles the myth of witchcraft and gives voice to those erased by it. Her elegant and lucid prose weaves together threads of history and feminist reclamation to create a vibrant memorial. This is the untold story of the witches' monuments of Scotland and the women's lives they mark. Ashes and Stones is a trove of folklore linking the lives of contemporary women to the horrors of the past, a record of resilience and a call to choose and remember our ancestors.
'Allyson Shaw has built a monument in words to the thousands persecuted as witches in Scotland. A fascinating and necessary book.' Peter Ross
'A compelling and intimate pilgrimage across Scotland' Helen Callaghan
A moving and personal journey, along rugged coasts and through remote villages and cities, in search of the traces of those accused of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Scotland.
In Ashes and Stones we visit modern memorials and standing stones, and roam among forests and hedge mazes, folklore and political fantasies. From fairy hills to forgotten caves, we explore a spellbound landscape.
Allyson Shaw untangles the myth of witchcraft and gives voice to those erased by it. Her elegant and lucid prose weaves together threads of history and feminist reclamation to create a vibrant memorial. This is the untold story of the witches' monuments of Scotland and the women's lives they mark. Ashes and Stones is a trove of folklore linking the lives of contemporary women to the horrors of the past, a record of resilience and a call to choose and remember our ancestors.
'Allyson Shaw has built a monument in words to the thousands persecuted as witches in Scotland. A fascinating and necessary book.' Peter Ross
'A compelling and intimate pilgrimage across Scotland' Helen Callaghan
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
114 people are currently reading
2169 people want to read
About the author
Allyson Shaw
9 books63 followersAllyson Shaw lives on the northeast coast of Scotland. Folklore and history deeply influence her work. She is currently writing about the witches monuments of Scotland and the women's lives they mark. This is culminating in a book length work of creative nonfiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 10, 2023
I wanted to read an in-depth history about the persecution, torture and execution of thousands of Scottish women. I did not want to read the ramblings of a clueless tourist who thinks everyone was as ill-informed as she is about the witch trials.
Every chapter is full of details of what Scotland looks like, and none of it feels relevant.
The information about the author and her life was dull and seemed an incredible arrogance to include it. I was particularly interested in the trial and execution of Grissel Jaffrey, I’m not sure why we needed four pages on the author and her father before we got to the late Mrs Jaffray. She seems to see herself like these women, but she’s nothing like them, and she’s using their horrific deaths to tell us about herself.
This book was clearly written with an American audience in mind, the history is both incredibly basic but missing proper context. Shaw explains who James VI is, because apparently people only know of him because of his bible, but mentions nothing of his upbringing, which would provide some context for his beliefs. She both blames the reformation and Scotland’s conversion to Calvinism, and yet later says the last witch trial took place in Caithness because it was overwhelmingly catholic. Shaw claims it was a co-ordinated effort by men in power, it wasn’t, they didn’t have to, they just had to stir up hate and let human nature do the rest.
The chapter looking at Maggie’s Wall in Dunning, Perthshire was particularly unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong, it was appropriate to include the memorial but she used it as an opportunity to tell us about Ian Brady and Myra Hindley visiting it on holiday, why on earth was that deemed appropriate?! She also uses it to tell readers about the horrific 2019 murder of Annalise Johnstone, but when discussing the trial of her alleged killer, gets the jury verdict wrong.
After reading this I feel I learned nothing, all this book did was irritate me. And that’s a shame because there are so many stories to be told. Around 2500 people were executed for witchcraft in Scotland. For comparison 112 were executed in England and 19 in the US. There are quite literally thousands of stories to be told, but this book told us who some of them were, Edinburgh University has a database that can do that. I got no sense of who they were, what their lives were like, and I got no sense of how witch trials affected the communities. Awful, awful book
Another one star but I wish I could give it zero.
Every chapter is full of details of what Scotland looks like, and none of it feels relevant.
The information about the author and her life was dull and seemed an incredible arrogance to include it. I was particularly interested in the trial and execution of Grissel Jaffrey, I’m not sure why we needed four pages on the author and her father before we got to the late Mrs Jaffray. She seems to see herself like these women, but she’s nothing like them, and she’s using their horrific deaths to tell us about herself.
This book was clearly written with an American audience in mind, the history is both incredibly basic but missing proper context. Shaw explains who James VI is, because apparently people only know of him because of his bible, but mentions nothing of his upbringing, which would provide some context for his beliefs. She both blames the reformation and Scotland’s conversion to Calvinism, and yet later says the last witch trial took place in Caithness because it was overwhelmingly catholic. Shaw claims it was a co-ordinated effort by men in power, it wasn’t, they didn’t have to, they just had to stir up hate and let human nature do the rest.
