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Witch Wood
In The Witch Wood (1927) John Buchan brings all the tension of his wartime thrillers to a complex story of witchcraft in the ancient Wood of Caledon in the Scottish Borders. It is a stirring and challenging tale of seventeenth-century devilry, combatted in vain by David Sempill, the parish minister, who is hindered by the hypocrisy of his parishioners and his fellow-ministers' cant. In the background, meanwhile, the civil unrest of the Scottish Wars of the Covenant tears David's loyalties between his love of his calling and his admiration for the Marquis of Montrose, the leading opponent of the extreme Covenanters. Witch Wood also tells a love story that owes much to the ballads Buchan learned from his father and is infused with a subtle, other-worldly longing, nourished by the author's knowledge of Dante, Plato, and Virgil. The Dark Wood is not merely Scottish: it is the classical and medieval symbol for the subliminal powers which challenge reason in every age.
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1927
85 people are currently reading
1682 people want to read
About the author
John Buchan
1,734 books466 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
December 16, 2016
It occurs to me, having read this last year and recommended it to another couple of people only this week, that I never got around to telling you why I loved Witch Wood quite so much. Which is to say, to the extent that if I were John Buchan, I'd be kind of annoyed at only being remembered for The Thirty-Nine Steps. Let it be known that I adore The Thirty-Nine Steps. It's just that I think Witch Wood is better, cleverer, and way more important. Apparently it was Buchan's favourite of his own novels. It's a crying shame it's been overlooked so much.
It's seventeenth century Scotland. The Civil Wars are in progress, and the King is still doing pretty well for himself; this being a matter not very long after the National Covenant was signed in Scotland, nobody north of the border is very happy about it. Leading the discontent is the Presbyterian Kirk, which at this point is militantly anti-Royalist. In the Scottish Borders, a new minister finds himself caught between loyalty to his own Kirk and the de facto government of the King, trying to do the best he can for the people of his parish.
At the same time, he discovers that some of his church elders are performing devil worship in the woods. Hogg's Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner discusses similar themes: if you could do anything at all, and still be guaranteed a place in heaven, what would you do? Hogg's character embarks on a grand career of serial killing people he doesn't like. (It's a great book, you should totally read it. Scared the crap out of Edinburgh when it was published, on account of James Hogg using the idea of found footage a clear 170 years before The Blair Witch Project). In Witch Wood, for the parishioners, their membership of the Kirk and consequent access to heaven is great news: they can carry on doing all the pagan rituals they used to engage in for generations, now with added Christian-tinged devilish theme. They're a poor, uneducated people, torn between the old and the new, and the Kirk represents both of those things and neither of them. Sure, the Game of Thrones-style history is fun, but someone has to live under the rule of this stuff, and nobody thinks to explain to them what any of it means. Also, they're probably dying of typhoid.
What's a young, inexperienced priest to do? There are souls at stake here! Is it worth sacrificing yourself, with all the material good you could do in such a difficult, politically charged time -- just to save a few immortal souls? Is David Sempill brave, or cowardly? Doing the right thing, or desperately ineffective? Seeing the bigger picture, or missing what's really important? Did he make the right decision?
Buchan writes Scottish lowlands that he knows well; he writes them beautifully and without the Walter Scott romance we see in The Thirty-Nine Steps. Witch Wood is dark. It's fascinating. It intelligently explores things that are important and interesting today, as well as being the part of Scottish history that -- let's face it -- is one of the reasons I moved up here. This stuff is like catnip to me. You can get it on Kindle for cheap. I swear you won't regret it.
(Edited December 2016 to fix my heinous historical inaccuracies. I should read this again, it was fab.)
It's seventeenth century Scotland. The Civil Wars are in progress, and the King is still doing pretty well for himself; this being a matter not very long after the National Covenant was signed in Scotland, nobody north of the border is very happy about it. Leading the discontent is the Presbyterian Kirk, which at this point is militantly anti-Royalist. In the Scottish Borders, a new minister finds himself caught between loyalty to his own Kirk and the de facto government of the King, trying to do the best he can for the people of his parish.
At the same time, he discovers that some of his church elders are performing devil worship in the woods. Hogg's Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner discusses similar themes: if you could do anything at all, and still be guaranteed a place in heaven, what would you do? Hogg's character embarks on a grand career of serial killing people he doesn't like. (It's a great book, you should totally read it. Scared the crap out of Edinburgh when it was published, on account of James Hogg using the idea of found footage a clear 170 years before The Blair Witch Project). In Witch Wood, for the parishioners, their membership of the Kirk and consequent access to heaven is great news: they can carry on doing all the pagan rituals they used to engage in for generations, now with added Christian-tinged devilish theme. They're a poor, uneducated people, torn between the old and the new, and the Kirk represents both of those things and neither of them. Sure, the Game of Thrones-style history is fun, but someone has to live under the rule of this stuff, and nobody thinks to explain to them what any of it means. Also, they're probably dying of typhoid.
What's a young, inexperienced priest to do? There are souls at stake here! Is it worth sacrificing yourself, with all the material good you could do in such a difficult, politically charged time -- just to save a few immortal souls? Is David Sempill brave, or cowardly? Doing the right thing, or desperately ineffective? Seeing the bigger picture, or missing what's really important? Did he make the right decision?
Buchan writes Scottish lowlands that he knows well; he writes them beautifully and without the Walter Scott romance we see in The Thirty-Nine Steps. Witch Wood is dark. It's fascinating. It intelligently explores things that are important and interesting today, as well as being the part of Scottish history that -- let's face it -- is one of the reasons I moved up here. This stuff is like catnip to me. You can get it on Kindle for cheap. I swear you won't regret it.
