The Dark Hours – Book Review

 

I have decided to write the occasional blog on books that I read. What better way to start than with a book written by my editor ‘Alison Williams’!  It’s always good to check that your editor practices what she preaches, (said tongue in cheek!) I was not disappointed, it was brilliantly written and I loved it!

Read on…

 

 

I did not know what to expect with this book since I hadn’t even read the blurb; there seemed little point since I knew I was going to read it regardless of the subject matter. It turned out to be an intriguing and haunting tale of the persecution of (so-called) witches. I could not put it down once I started! It reminded me of the Salem witches and a play my husband took part in called ‘The Crucible’.

 

Alice Pendle and her grandmother are ticking along nicely with their simple life, helping villagers with ailments, pregnancy, and childbirth. There are many villagers who gossip about them and are keen to see them brought down. When the witchfinder hears about them, their lives, and home, are turned upside down.

 

I love how this book is told from both points of view. We get to know (and loathe) Matthew Hopkins (the witch hunter), who manipulates neighbours and information to succeed in bringing his accused to trial with the intent to have them hanged. We also get to know and empathise with Alice and the awful journey she is taken on.

 

From about halfway in, I became addicted to this book. The author’s historical research is extensive and she creates a setting that I soon found myself immersed in. The drama unfolds with pace and eloquence. The detail of the gruesome torture and maltreatment of the characters was harrowing, but also compelling. 

 

This book will remain with me for some time; I see the prejudice as representative of today’s society although (obviously), for different reasons. Whilst those who use natural remedies and practice crystal healing are no longer labelled as witches, history constantly finds new ways to persecute those considered ‘different’ or in the minority.

I highly recommend this book which you can buy on Amazon from this link.

 

Let’s just hope that Alison doesn’t read this blog post, since she will cringe at the amount of grammatical errors I have made!

 

I am looking forward to reading the prequel which I have since discovered she has written!