The chapter looking at Maggie’s Wall in Dunning, Perthshire was particularly unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong, it was appropriate to include the memorial but she used it as an opportunity to tell us about Ian Brady and Myra Hindley visiting it on holiday, why on earth was that deemed appropriate?! She also uses it to tell readers about the horrific 2019 murder of Annalise Johnstone, but when discussing the trial of her alleged killer, gets the jury verdict wrong.
After reading this I feel I learned nothing, all this book did was irritate me. And that’s a shame because there are so many stories to be told. Around 2500 people were executed for witchcraft in Scotland. For comparison 112 were executed in England and 19 in the US. There are quite literally thousands of stories to be told, but this book told us who some of them were, Edinburgh University has a database that can do that. I got no sense of who they were, what their lives were like, and I got no sense of how witch trials affected the communities. Awful, awful book
Another one star but I wish I could give it zero.
May 14, 2023
Sadly, this book is not for me for a number of reasons.
Predominantly, it is written somewhat pretentiously, and chaotically jumps from witch hunts to the author's personal experiences. I found this particularly aggravating, especially when the memoir-type parts interrupted a genuinely fascinating and important discussion on the Scottish witch-hunts. In my opinion, the women persecuted as witches deserved the full attention of the reader. It's ok to feel a personal connection to the history and locations of course, but not insert random personal anecdotes that have no relevance.
I am so disappointed because the idea for this book is brilliant. I also loved learning about the interaction of faerie/folklore beliefs with the crime of witchcraft in Scotland.
Predominantly, it is written somewhat pretentiously, and chaotically jumps from witch hunts to the author's personal experiences. I found this particularly aggravating, especially when the memoir-type parts interrupted a genuinely fascinating and important discussion on the Scottish witch-hunts. In my opinion, the women persecuted as witches deserved the full attention of the reader. It's ok to feel a personal connection to the history and locations of course, but not insert random personal anecdotes that have no relevance.
I am so disappointed because the idea for this book is brilliant. I also loved learning about the interaction of faerie/folklore beliefs with the crime of witchcraft in Scotland.
January 8, 2023
With ASHES AND STONES by Allyson Shaw, the reader is invited to witness not just a reckoning in progress, but one which has been hundreds of years in the making. For this is the story of how thousands and thousands of Scottish women were murdered as witches over hundreds of years.
It's a beautifully written, impeccably researched tome. Not only has the author done her reading - often painstakingly untangling old Scots language, but she has also stood on every spot, comparing accounts from then to what is to be found now. The result is a unique addition to the canon, and one which will readers will be turning to in centuries to come.
Part historic record, part cry for justice, there are two other things which set Ashes and Stones apart from other works you are likely to find on this topic. The first is that the author has chosen to organise the material not by chronological order, but by the locations of the crimes themselves. This means that anyone interested - of which I've no doubt there will be many - can keep a copy in their car while driving about Scotland for ease of reference. I have no doubt they will - as I have done - begin to see Scotland in rather a different light. It's quite a strange feeling to read about this town, or that square, which one has tramped through X number of times, without the faintest idea of the level of misogynist rampage that has gone on. (Nor, did I have any idea that the Scottish government had recently issued pardons to many of the women who had been tortured and murdered for witchcraft through the centuries.)
But, for me, what really set Ashes and Stones apart was the way it was written. Without wishing to spoil it, the author herself had an extremely compelling reason not only to write the book, but to include within it, a memoir of why she has chosen to do this. This lends added poignancy to each piece of information she uncovers and each grave she stands overs.
The horrifying carnage of what happened to these Scottish women who failed to conform will likely shock many - as it should. But what is also likely to stay with them is the profound empathy and respect with which Ms Shaw has brought them back to life on these pages.
With many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy.
It's a beautifully written, impeccably researched tome. Not only has the author done her reading - often painstakingly untangling old Scots language, but she has also stood on every spot, comparing accounts from then to what is to be found now. The result is a unique addition to the canon, and one which will readers will be turning to in centuries to come.
Part historic record, part cry for justice, there are two other things which set Ashes and Stones apart from other works you are likely to find on this topic. The first is that the author has chosen to organise the material not by chronological order, but by the locations of the crimes themselves. This means that anyone interested - of which I've no doubt there will be many - can keep a copy in their car while driving about Scotland for ease of reference. I have no doubt they will - as I have done - begin to see Scotland in rather a different light. It's quite a strange feeling to read about this town, or that square, which one has tramped through X number of times, without the faintest idea of the level of misogynist rampage that has gone on. (Nor, did I have any idea that the Scottish government had recently issued pardons to many of the women who had been tortured and murdered for witchcraft through the centuries.)
But, for me, what really set Ashes and Stones apart was the way it was written. Without wishing to spoil it, the author herself had an extremely compelling reason not only to write the book, but to include within it, a memoir of why she has chosen to do this. This lends added poignancy to each piece of information she uncovers and each grave she stands overs.
The horrifying carnage of what happened to these Scottish women who failed to conform will likely shock many - as it should. But what is also likely to stay with them is the profound empathy and respect with which Ms Shaw has brought them back to life on these pages.