"What do your Presbytries and Assemblies or your godly ministers ken o' the things that are done in the mirk? What do they ken o' the corps in the kirkyairds buried o' their ain wull wi' their faces downwards? They set up what they ca' their discipline, and they lowse the terrors o' Hell on sma' fauts like an aith, or profane talk on the Sabbath, or giein' the kirk the go-by, and they hale to the cutty-stool ilka lass that's ower kind to her joe. And what's the upshot? They drive the fold to their auld ways and turn them into hypocrites as weel as sinners."
(Edited December 2016 to fix my heinous historical inaccuracies. I should read this again, it was fab.)
April 9, 2015
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pmjb6Description: Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of seventeenth century Scotland, John Buchan's Witch Wood is a gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro.
As a moderate presbyterian minister, young David Sempill disputes with the extremists of his faith, as all around, the defeated remnants of Montrose's men are being harried and slaughtered.
There are still older conflicts to be faced however, symbolised by the presence of the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Here there is black magic to be uncovered, but also the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship.
In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill's struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless aspect in what was John Buchan's own favourite among his many novels.
3* Witch Wood
2* The 39 Steps
3* Greenmantle
2* Mr Standfast
2* The Three Hostages
2* Prester John
3* Huntingtower
4* Sick Heart River
November 10, 2018
Witch Wood was reputedly John Buchan‘s own favourite of his many novels and is dedicated to his brother, Walter Buchan. Shortly before writing the novel, Buchan had been carrying out research for his biography of Montrose, who does make a brief appearance in Witch Wood. The backdrop to the events in the book is the religious and civil strife in Scotland between 1644 and 1646 when Scottish Royalists under Montrose fought the Covenanters who were allied with the English Parliament.
The central story of David Sempill and his fight against the superstitious practices that he finds still hold sway among some of the inhabitants of Woodilee is the most engaging and accessible element of the book. In his honest attempts to root out evil and save the souls of his parishioners, David encounters opposition from religious extremists who seem to set more store by the Old Testament than the teachings of the New Testament. Their response is to search out evidence of witchcraft and demonic possession, showing no mercy. David’s calling is of a different nature: ‘The work for which he longed was to save and comfort human souls.’
I’ll admit to getting a little bogged down in the debates about religious doctrine and the role of Church and State in Scotland in this period of history. Despite reading the relevant sections from Buchan’s scholarly The Kirk in Scotland, I’m still not sure I really understand the distinction between episcopacy and prelacy (if indeed there is one). Another factor which may prove problematic for some readers is that Buchan presents much of the dialogue, especially of characters like David’s housekeeper, Isobel Veitch, in broad Scots, rendering it rather impenetrable at times.
Throughout the novel there is a great sense of the brooding presence of the ancient forest which abuts Woodilee. Even David is not immune to it. ‘It must be an eerie life under the shadow of that ancient formless thing.’ An ideal spot for devilish practices, as it turns out. ‘The Black Wood could tell some tales if the trees could talk.’ Conversely, the forest becomes the scene of a much more life-changing and life-affirming encounter for David.
Witch Wood combines history and romance in the manner of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Catriona or Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, with plenty of references to actual events and figures of the time as well as a touching and engaging love story. And it wouldn’t be a Buchan novel if it didn’t feature the themes of courage and self-sacrifice. (3.5 stars)
The central story of David Sempill and his fight against the superstitious practices that he finds still hold sway among some of the inhabitants of Woodilee is the most engaging and accessible element of the book. In his honest attempts to root out evil and save the souls of his parishioners, David encounters opposition from religious extremists who seem to set more store by the Old Testament than the teachings of the New Testament. Their response is to search out evidence of witchcraft and demonic possession, showing no mercy. David’s calling is of a different nature: ‘The work for which he longed was to save and comfort human souls.’
I’ll admit to getting a little bogged down in the debates about religious doctrine and the role of Church and State in Scotland in this period of history. Despite reading the relevant sections from Buchan’s scholarly The Kirk in Scotland, I’m still not sure I really understand the distinction between episcopacy and prelacy (if indeed there is one). Another factor which may prove problematic for some readers is that Buchan presents much of the dialogue, especially of characters like David’s housekeeper, Isobel Veitch, in broad Scots, rendering it rather impenetrable at times.
Throughout the novel there is a great sense of the brooding presence of the ancient forest which abuts Woodilee. Even David is not immune to it. ‘It must be an eerie life under the shadow of that ancient formless thing.’ An ideal spot for devilish practices, as it turns out. ‘The Black Wood could tell some tales if the trees could talk.’ Conversely, the forest becomes the scene of a much more life-changing and life-affirming encounter for David.
Witch Wood combines history and romance in the manner of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Catriona or Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, with plenty of references to actual events and figures of the time as well as a touching and engaging love story. And it wouldn’t be a Buchan novel if it didn’t feature the themes of courage and self-sacrifice. (3.5 stars)
December 22, 2013
I'm a young minister in a Reformed Church. This book is terrifying. It's real. I think I should change my name to David Sempill. Don't read it. It's too good.
December 21, 2020
As much about the civil war as it is putting an end to occult rites. Gripping.
April 18, 2023
This book blew me away. It's quite possibly the most goddamn Scottish book I've ever read. For sure, it would be a hard book to read if you weren't Scottish.
On paper, you'd expect Witch Wood to be a thriller like the rest of John Buchan's books. And for sure some of that DNA is there - soldiers on the run, witchcraft, etc. But it's really a book about a young minister, David Sempill, and his internal struggles with faith, dogma and everyday life. A number of fleeting interactions leave him questioning the line of his church. Much of the book's conflict revolves around the debate between compassionate and legalistic Calvinism. The conflict is realistic and mature - the villains are contradictory and dogmatic but never evil. Overall, the book's a thoughtful argument in favour of a more libertarian faith.
Just as important, Woodilee's landscape is full of lived-in vibrancy. It's one of the few books I've read where the rural environment is so important yet avoids coming across as pastoral kitsch. The book is surprisingly brutal at times, sentimentality doesn't last long, and an oppressive atmosphere hangs over much of it. And most importantly, the book gives you the time to just sit with the people and the place and the situation. It's not slow per se, but takes its time. Well worth it.
On paper, you'd expect Witch Wood to be a thriller like the rest of John Buchan's books. And for sure some of that DNA is there - soldiers on the run, witchcraft, etc. But it's really a book about a young minister, David Sempill, and his internal struggles with faith, dogma and everyday life. A number of fleeting interactions leave him questioning the line of his church. Much of the book's conflict revolves around the debate between compassionate and legalistic Calvinism. The conflict is realistic and mature - the villains are contradictory and dogmatic but never evil. Overall, the book's a thoughtful argument in favour of a more libertarian faith.
Just as important, Woodilee's landscape is full of lived-in vibrancy. It's one of the few books I've read where the rural environment is so important yet avoids coming across as pastoral kitsch. The book is surprisingly brutal at times, sentimentality doesn't last long, and an oppressive atmosphere hangs over much of it. And most importantly, the book gives you the time to just sit with the people and the place and the situation. It's not slow per se, but takes its time. Well worth it.
October 18, 2023
Excellent. My first Buchan and I was impressed.
The hero was bold for the gospel.
Captivating plot.
I probably missed a quarter of the book due to the thick Scottish dialect (the glossary wasn’t exhaustive).
The hero was bold for the gospel.
Captivating plot.
I probably missed a quarter of the book due to the thick Scottish dialect (the glossary wasn’t exhaustive).
July 7, 2024
A goodreads friend made me notice that I'd rated but not reviewed this book, my favorite of all Buchan's. Somewhere I read it was his, too. If you like Ivanhoe, Kidnapped and Lorna Doone, you will thoroughly enjoy this historical romance. The setting is Scotland in the late 1640s. It introduced me, by his cameo appearance, to one of my personal heroes, James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose (1612-1650). Buchan also wrote a biography of Montrose, as did C.V. Wedgewood. Hers is shorter, more readable.
A very recent re-read April 2021 of Witch Wood made me say out loud that this is the quintessential romance as defined by Merriam-Webster's "a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure." It has all the elements of a fairy tale set in a very realistic post-medieval world of good lost causes. Is there still a place for such books in 2021 in the hearts of those not as far gone in years as I? I dearly hope so.
P.S. I just finished (July 2024) what must have been my 6th read-through. A wonderful book. It has never paled over sixty years.
A very recent re-read April 2021 of Witch Wood made me say out loud that this is the quintessential romance as defined by Merriam-Webster's "a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure." It has all the elements of a fairy tale set in a very realistic post-medieval world of good lost causes. Is there still a place for such books in 2021 in the hearts of those not as far gone in years as I? I dearly hope so.
P.S. I just finished (July 2024) what must have been my 6th read-through. A wonderful book. It has never paled over sixty years.
November 4, 2024
Probably should be closer to 4 stars for the writing and world building, but it was a bit slow for me.
In fact, this book was mostly world-building, with interspersed ’stuff happening’ along with an admittedly plentiful helping of ‘story’.
But when he described the woods, or a stream, or a villa or a countryside, you had no problem imaging exactly what you were suppose to see, and the writing made you want to be there, back then, in that moment (except for the plague, and certain other parts).
Sadly, there was a lot of political and historical dialog that felt like a bit of a slog (for me), and some times, moving from one plot point to the next, was a very slow trek.
If slow burn is your thing, great. But please take note; it’s a VERY slow burn.
In fact, this book was mostly world-building, with interspersed ’stuff happening’ along with an admittedly plentiful helping of ‘story’.
But when he described the woods, or a stream, or a villa or a countryside, you had no problem imaging exactly what you were suppose to see, and the writing made you want to be there, back then, in that moment (except for the plague, and certain other parts).
Sadly, there was a lot of political and historical dialog that felt like a bit of a slog (for me), and some times, moving from one plot point to the next, was a very slow trek.
If slow burn is your thing, great. But please take note; it’s a VERY slow burn.
November 20, 2017
Gave up after 30% - so much time spent trying to understand the Scots spoken that I was beginning to hate the book.
September 24, 2019
I read it 60 years ago. I had been forced to drop the study of history at school, so was almost entirely ignorant of the historical and political background. What impressed me most about it was Calvinist theology of predestination (probably not a good source for learning such things) and it left we with a fascination with the four pastoral festivals - Candlemass, Beltane (St Philip & St James AA &
MM), Lammas (St Peter's Chains) and Hallowmass (All Saints). I was then at the height of my Anglo-Catholic phase and the feasts of the church year interested me anyway. It was probably not a good source for learning about that either.
I'd love to read it again, with a better knowledge of the historical background, but I've never seen another copy since I borrowed it from the Johannesburg public library in 1959. I'd also be interested in knowing what my Calvinist and Pagan friends think of it.
MM), Lammas (St Peter's Chains) and Hallowmass (All Saints). I was then at the height of my Anglo-Catholic phase and the feasts of the church year interested me anyway. It was probably not a good source for learning about that either.