With many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy.
February 27, 2023
Harrowing, but also evocative and fascinating, this is a beautifully written, deeply personal account of one woman's travels through Scotland's landscape as she attempts to 'remember' and personally memorialise those killed in the witchhunts in Scotland during and after the reign of King James the 1st/5th. Infused with a profound love and respect for the natural world, for folk magic and rural tradition, and for women (and men) who have suffered violence and persecution. It's at times intensely uncomfortable to read, and I felt angry tears standing out in my eyes more than once at the author's bleak, straightforward accounts of the acts perpetrated on accused 'witches' - spaewives, healers, visioners, storytellers, the elderly or unwanted or disenfranchised, the mentally or physically disabled - and on herself, especially as a vulnerable teenager. The writer's distinct voice is a very useful example to me as I seek to develop my own voice for my thesis. Don't read this unless you're feeling emotionally robust, though.
August 25, 2025
I loved this beautifully written odyssey through the stones and memorials of historical witchcraft accusation in Scotland. The witch stones. The names. The book itself serves as memorial.
Some of the places, I'd visited; others, I intend to seek out now. I appreciated the author's memories of her own life too. It extended the female experience of the world into the modern day. An enriching read.
Some of the places, I'd visited; others, I intend to seek out now. I appreciated the author's memories of her own life too. It extended the female experience of the world into the modern day. An enriching read.
October 29, 2022
In Ashes and Stones Shaw has written a compelling and intimate pilgrimage across Scotland as she visits the sites of notorious witch trials to connect with and comment on the memorials left there to the murdered people who perished through greed, misogyny, and superstition.
In tandem with these journeys, she reveals fascinating historical details of these trials, perpetrated against the poorest and weakest in that society, and allows those accused to speak directly to us, the reader, in their own vernacular. The stories they tell of folk magic and the Devil reveal a world still full of porous spiritual boundaries where common folk still dealt in nature, myth and ancient lore.
The book is a fascinating exploration of the search for personal identity, the ever-present dangers of religious and political extremism, and how we examine and process the murderous injustices from our past.
In tandem with these journeys, she reveals fascinating historical details of these trials, perpetrated against the poorest and weakest in that society, and allows those accused to speak directly to us, the reader, in their own vernacular. The stories they tell of folk magic and the Devil reveal a world still full of porous spiritual boundaries where common folk still dealt in nature, myth and ancient lore.
The book is a fascinating exploration of the search for personal identity, the ever-present dangers of religious and political extremism, and how we examine and process the murderous injustices from our past.
January 6, 2023
I finished this at the end of last year but had to take time to collect my thoughts before reviewing.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This book is everything, it's part a history of Scottish Witch Trials and part a memoir. I found I couldn't put it down and on the rare occasion I did it haunted my thoughts (no pun intended).
I spend a lot of my time in Scotland and actually have visited some of the sites mentioned in the book, which made it even more personal to me.
The author shows that it isn't right to question what the alleged witches did but instead to question how and why this was allowed to happen. It's a dark stain on the worlds past and should never be forgotten.
Utterly compelling and one I will be purchasing a physical copy of and gifting to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
February 12, 2024
This book was a little light on the history and a little heavy on the memoir for my tastes. The writing is very academic without much of the historical substance, and I find it curious that the author criticises the commodification of the deaths of these women while participating in such with this book. In combination with the focus on the book's more memoir-oriented elements, it comes across a little gauche. I did enjoy several passages in this book, and the epilogue, however.
May 28, 2023
I wondered throughout what it was about this book, about these women's stories which captured me so much. Then Shaw wrote ' It is part of the erasure of women's suffering on a global scale.' And as a Survivor, I got it.
December 10, 2023
“I look forward to a time when the market exhausts its commodification of the witch”
But charges £10.99 for a relatively short paperback that is largely an exploration of their own history and filled with opinion, generalisation and their own biases.
But charges £10.99 for a relatively short paperback that is largely an exploration of their own history and filled with opinion, generalisation and their own biases.
April 27, 2025
Allyson Shaw's Ashes & Stones taps into our modern day fascination with witch hunts, taking the reader on a journey through Scotland to some of the sites associated with this brutal chapter of Scottish history. Those looking for a comprehensive history of Scottish witchtrials will be disappointed as this book is by no means a compendium, but Shaw offers something different - an introspective and deeply personal reckoning with the societal and cultural legacy of historical gendered violence.
📚
One of the problems inherent in telling the stories of accused witches is that very little of their voices remain available to us today. The records that are accessible are often told through the prism of the accusations against the accused, making it difficult to understand them as real, multidimensional people. Shaw forges a connection with the women whose stories she shares by embarking on a journey through the Scottish landscape, visiting the places that they would have known, and reflecting on her own experience as a marginalised person in modern Scotland. It's an unusually personal approach to a subject that has garnered a lot of academic discission, but one that explains the resonance that this chapter of our history has with a lot of people today, and one that raises important questions that the broader discourse has tended to neglect, for example, whether a judicial pardon is appropriate and what the function of a memorial should be.