I'd love to read it again, with a better knowledge of the historical background, but I've never seen another copy since I borrowed it from the Johannesburg public library in 1959. I'd also be interested in knowing what my Calvinist and Pagan friends think of it.
July 25, 2023
A thoroughly enjoyable novel, worthy of the writer of "The 39 Steps".
As well as being a thriller that kept me on my toes, and even a romantic novel to a degree, it gave me a much better insight into the issues of the Covenanters and Calvinism in the context of the War of the Three Kingdoms (which includes the English Civil War). I found the way in which Buchan shows how Calvinism could unwittingly encourage the development of witchcraft a fascinating concept.
One difficulty in reading this book is the need to keep translating the Scots dialogue. There is a helpful glossary at the end of the book, but not all the Scots used by Buchan is listed in the glossary. On the other hand, it is possible most of the time to get the essence of meaning without attempting to translate, and I found that was a better way to get to grips with this excellent novel.
As well as being a thriller that kept me on my toes, and even a romantic novel to a degree, it gave me a much better insight into the issues of the Covenanters and Calvinism in the context of the War of the Three Kingdoms (which includes the English Civil War). I found the way in which Buchan shows how Calvinism could unwittingly encourage the development of witchcraft a fascinating concept.
One difficulty in reading this book is the need to keep translating the Scots dialogue. There is a helpful glossary at the end of the book, but not all the Scots used by Buchan is listed in the glossary. On the other hand, it is possible most of the time to get the essence of meaning without attempting to translate, and I found that was a better way to get to grips with this excellent novel.
August 26, 2021
I've yet to complete this book but felt the need to comment.
I am a huge fan of Buchan (see my reviews...) - this novel provides the adventure & romance one expects from his work but gives so much more besides.
It is historically rich & intensely theological and political. Buchan sees a battle for the very soul of Scotland going on in the late 1640's. This struggle gives the frame to his tale.
If you are unfamiliar with Scotland's story; the unfolding of 'The Wars of the Three Kingdoms' [England, Scotland & Ireland - all ruled by Charles Stuart] post 1640; the 'German Wars' of the early 17th century [ The Thirty Years War]
then you will struggle to get to grips with this novel.
I studied 17th century British & European history in 6th form but my English education was remiss in regard to the wars in Scotland. Googling Montrose helped a lot...
Further caveat. In all his works Buchan displays a great ear for Scots dialect & language. Never more so than in Witch Wood. Most of the dialogue & much of the prose is rendered in broad Lallands Scots.
Persevere past these difficulties and you will be richly rewarded...
The battle lines are marked out. Freedom of conscience against the rigid strictures of the 'covenanted' Presbyterian Kirk. The vengeful God of the Old Testament pursuing, through the actions of the righteous, relentless retribution against the enemy versus Christ's New Testament gospel of love, charity, forgiveness, reconciliation & salvation for all...
I feel Buchan had little time for his namesake Mr Knox...
This is a serious novel about deep subjects. No surprise to discover that Buchan felt it his most accomplished & most important work.
I am a huge fan of Buchan (see my reviews...) - this novel provides the adventure & romance one expects from his work but gives so much more besides.
It is historically rich & intensely theological and political. Buchan sees a battle for the very soul of Scotland going on in the late 1640's. This struggle gives the frame to his tale.
If you are unfamiliar with Scotland's story; the unfolding of 'The Wars of the Three Kingdoms' [England, Scotland & Ireland - all ruled by Charles Stuart] post 1640; the 'German Wars' of the early 17th century [ The Thirty Years War]
then you will struggle to get to grips with this novel.
I studied 17th century British & European history in 6th form but my English education was remiss in regard to the wars in Scotland. Googling Montrose helped a lot...
Further caveat. In all his works Buchan displays a great ear for Scots dialect & language. Never more so than in Witch Wood. Most of the dialogue & much of the prose is rendered in broad Lallands Scots.
Persevere past these difficulties and you will be richly rewarded...
The battle lines are marked out. Freedom of conscience against the rigid strictures of the 'covenanted' Presbyterian Kirk. The vengeful God of the Old Testament pursuing, through the actions of the righteous, relentless retribution against the enemy versus Christ's New Testament gospel of love, charity, forgiveness, reconciliation & salvation for all...
I feel Buchan had little time for his namesake Mr Knox...
This is a serious novel about deep subjects. No surprise to discover that Buchan felt it his most accomplished & most important work.
November 29, 2009
Synopsis: Witch Wood is a story of seventeenth-century witchcraft in the Wood of Caledon in the Scottish Borders. The parish minister tries in vain to prevent devil worship and protect his protestant congregation. Meanwhile, civil unrest of the Scottish Wars of the Covenant divides the minister's loyalties. Buchan also weaves in a romantic love story.
Review: I bought this book from Treadwells Esoteric Bookstore and was immediately captured by its writing style. It is set in Scotland and, for the most part, deals with a young minister's trials in dealing with the local witches in his village.
The "wars" referred to in the synopsis are those that divided the church and, eventually, led to the almost complete eradication of superstitions and pagan practices that continued under the more lax provisions of the Catholic (papist) and other churches.
Aside from all this, the story is engaging and Mr Buchan has a very distinctive and somewhat old-fashioned writing style. The reader will notice that all the characters speak with a heavy Scots accent - a dictionary of slang may come in handy.
I loved it as a work of fiction and will be keeping my copy to read on dark, windy and wintry nights (oooh, spooky).
Review: I bought this book from Treadwells Esoteric Bookstore and was immediately captured by its writing style. It is set in Scotland and, for the most part, deals with a young minister's trials in dealing with the local witches in his village.
The "wars" referred to in the synopsis are those that divided the church and, eventually, led to the almost complete eradication of superstitions and pagan practices that continued under the more lax provisions of the Catholic (papist) and other churches.