📚
Shaw's approach to history is not limited to what happened or why, but focuses instead on its meaning and how we collectively understand that history. Told from her perspective as a survivor of sexual violence, Shaw draws parallels between her experience and that of the Scottish women accused of witchcraft, exploring the relevance of the past to modern day misogyny and notions of masculinity. Through her personal interaction with the events of the past, Shaw illustrates the witchtrials as a living history with ramifications today, dealing with the topic both intelligently and sensitively.
📚
All in all, I highly recommend Ashes & Stones for some thoughtful discourse on a captivating, and often sensationalised, topic.
📚
📚
One of the problems inherent in telling the stories of accused witches is that very little of their voices remain available to us today. The records that are accessible are often told through the prism of the accusations against the accused, making it difficult to understand them as real, multidimensional people. Shaw forges a connection with the women whose stories she shares by embarking on a journey through the Scottish landscape, visiting the places that they would have known, and reflecting on her own experience as a marginalised person in modern Scotland. It's an unusually personal approach to a subject that has garnered a lot of academic discission, but one that explains the resonance that this chapter of our history has with a lot of people today, and one that raises important questions that the broader discourse has tended to neglect, for example, whether a judicial pardon is appropriate and what the function of a memorial should be.
📚
Shaw's approach to history is not limited to what happened or why, but focuses instead on its meaning and how we collectively understand that history. Told from her perspective as a survivor of sexual violence, Shaw draws parallels between her experience and that of the Scottish women accused of witchcraft, exploring the relevance of the past to modern day misogyny and notions of masculinity. Through her personal interaction with the events of the past, Shaw illustrates the witchtrials as a living history with ramifications today, dealing with the topic both intelligently and sensitively.
📚
All in all, I highly recommend Ashes & Stones for some thoughtful discourse on a captivating, and often sensationalised, topic.
📚
May 8, 2023
3.5 Stars
This is a very personal journey taken by the author to visit the sites of some of the memorials to the women and men who were persecuted during the terrible and disgraceful period of trials in Seventeenth Century Scotland. The author explodes the myths and stories and legends attached to some, and puts her own very personal interpretation on each 'event'.
This is a difficult book for me to review - I think I have to say that up front. I found it fascinating but perplexing. It offered up so many questions, but for me it didn't answer very many of them, perhaps because there simply are no answers. We can't know what happened to these people, not really. We can imagine ourselves into their minds and into the minds of their accusers and persecutors, but we are always going to be tainted and prejudiced by our own twenty-first century minds. And that's the big problem for me with this book, I think. The author debunks lots of myths, she tells us a great deal about what didn't happen, but very little of what did - or might have. She's averse to speculation, I get that, but she's so averse to continuing with some of the myths, she fails to actually explain what they are in places. So you're reading it with a lot of assumed knowledge that I didn't have, and that was quite frustrating. I had to keep looking the subjects up elsewhere and then go back to the text. I actually discovered that one of the cases, of Janet Horne, had been commemorated in a poem by one of my favourite poets, Edwin Morgan - not through the book, but through my own research associated with the book. (The author does mention another famous commemoration, of Isobel Gowdie, who I knew from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band!)
There's a map with the book comes with a map, and one of the many fascinating things I discovered was that the vast majority of the locations were on the east coast of the country. Why was this? Was it, as the author hints (but only hints - oh, how I wish she'd have speculated more) that sea-going communities and fishermen are extremely superstitious? Is it tied in with the bad luck women are reputed to bring if they board a fishing boat? Or was it to do with the location of land-owners with influence, the fact that Edinburgh is on the east, the capital of the country and the location of those who made the decisions about trials? Did I miss something in the book that answered this question, something implied?
I love personal journeys into history. I found this book fascinating, but frustrating. The author is herself a white witch. There were times when I felt she was telling me that this meant she understood something I did not. Did I miss the point? The book certainly made me angry to read about how these women and men (though it was mostly women) were treated, abused, mocked, made scapegoats of. I was fascinated and shocked by how even now, the 'history' of the individuals has been mythologised, the same lies and mis-information repeated over and over. It definitely made me want to know more. Perhaps in the end, that's enough.
This is a very personal journey taken by the author to visit the sites of some of the memorials to the women and men who were persecuted during the terrible and disgraceful period of trials in Seventeenth Century Scotland. The author explodes the myths and stories and legends attached to some, and puts her own very personal interpretation on each 'event'.
This is a difficult book for me to review - I think I have to say that up front. I found it fascinating but perplexing. It offered up so many questions, but for me it didn't answer very many of them, perhaps because there simply are no answers. We can't know what happened to these people, not really. We can imagine ourselves into their minds and into the minds of their accusers and persecutors, but we are always going to be tainted and prejudiced by our own twenty-first century minds. And that's the big problem for me with this book, I think. The author debunks lots of myths, she tells us a great deal about what didn't happen, but very little of what did - or might have. She's averse to speculation, I get that, but she's so averse to continuing with some of the myths, she fails to actually explain what they are in places. So you're reading it with a lot of assumed knowledge that I didn't have, and that was quite frustrating. I had to keep looking the subjects up elsewhere and then go back to the text. I actually discovered that one of the cases, of Janet Horne, had been commemorated in a poem by one of my favourite poets, Edwin Morgan - not through the book, but through my own research associated with the book. (The author does mention another famous commemoration, of Isobel Gowdie, who I knew from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band!)
There's a map with the book comes with a map, and one of the many fascinating things I discovered was that the vast majority of the locations were on the east coast of the country. Why was this? Was it, as the author hints (but only hints - oh, how I wish she'd have speculated more) that sea-going communities and fishermen are extremely superstitious? Is it tied in with the bad luck women are reputed to bring if they board a fishing boat? Or was it to do with the location of land-owners with influence, the fact that Edinburgh is on the east, the capital of the country and the location of those who made the decisions about trials? Did I miss something in the book that answered this question, something implied?
I love personal journeys into history. I found this book fascinating, but frustrating. The author is herself a white witch. There were times when I felt she was telling me that this meant she understood something I did not. Did I miss the point? The book certainly made me angry to read about how these women and men (though it was mostly women) were treated, abused, mocked, made scapegoats of. I was fascinated and shocked by how even now, the 'history' of the individuals has been mythologised, the same lies and mis-information repeated over and over. It definitely made me want to know more. Perhaps in the end, that's enough.
January 16, 2025
Sixty thousand lives lost (15% being male or non binary) in Europe. The witch-hunts of Europe systematically killed women because of their critical thinking skills, knowledge of herbal remedies, insight and vigilant observation of the world around them. This was a threat to the church and state that could not fathom any power or equality towards women.
We must not turn away from the wrong that has been done.
Have we learned or are we repeating this history with different systems and other named hunts?
We must not turn away from the wrong that has been done.
Have we learned or are we repeating this history with different systems and other named hunts?
January 3, 2023
I love fiction novels on witches and wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy reading the true side with a non fiction book like Ashes and Stones. But I have to say the journey that Allyson took to detail each witches truth was so detailed, you feel like you are walking the steps with her, To know that they took the most vulnerable, the unwanted, even the healers, and in hindsight were put forward as a show of entertainment shakes your very soul. You also get an insight into Allyson and her life story within the book as she comes to Scotland to reconnect and make it her home.
February 9, 2023
I thought this was great. A lyrical and moving insight into the lives, trials, torture and murder of thousands of Scottish women accused of witchcraft. The excerpts from the confessions and other primary sources were fascinating and the author's own journey in discovering what she did about these women was equally compelling. Highly recommended.
April 2, 2023
Ashes and Stones is beautifully written look at the treatment of women accused of witchcraft in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries, woven alongside the memoir of the author and how the lives of the women feel reflected in their own life.
Allyson Shaw, from the US but part of the Scottish diaspora manages to weave together a beautiful narrative by mixing the search for heritage, both in blood and bond, with the painful memories of the treatment of women in the past. Rather than following the typical narrative of sensationalising the reasons why the women accused of witchcraft were accused, she instead focuses on the circumstances surrounding it. Much of witchcraft popular writing tends towards a want to theorise that maybe these women were witches, or had done something to make others think they really were. As a historian who studied witchcraft as part of her course, it was wonderful to see Shaw mention several of the witchcraft scholars that I was familiar with and had read throughout my studies. My conclusions from the course were similar to Shaw: these women weren't witches in any way. They were just women.
Shaw's prose is easily read, and with the personal story alongside, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable, and relatable read. Within my own historical writing I also focused on connecting with the past, and seeing how much of it could be reflected in my own life. Being able to relate to history is one of the best ways to understand history, and to understand its continued relevance in today's society.
I would highly recommend this book, not just to those interested in witch trials, but anyone interested in history and the history of women.
A big thank you to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Allyson Shaw, from the US but part of the Scottish diaspora manages to weave together a beautiful narrative by mixing the search for heritage, both in blood and bond, with the painful memories of the treatment of women in the past. Rather than following the typical narrative of sensationalising the reasons why the women accused of witchcraft were accused, she instead focuses on the circumstances surrounding it. Much of witchcraft popular writing tends towards a want to theorise that maybe these women were witches, or had done something to make others think they really were. As a historian who studied witchcraft as part of her course, it was wonderful to see Shaw mention several of the witchcraft scholars that I was familiar with and had read throughout my studies. My conclusions from the course were similar to Shaw: these women weren't witches in any way. They were just women.