Aside from all this, the story is engaging and Mr Buchan has a very distinctive and somewhat old-fashioned writing style. The reader will notice that all the characters speak with a heavy Scots accent - a dictionary of slang may come in handy.
I loved it as a work of fiction and will be keeping my copy to read on dark, windy and wintry nights (oooh, spooky).
September 11, 2014
The plot may be slow-moving, and the Scots dialect is pretty thick, but this is a powerfully atmospheric novel set in 17th-century Scotland with the horrors not only of a witch-cult (drawing on Margaret Murray) but of hypocritical witch-prickers.
The novel is realistic rather than supernatural, the fantasy being in the beliefs of the characters. But it is effective enough in the mood created by (e.g.) the descriptions of landscape and weather that it seems quite believable that a woman who frequents a particular forest area is a taken for a fairy by the Scottish peasants.
I found the novel engrossing throughout; it should appeal to fans of H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, etc. It should also interest fans of James Hoggs' Memoirs and Confessions of a Jutified Sinner.
In the Epilogue Buchan cites a Reverend John Dennistoun, whose work Satan's Artifices against the Elect he says was written in 1719 but only published in 1821 by Sir Walter Scott. Dennistoun seems to be a fictional author invented by Buchan and cited in other works of his. (Probably inspired by Robert Kirk, whose 17th-century book about fairies The Secret Commonwealth was published by Scott in 1815. Buchan seems to have known this book.)
The novel is realistic rather than supernatural, the fantasy being in the beliefs of the characters. But it is effective enough in the mood created by (e.g.) the descriptions of landscape and weather that it seems quite believable that a woman who frequents a particular forest area is a taken for a fairy by the Scottish peasants.
I found the novel engrossing throughout; it should appeal to fans of H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, etc. It should also interest fans of James Hoggs' Memoirs and Confessions of a Jutified Sinner.
In the Epilogue Buchan cites a Reverend John Dennistoun, whose work Satan's Artifices against the Elect he says was written in 1719 but only published in 1821 by Sir Walter Scott. Dennistoun seems to be a fictional author invented by Buchan and cited in other works of his. (Probably inspired by Robert Kirk, whose 17th-century book about fairies The Secret Commonwealth was published by Scott in 1815. Buchan seems to have known this book.)
June 28, 2015
This was a Goodreads recommendations based on having read Old Mortality, and while they cover the same historical period, there is a vast gulf in quality. While the latter is an excellent novel, Witch Wood is a bit "simple" without actually becoming the children's story that its title might suggest. The two major flaws were that all of the characters were one-dimensional, being representatives of an interest or viewpoint rather than being of any interest themselves, and that the dialogue was primarily delivered in an opaque 17th century Scottish peasant dialect that was more or less gibberish. However, the simplicity of the novel's thesis (i.e. that putting political power into the hands of an idiot fundamentalist theocracy is a bad idea) meant that you generally didn't need to know what they were babbling on about. In a world where Islamic State is committing lunatic barbarism on the basis that the only book they have ever read says they can, it is interesting to see that a bunch of daft Scotsmen came to the same conclusion after picking the words they liked best (primarily "smite") out of the Old Testament.
August 13, 2016
This was apparently first published in 1927. The story is set in the Scottish Borders during the civil war and the main character is the new young minister in a small village. The minister wrestles with his own christian faith as opposed to the severe presbyterianism of the Kirk and also has to deal with a pagan coven, a wounded soldier from Montrose's defeated army as well as falling in love. It's a good read though a lot of the dialogue features many Scots words which even having lived in Scotland for over thirty six years I was not sure I fully understood.
May 8, 2025
If you've read any of John Buchan's other works, such as The Thirty-Nine Steps, Witch Wood will come as a surprising shift. This novel requires a deeper, more thoughtful engagement from the reader. An analogy I kept thinking when reading was "This is like finding that Lee Child had written The Name of the Rose alongside his usual thrillers."
Set in 17th-century Scotland during the turbulent Covenanter period, the story centres on the young, idealistic minister David Sempill as he takes charge of the parish of Woodilee. Beneath the community’s veneer of strict religious piety, he soon uncovers persistent pagan rituals lurking in the forbidding local forest. His discoveries lead him into confrontation with hypocrisy, superstition, and powerful local figures . Though the plot develops gradually, it is punctuated by compelling twists, and the characters, especially Sempill himself, are richly drawn, their motivations and inner conflicts vividly portrayed. Buchan’s immersive attention to historical detail is impressive, vividly evoking this volatile era and making the novel feel like an authentic glimpse into the past.
Reading Witch Wood in the 21st century highlights the intellectual demands Buchan placed upon his original readers. The narrative includes numerous literary references and untranslated Latin quotations. For instance, encountering Virgil's 'manibus date lilia plenis' without context assumes classical knowledge that the vast majority of readers (like myself) will not possess. Similarly, while it isn’t strictly necessary to fully understand the subtleties of the English Civil War, the Scottish Covenanters, or 17th-century Presbyterianism to appreciate the plot, familiarity certainly enhances the reading experience, explaining behaviour and plot points. The dialogue includes a huge number of long stretches of heavy, dense Scots, which adds yet another layer of complexity. You can check back and forth with the glossary but that can become tiresome.
From personal interest I had the historical context and with occasional searches for the Latin, I found it quite encouraging to encounter a novel that presumes such a high level of classical and historical literacy from it's reader. Overall, Witch Wood is a richly rewarding, atmospheric, and thought-provoking novel, offering a deeper exploration of human nature and historical dynamics than almost all contemporary fiction.
Set in 17th-century Scotland during the turbulent Covenanter period, the story centres on the young, idealistic minister David Sempill as he takes charge of the parish of Woodilee. Beneath the community’s veneer of strict religious piety, he soon uncovers persistent pagan rituals lurking in the forbidding local forest. His discoveries lead him into confrontation with hypocrisy, superstition, and powerful local figures . Though the plot develops gradually, it is punctuated by compelling twists, and the characters, especially Sempill himself, are richly drawn, their motivations and inner conflicts vividly portrayed. Buchan’s immersive attention to historical detail is impressive, vividly evoking this volatile era and making the novel feel like an authentic glimpse into the past.
Reading Witch Wood in the 21st century highlights the intellectual demands Buchan placed upon his original readers. The narrative includes numerous literary references and untranslated Latin quotations. For instance, encountering Virgil's 'manibus date lilia plenis' without context assumes classical knowledge that the vast majority of readers (like myself) will not possess. Similarly, while it isn’t strictly necessary to fully understand the subtleties of the English Civil War, the Scottish Covenanters, or 17th-century Presbyterianism to appreciate the plot, familiarity certainly enhances the reading experience, explaining behaviour and plot points. The dialogue includes a huge number of long stretches of heavy, dense Scots, which adds yet another layer of complexity. You can check back and forth with the glossary but that can become tiresome.
From personal interest I had the historical context and with occasional searches for the Latin, I found it quite encouraging to encounter a novel that presumes such a high level of classical and historical literacy from it's reader. Overall, Witch Wood is a richly rewarding, atmospheric, and thought-provoking novel, offering a deeper exploration of human nature and historical dynamics than almost all contemporary fiction.
November 4, 2024
A really gripping story of a young pastor seeking to lead his flock and weed out gross sin amongst them, all while fighting obstinate elders and an uncooperative presbytery.
It’s based on Robert Kirk who wrote the Secret Commonwealth of Fairies and is said to have been taken by the fairies. Buchan takes elements from the tale and weaves together a rather believable story of what may have really happened. It’s also a frightening tale that some times the greatest devils against a pastor are the ones on his own session.
It’s based on Robert Kirk who wrote the Secret Commonwealth of Fairies and is said to have been taken by the fairies. Buchan takes elements from the tale and weaves together a rather believable story of what may have really happened. It’s also a frightening tale that some times the greatest devils against a pastor are the ones on his own session.
Read
February 24, 2025Come for a creepy spiritual thriller, stay for the realistic historical Scottish landscape, leave with a surprising amount of knowledge of early Scottish Presbyterianism. Is this the best Presbyterian horror story every written?
I don't think a modern writer of thrillers could have written this novel. It portrays a lost world, and only a man haunted by this specific heritage and homeland could have written it like this.
I don't think a modern writer of thrillers could have written this novel. It portrays a lost world, and only a man haunted by this specific heritage and homeland could have written it like this.
April 19, 2021
Bought with great anticipation because my Scottish citizen sister recommended it, and C.S. Lewis enthused about the author (two powerful persuaders). Quickly realized that both glossary and explanatory notes are necessities to make sense of 17th Century Lowland accents gone prosy, and even older turns of thought. Not unlike farming, I suppose, the results of hard labour are worthwhile not teasing out a good story - but it takes effort to wade through the story. It’s a little depressing.
The hero, a young minister, resembles his namesake (David) - he’s all sparkle and vigour for the work of the Lord, but his fiercest supporters tend to be broken reeds or women. His congregation greedily listens to this man’s able preaching (they respond to power and conviction), but refuses to mends its Black Sabbath ways. His own Session, who should be helping him turn the tide and heal the spiritually sick, are his biggest roadblocks - constantly prating about Scripture without ever living it or loving it - more than just as a stick to beat their neighbors into submission. Good points about replacement papacy by 50 rather than one (leader).
This book is a hard read, beyond the language and culture barriers. The forces of good are not unspoiled by worldly cares or weaknesses of the flesh; they are, quite frankly, just as irritating as the cads among King David’s own 600 buccaneers. The wicked always seem to get their way, wrapped in a complacent cloak of inviolability. The hero doesn’t get all his heart’s desires on this earth, and quite a few people die in an unseasonable pandemic.
If you’re looking for an entertaining book where everything turns right in the end....the author has far too much knowledge of men and politics for that to happen. The Kirk compounds its errors of blind obedience to reputation and custom by slandering the man who tries to save them from their just deserts of winking at witchcraft - and never sets the record straight. I get the impression that Buchan thought the Highland Clearances a natural result of excessive ill-placed faith in Covenanting rather than eternal King. (Greed or avarice being no better in economics or politics than in spiritual warfare.)
A good read, just a bit more work than some of his other novels. I do wish I’d been taught Latin as a child!
The hero, a young minister, resembles his namesake (David) - he’s all sparkle and vigour for the work of the Lord, but his fiercest supporters tend to be broken reeds or women. His congregation greedily listens to this man’s able preaching (they respond to power and conviction), but refuses to mends its Black Sabbath ways. His own Session, who should be helping him turn the tide and heal the spiritually sick, are his biggest roadblocks - constantly prating about Scripture without ever living it or loving it - more than just as a stick to beat their neighbors into submission. Good points about replacement papacy by 50 rather than one (leader).
This book is a hard read, beyond the language and culture barriers. The forces of good are not unspoiled by worldly cares or weaknesses of the flesh; they are, quite frankly, just as irritating as the cads among King David’s own 600 buccaneers. The wicked always seem to get their way, wrapped in a complacent cloak of inviolability. The hero doesn’t get all his heart’s desires on this earth, and quite a few people die in an unseasonable pandemic.
If you’re looking for an entertaining book where everything turns right in the end....the author has far too much knowledge of men and politics for that to happen. The Kirk compounds its errors of blind obedience to reputation and custom by slandering the man who tries to save them from their just deserts of winking at witchcraft - and never sets the record straight. I get the impression that Buchan thought the Highland Clearances a natural result of excessive ill-placed faith in Covenanting rather than eternal King. (Greed or avarice being no better in economics or politics than in spiritual warfare.)
A good read, just a bit more work than some of his other novels. I do wish I’d been taught Latin as a child!
May 2, 2024
Very enjoyable even when I didn't entirely agree with the viewpoints here and there entirely. I think this should be on more Christians radar as something worth engaging with
October 19, 2025
I have no idea why I love everything I've read by John Buchan. This is the strangest and probably most difficult to understand. It is also most difficult to understand, for me, why and how I connect with it. A part of it I do know - the haunting beauty of the way landscapes are described here, as they are experienced by the main character, in different times of the day and the year, always inseparable from his inner struggles and joys, and from what is above and beyond. Touches something very real.
Need to keep reading Buchan.
Need to keep reading Buchan.
Read
July 24, 2011What's that you say? Buchan, author of "No Man's Land" and "The Wind in the Portico" wrote a full length novel in that same style. That's correct, and since it's so old, it's easy to get hold of a very cheap copy! The main character is a young minister who moves to a little Scots village, and has a fight on his hand against the local pagans, led by some of the elders of his own church. Luckily this is one of Buchan's ministers - the man is superbly fit, he speaks amazing Greek and Latin, and he's ready for anything... Or is he? Apart from the interesting diversions explaining why burial sites aren't consecrated, and why Christians can't just remain secure in their saving, the folowing are the three best parts of the book for me:
(mar thuirt Ruiridh mu dheiridh mar sin, 's dochas gum biodh litir do luchd ionnsachadh nas fhearr orm.)
“ My mouth shaped the word "Melanudrigill," and I knew that I saw Woodilee as no eye had seen it for three centuries, when, as its name tells, it still lay in the shadow of a remnant of the Wood of Caledon, that most ancient forest where once Merlin harped and Arthur mustered his men. . . . “
…
“Woodilee was a mere clearing in a forest. This was the Silva Caledonis of which old writers spoke, the wood which once covered all the land and in whose glades King Arthur had dwelt. He remembered doggerel Latin of Merlin the Bard and strange sayings of True Thomas--old wives' tales which concerned this sanctuary. He had grown up beside it and had not known of it, and now he had come back to a revelation. Silva Caledonis! Up the Rood water lay the house of Calidon. Were the names perhaps the same? “
(Perhaps liking the main character really is important in books)
“But as the road twined among the birches David's mood became insensibly more pagan. He could not resist the joy of the young life that ran in his members, and which seemed to be quickened by the glen of his childhood. Death was the portion of all, but youth was still far from death. . . . The dimness and delicacy of the landscape, the lines of hill melting into a haze under the moon, went to his head like wine. It was a world transfigured and spell-laden. On his left the dark blotch which was Melanudrigill lay like a spider over the hillsides and the mouths of the glens, but all in front and to his right was kindly and golden. He had come back to his own country, and it held out its arms to him. "Salve, O venusta Sirmio," he cried, and an owl answered.”
(And this main character is amazing)
“ Years later I got the tale out of many books and places: a folio in the library of a Dutch college, the muniment-room of a Catholic family in Lancashire, notes in a copy of the second Latin edition of Wishart's Montrose, the diaries of a captain of Hebron's and of a London glove-maker, the exercise book of a seventeenth-century Welsh schoolgirl.”
(mar thuirt Ruiridh mu dheiridh mar sin, 's dochas gum biodh litir do luchd ionnsachadh nas fhearr orm.)
“ My mouth shaped the word "Melanudrigill," and I knew that I saw Woodilee as no eye had seen it for three centuries, when, as its name tells, it still lay in the shadow of a remnant of the Wood of Caledon, that most ancient forest where once Merlin harped and Arthur mustered his men. . . . “
…
“Woodilee was a mere clearing in a forest. This was the Silva Caledonis of which old writers spoke, the wood which once covered all the land and in whose glades King Arthur had dwelt. He remembered doggerel Latin of Merlin the Bard and strange sayings of True Thomas--old wives' tales which concerned this sanctuary. He had grown up beside it and had not known of it, and now he had come back to a revelation. Silva Caledonis! Up the Rood water lay the house of Calidon. Were the names perhaps the same? “
(Perhaps liking the main character really is important in books)
“But as the road twined among the birches David's mood became insensibly more pagan. He could not resist the joy of the young life that ran in his members, and which seemed to be quickened by the glen of his childhood. Death was the portion of all, but youth was still far from death. . . . The dimness and delicacy of the landscape, the lines of hill melting into a haze under the moon, went to his head like wine. It was a world transfigured and spell-laden. On his left the dark blotch which was Melanudrigill lay like a spider over the hillsides and the mouths of the glens, but all in front and to his right was kindly and golden. He had come back to his own country, and it held out its arms to him. "Salve, O venusta Sirmio," he cried, and an owl answered.”
(And this main character is amazing)
“ Years later I got the tale out of many books and places: a folio in the library of a Dutch college, the muniment-room of a Catholic family in Lancashire, notes in a copy of the second Latin edition of Wishart's Montrose, the diaries of a captain of Hebron's and of a London glove-maker, the exercise book of a seventeenth-century Welsh schoolgirl.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2017
1.5⭐️ Urgh made it to the end but seriously could not understand anyone speaking in Scottish.
The witches didn't actually feature much at all and it was more of an actual devil worship big coven #falseadvertising
The witches didn't actually feature much at all and it was more of an actual devil worship big coven #falseadvertising
November 23, 2014
I had read this novel many, many years ago and the pervasive atmosphere of the setting has stuck with me through hundreds of other books I've read since then. Set in Scotland, but steeped in the similar traditions and brooding landscape of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Witch Wood tells the story of a young minister, David Sempill, who witnesses diabolical goings-on in the the woods near his new parish. Members of his congregation are caught up in sinister "extra-curricular activities" and the majority of the story revolves around the twists and turns that occur when someone in the right goes up against those in the wrong who are firmly entrenched and protected by the establishment.
I have read many stories that utilize the Scots language but I still struggled with this novel at times - the dialogue is extremely prevalent and despite the fact a glossary is available at the back, I found on occasion the dialogue disrupted the flow of the story so much that I forgot the purpose of the paragraph and instead had to focus on the meaning of each word.
Despite that, however, this story is an important one to understand the influences that politics can have on distorting the truth and corrupting the notion of goodness and I would highly recommend it.
I have read many stories that utilize the Scots language but I still struggled with this novel at times - the dialogue is extremely prevalent and despite the fact a glossary is available at the back, I found on occasion the dialogue disrupted the flow of the story so much that I forgot the purpose of the paragraph and instead had to focus on the meaning of each word.
Despite that, however, this story is an important one to understand the influences that politics can have on distorting the truth and corrupting the notion of goodness and I would highly recommend it.
January 23, 2016
Традиционный, неторопливый роман о том, что любая организованная религия — зло. Микроистория, да, а потому завораживает и служит недурной маргиналией к Барочному циклу Стивенсона — действие там происходит чуть-чуть не там же и несколько раньше, но все равно сообщает картинке пространство и дополнительный объем. Кроме того, здесь почти все изъясняются на неких диалектах шотландского, поэтому, видимо, читать лучше в оригинале, но уж как вышло. А читай я его в детстве, ему б вообще цены не было.
Перевод Екатерины Ярко вполне годный, хотя с этими самыми диалектами она, мне кажется, перемудрила — у нее там дикая смесь архаики и просторечья, и все персонажи (опричь попов, которые говорят, как в советских переводах Уолтера Скотта — под которого вполне удачно стилизован и весь текст от автора) выражаются довольно однообразно, что на самом деле, я думаю, не так. Ну и да — не оч. понятно, что мешало название толком перевести.
Перевод Екатерины Ярко вполне годный, хотя с этими самыми диалектами она, мне кажется, перемудрила — у нее там дикая смесь архаики и просторечья, и все персонажи (опричь попов, которые говорят, как в советских переводах Уолтера Скотта — под которого вполне удачно стилизован и весь текст от автора) выражаются довольно однообразно, что на самом деле, я думаю, не так. Ну и да — не оч. понятно, что мешало название толком перевести.
May 9, 2018
Pagan rights
Buchan has taken the hint of a childhood tale and turned it into a gripping adventure story, the like of which he does so well. But this is largely an adventure of the spirit as a 17th century Presbyterian minister wrestles with pagan stirrings in his own session: the disapproval of the Kirk authorities: the rights and wrongs of warring factions and not least his own conscience. He finds and then loses resolution in human romantic love before taking up his true calling. The action is page turning, though the descriptions of settings is from an earlier, Victorian age when words were still supposed to conjure up visual images and don't demand closer reading. So too the Laelan' Scots dialogue may mystify some though there is a glossary. The psychology is all the minister's but other characters are colorfully drawn. All in all it's a fine critique of politics and religion while reverberating within the individual psyche.
Buchan has taken the hint of a childhood tale and turned it into a gripping adventure story, the like of which he does so well. But this is largely an adventure of the spirit as a 17th century Presbyterian minister wrestles with pagan stirrings in his own session: the disapproval of the Kirk authorities: the rights and wrongs of warring factions and not least his own conscience. He finds and then loses resolution in human romantic love before taking up his true calling. The action is page turning, though the descriptions of settings is from an earlier, Victorian age when words were still supposed to conjure up visual images and don't demand closer reading. So too the Laelan' Scots dialogue may mystify some though there is a glossary. The psychology is all the minister's but other characters are colorfully drawn. All in all it's a fine critique of politics and religion while reverberating within the individual psyche.
November 10, 2015
John Buchan has written a masterpiece of fiction dealing with human fear and superstition and the strangeness of courage. The story is of a small village in Scotland during the rule of the "Kirk". Complete with witch hunts, both faithful and farcical, Pharisees and prophets, soldiers and cowards, the story follows a young minister trying to lead his little flock out of many kinds of idolatry and into the light. Buchan's character development is perceptive and careful, which always makes a story more worthwhile. When I can find myself empathetic even to the antagonists in the story without compromising my loyalty to the protagonist, I believe I have found an author who understands mankind.
January 15, 2010
When I started reading this book, I wasn't so sure. There was a lot of dry dialogue and a bit of a language barrier.
As I continued it got better and better until I was reading quite a bit every day. It's both encouraging and thought provoking. It is also theologically sound. The main character is likable (A pastor that isn't a wuss? How cool is that?) and not too perfect, leaving room for moral dilemmas.
Definitely read it.
As I continued it got better and better until I was reading quite a bit every day. It's both encouraging and thought provoking. It is also theologically sound. The main character is likable (A pastor that isn't a wuss? How cool is that?) and not too perfect, leaving room for moral dilemmas.
Definitely read it.
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