Shaw's prose is easily read, and with the personal story alongside, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable, and relatable read. Within my own historical writing I also focused on connecting with the past, and seeing how much of it could be reflected in my own life. Being able to relate to history is one of the best ways to understand history, and to understand its continued relevance in today's society.
I would highly recommend this book, not just to those interested in witch trials, but anyone interested in history and the history of women.
A big thank you to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2023
This book is a compelling blend of the history of the Scottish witch trials and Allyson's own personal history as a 'blow in' from the US to Scotland. It was interesting to have places I'm familiar with, to the extent that I take them for granted, I think, painted in a new light through Allyson's eyes and through the lens of this very human history that is so often treated like a carnival sideshow. In recounting the histories of those accused of witchcraft, dehumanised by time and by those who would capitalise on their pain, Allyson has given these women back a voice, and I finished the book feeling like I knew them, and Allyson, a little better.
December 18, 2022
Ashes and Stones is very compelling. The author travels across Scotland and actually visits
the sites where witch trials took place. It is often soul wretching what she discovers and shares. These memorials are the only remrants lefts and serve nowdays as a totem to the murdered
people (mostly women), who were victims to silly superstition, greed and worse. Imagine living in a time where being weak, beautiful or poor can actually be a criminal offence? I find myself this topic fascinating and yet soul wrenching to the point feeling anger.
I am grateful that in past few years more books are written and more history comes to light. Witch trials were awful and in Scotland alone nearly 2000 women were killed for no reason than terrible rules. Injuste!
This book is also on audio version which I plan to finish listening on as I feel I would like to connect more with the authors message.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this opportunity.
the sites where witch trials took place. It is often soul wretching what she discovers and shares. These memorials are the only remrants lefts and serve nowdays as a totem to the murdered
people (mostly women), who were victims to silly superstition, greed and worse. Imagine living in a time where being weak, beautiful or poor can actually be a criminal offence? I find myself this topic fascinating and yet soul wrenching to the point feeling anger.
I am grateful that in past few years more books are written and more history comes to light. Witch trials were awful and in Scotland alone nearly 2000 women were killed for no reason than terrible rules. Injuste!
This book is also on audio version which I plan to finish listening on as I feel I would like to connect more with the authors message.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this opportunity.
December 19, 2022
An incredibly interesting and heartwrenching read that had me both fascinated and reaching for tissues. I think it is easy when watching, reading or thinking about witch trials to foget that this did actually happen to people, often for little to no reason and that is terrifing.
Until I read this book I had no idea that witch trials had taken place in Scotland, or how many people had been brutally murdered for witchcraft. IT was eye opening and abhorant and has definitely made me want to research more into it
Until I read this book I had no idea that witch trials had taken place in Scotland, or how many people had been brutally murdered for witchcraft. IT was eye opening and abhorant and has definitely made me want to research more into it
March 7, 2024
I thought this book would be about the history of witch hunts and the writer’s research journey on it. I was even excited for an insightful and intimate narrative. I like that stuff a lot, when the researcher is also present in the research. but this was not it. The witch hunts, historical accounts and “research” felt somewhat like side stories, little interesting details to highlight the real focus: the author. Lady, the Scottish witch hunts were not about you. You are not the main character of these tragic and horrific stories.
I am not saying that she doesn’t have a personal story to tell about womanhood or anything else for that matter. I am just saying that the subject of Scottish witch hunt history might not have been the best platform for discussing the abusive relationship you had as a teenager, your health issues, your dreams of being an archeologist, your old photos etc.
A more humble approach, less assumptions and presumptuous bold statements would be more suitable for a book aiming to untangle the myth of witchcraft and give voice to its victims.
January 9, 2023
3.5
A blend of non-fiction and memoir, history and personal anecdotes and stories, Ashes and Stones recounts the gruesome witch trials/hunts that occurred across Scotland in the seventeenth century.
Shaw untangles myths and applies what happened in the seventeenth century to what is still happening today with references to Roe v Wade and the the #MeToo movement.
At times, atmospheric and haunting, well-researched and interesting viewpoints in regard to witch tourism. I did feel as though the first half of the novel was a bit repetitive and I wasn’t always a fan of the voice of the narrative.
Overall, informative, history defying and feminist. A tribute to the witches burned and tortured and a reminder for us not to glamorise but memorialise the events that occurred.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A blend of non-fiction and memoir, history and personal anecdotes and stories, Ashes and Stones recounts the gruesome witch trials/hunts that occurred across Scotland in the seventeenth century.
Shaw untangles myths and applies what happened in the seventeenth century to what is still happening today with references to Roe v Wade and the the #MeToo movement.
At times, atmospheric and haunting, well-researched and interesting viewpoints in regard to witch tourism. I did feel as though the first half of the novel was a bit repetitive and I wasn’t always a fan of the voice of the narrative.
Overall, informative, history defying and feminist. A tribute to the witches burned and tortured and a reminder for us not to glamorise but memorialise the events that occurred.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2024
It fell into the trap that a lot of narrative non fiction does,and became more about the author than the history and the women who died. I felt like I was reading en expose about the author and her personal obstacles and how she related them to history rather than actually learning anything about the history. I felt like the persecuted women took a major backseat. Though there were some nuggets of information that were great, it just wasn’t enough to offset the personal grievances and opinions of the author, and so I DNFed in favor of another book on the history of the witch trials.
December 31, 2022
Ashes and Stones is historical non-fiction with a touch of memoir to it. It examines the history of the atrocity of the witch trials in Scotland and how that history is remembered, be it in small folk memorials where offerings are made by local communities or the more official monuments that in some ways still ask the predominantly female victims to account for themselves. Shaw looks at the effect that not been able to grieve such a crime may have on a populace, how that failing can give way to the history becoming the stuff of entertainment (witch tourism essentially), where memorial is not at the heart of it but rather amusement of modern audiences. It is a strange thing to think that the death of thousands could be a source of amusement, and a lot of the reason for this is how we currently frame the witch trials in our history. We treat them almost as a blip, a folly, but we forget that the people with the authority at the time were believed to be some of the great minds of the time.
This is a book that speaks back to power, both currently and indeed across the centuries. Shaw at all times keeps the victims of the trials front and centre, while asking us why it is not the people who committed the atrocities modern society asks to account for themselves instead of those that were burned at the stake. Of course the fact that Shaw is speaking back to power, across time, across views, makes this an exceptionally powerful and insightful read. I found myself taking moments just to absorb what I was reading, to understand the nature of it better and in remembrance of those who were murdered. Shaw highlights the fact that those most likely to be accused would have been amongst the more vulnerable groups of society. It also served to highlight well how power was (and indeed still is) used to other that group.
For me, this is a solid five/five read. I found myself thinking about it well after I’d finished reading it. Shaw has a graceful and nuanced tone that addresses the tragedy well without ever coming across as insincere. She strikes a rare balance of addressing the past while speaking from the present, with subtle personal elements woven throughout. It is unflinching in its account, refusing to do what popular media has done in the past regarding the witch trials (the dark romanticising of them almost). Not one for the faint hearted but definitely worth reading. I highly recommend it.
This is a book that speaks back to power, both currently and indeed across the centuries. Shaw at all times keeps the victims of the trials front and centre, while asking us why it is not the people who committed the atrocities modern society asks to account for themselves instead of those that were burned at the stake. Of course the fact that Shaw is speaking back to power, across time, across views, makes this an exceptionally powerful and insightful read. I found myself taking moments just to absorb what I was reading, to understand the nature of it better and in remembrance of those who were murdered. Shaw highlights the fact that those most likely to be accused would have been amongst the more vulnerable groups of society. It also served to highlight well how power was (and indeed still is) used to other that group.
For me, this is a solid five/five read. I found myself thinking about it well after I’d finished reading it. Shaw has a graceful and nuanced tone that addresses the tragedy well without ever coming across as insincere. She strikes a rare balance of addressing the past while speaking from the present, with subtle personal elements woven throughout. It is unflinching in its account, refusing to do what popular media has done in the past regarding the witch trials (the dark romanticising of them almost). Not one for the faint hearted but definitely worth reading. I highly recommend it.
January 25, 2023
“I claim the denomination hedge witch and all the unbounded mysteries that implies: a liminal thinker, someone open to the edges where other ways of knowing seep in. Those of us who identify as witches are feminist tricksters, myth-makers and storytellers in search of a history.”
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Sceptre for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Ashes & Stones’ by Allyson Shaw. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Lucy Paterson.
This book is subtitled ‘A Scottish Journey in Search of Witches and Witness’ and is a combination of a personal/travel memoir and an examination of the history and legacy of the Scottish witch trials.
Shaw writes of the sense of displacement she felt living in the USA that drew her to emigrate to Britain, eventually settling in Scotland.
She sought to understand the witch trials and undertook a personal journey to various sites. Alongside the historical, religious, and political factors that lead to the trials, Shaw also writes extensively of Scottish faerie and folk lore.
This was a marvellous book that drew me into Shaw’s journey. I was especially moved by her sense of connection with the land. She writes: “here I am, a daughter returned to Scotland. Like many Americans with a Scottish surname and a story of ancestry, Scotland is also a metaphorical home, a place where I seed dreams of belonging.”
This was something that I experienced and led me to return to Britain, where I was born yet not raised. So I can attest to how powerful that ancestral bond can be.
Overall, ‘Ashes & Stones’ was an inspiring, beautifully written book, rich in descriptions of the Scottish landscape and powerful accounts of those who were victims of these trials. It concludes with a glossary and bibliography.
On a side note, I found the cover image by Iain Macarthur very striking and felt that it conveyed a subtle sense of the book’s subject matter.
Highly recommended.
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Sceptre for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Ashes & Stones’ by Allyson Shaw. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Lucy Paterson.
This book is subtitled ‘A Scottish Journey in Search of Witches and Witness’ and is a combination of a personal/travel memoir and an examination of the history and legacy of the Scottish witch trials.
Shaw writes of the sense of displacement she felt living in the USA that drew her to emigrate to Britain, eventually settling in Scotland.
She sought to understand the witch trials and undertook a personal journey to various sites. Alongside the historical, religious, and political factors that lead to the trials, Shaw also writes extensively of Scottish faerie and folk lore.
This was a marvellous book that drew me into Shaw’s journey. I was especially moved by her sense of connection with the land. She writes: “here I am, a daughter returned to Scotland. Like many Americans with a Scottish surname and a story of ancestry, Scotland is also a metaphorical home, a place where I seed dreams of belonging.”
This was something that I experienced and led me to return to Britain, where I was born yet not raised. So I can attest to how powerful that ancestral bond can be.
Overall, ‘Ashes & Stones’ was an inspiring, beautifully written book, rich in descriptions of the Scottish landscape and powerful accounts of those who were victims of these trials. It concludes with a glossary and bibliography.
On a side note, I found the cover image by Iain Macarthur very striking and felt that it conveyed a subtle sense of the book’s subject matter.
Highly recommended.
February 7, 2023
Ashes and Stones is a poetic and deeply personal exploration of Scotland's witchtrials, the stories of some of the women accused, and the memorials and significant places in the landscape where we might encounter them. The brutality of the stories is never shied away from and is handled with sensitivity, and the limits of what we can know are explored, when all the records are told by those who carried out the atrocities. Heartbreaking and urgent, Ashes and Stones links these historical events with the present day and shows they are still relevant.
October 10, 2023
“you can burn the skin I live in, but you cannot burn the witch away” _ aurora 2022 The Devil Is Human
June 9, 2025
Interesting to read about the Scottish witch hunts, with each chapter focusing on an area and/or woman. Though I felt the author's own experience/life perhaps filled a bit too much.
February 28, 2023
A truly intense but none the less intriguing read , I had over the years heard some things about the awful Witch Hunts ,Torture & final erasement of the Women & some Men accused & tried of being Witches.in Scotland . But the true scale of those events is almost mind blowing , especially when you consider that many of those accused & killed were just Midwives, Healers of that age ,but ultimately I believe as in all of History it was & is still in many countries around the world Man's fear of Women's strength , interlect that leads to these awful events , plus their perverse sexual desires too.#NetGalley, #GoodReads,#FB, #Amazon.co.uk, #Instagram, #
, #
, #
, also this is not Bedtime reading Material !
, #, #, also this is not Bedtime reading Material !
January 18, 2023
Across the beautiful landscape of glorious highlands and serene lochs, Scotland is a country that is a host to many dark, many unforgivable histories.
Allyson Shaw leads us to a compelling tale of a journey across Scotland while visiting the memorials of so-called "witches" or the scenes of witch trials while discussing the history of those innocents unjustly murdered through misogyny and deep-rooted superstition.
While tackling themes such as personal identity, religious extremism and the confrontation of the dark injustices of our historical past head on, Shaw has created an unflinching account told with deep sincerity, always keeping the victims to the forefront of our minds.
Written with such poignancy and endurance, the book is authentic and unromantic as it details the horrific events of the witch-hunts across Scotland made even more real as the author stands before the memorials such as stones, mazes or sculptures, forcing the reader to confront the heartbreaking truths that claimed so many innocent lives.
I have always been fascinated by the history of the witch trials, but Shaw's book has to be one of the most thought-provoking, most human-centred accounts to have been written. It is a book that will stay with me for a very long time indeed.
Thank you to @sceptrebooks @hodderbooks and @netgalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book.
Allyson Shaw leads us to a compelling tale of a journey across Scotland while visiting the memorials of so-called "witches" or the scenes of witch trials while discussing the history of those innocents unjustly murdered through misogyny and deep-rooted superstition.
While tackling themes such as personal identity, religious extremism and the confrontation of the dark injustices of our historical past head on, Shaw has created an unflinching account told with deep sincerity, always keeping the victims to the forefront of our minds.
Written with such poignancy and endurance, the book is authentic and unromantic as it details the horrific events of the witch-hunts across Scotland made even more real as the author stands before the memorials such as stones, mazes or sculptures, forcing the reader to confront the heartbreaking truths that claimed so many innocent lives.
I have always been fascinated by the history of the witch trials, but Shaw's book has to be one of the most thought-provoking, most human-centred accounts to have been written. It is a book that will stay with me for a very long time indeed.
Thank you to @sceptrebooks @hodderbooks and @netgalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews