At times this reads more like a text for a college class than something to read for pleasure. Craft-wise, I enjoyed this. What the author has done here is really interesting. However, the language kept me from sinking into the story. I don't think there's a way this could have been avoided as the language of the prose is important for the historical vibe.I would have appreciated something to distinguish the narrator of certain parts. I imagine this will be very confusing in an audiobook version.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Farrar and Giroux for the ARC of this book!

What a great book! 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book. It has humor, with and a great plot. If you like a to read a really good fast-reading, page turning book, this is the one and it also resonates with today's bullying and misconception with the world today!

Look forward to buying this book!

I’m not normally one for historical fiction but I couldn’t resist requesting this. It was an interesting read and I was excited to find out that it is based on a real person!

Even though the Middle Ages are over, superstition and strange beliefs are still widespread among people. Thus, in 1615, Katharina Kepler finds herself accused of witchcraft by the people of her hometown of Leonberg in southern Germany. Times are hard, the Plague is spreading the Thirty Years’ War has just begun and somebody must be blamed for all the things happening. Katharina is an elderly widow, illiterate and mother of the astronomer Johannes Kepler. She leads a simple life, attending to her cow Chamomile. One day, however, Ursula Reinbold, accuses her of witchcraft, having offered a bitter drink which allegedly poisoned her, and surprisingly, the court not only listens but more and more people come forwards with testimonies of Katharina’s ill-doing. Only her neighbour, old Simon, who prefers to keep to himself, stands by her side.

Rivka Galchen’s story is based on a true story, Johannes Kepler’s mother was a healer and herbalist and arrested for witchcraft. The famous son stopped his research in planetary motion to defend his mother. Not only Katharina became victim of this kind of accusation, the town’s advocate Lutherus Einhorn accused 15 women in one trial and had executed eight of them in 1615.

At first, Katharina doesn’t take the accusation seriously, it is just talk for her, until she is put to prison and has to learn that more and more people come forward with other stories which seem to underline her doing black magic. She tries to counter the attack by accusing Ursula and her husband of slander, yet, her own case vanishes somewhere in the depth of local jurisprudence.

“We all know she’s a witch. We’ve always know. The matter of how we came to know is simple – we already knew.”

The accusations brought forward rage from poisoning, causing lameness, several deaths, injuring a woman’s foot, harming numerous people and animals – a long list which is getting more and more absurd during the story. I liked the interrogations of the inhabitants since they show not only the superstition they fall prey to, but also the dynamics of a small town which turns against one woman. Everything ill that has ever happened is simply attributed to Katharina. The allegations are so ridiculous that you could laugh weren’t it for Katharina’s case and the fact that the people’s testimonies seem to be believed.

Even though the plot is based on a well-documented historical case, you can see more or less the same thing happening today. It is not the small town anymore, but the world wide web in which often just one single person brings forward an accusation – no need for proof anymore – and masses jump on the bandwagon and have their twitter trial even before the issue is sorted out. It doesn’t matter if the accused is later discharged or not, the only thing that counts is public opinion which is quick at passing a sentence.

An entertaining read which outlines the dark sides of human nature – envy, greed, malicious gossip – and the danger that might come from it.

Based on the real Katharina Kepler, we are taken into the 1600s when accusations of witchcraft and deals with the Devil were around every corner. This book is packed full of accusations and lies about bitter drinks and dead livestock.

Was Katharina a witch or was she just a woman, doing her thing?

One will never really know.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I didn't realize until the end that this was actually based on a true story. Katharina Kepler is a woman who lived in Leonberg, Germany. She's the mother of the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler and was accused of being a witch in 1615.

Rivka Galchen's story begins in 1618: plague is spreading, the Thirty Years' War has begun, and fear and suspicion are in the air. Katharina is an illiterate widow, known for her herbal remedies and success of her children, she also does herself no favors by being out and about and in everyone's business. When the insipid Ursula Reinbold (Katharina calls her the Werewolf) accuses her of witchcraft, Katharina is in trouble. But the real trouble doesn't being until she decides to go forward with a case of slander against her. That's when the Ducal Governor decides to go forward with the case to save himself from his own mistakes. Soon everyone in town turns against Katharina, bringing up experiences from seven, ten, forty years previous. Johannes must turn his attention away from the sky and towards defending his mother. Facing the threat of financial ruin, torture, and even execution, Katharina tells her side of the story to her friend and neighbor, Simon.

I was actually a bit bored by the book. It wasn't really what I was expecting when I first read the summary. I did really love Katharina! She was stubborn, fierce, down to earth, no-nonsense kind of woman who I could definitely get along with. Simon was also such a lovable, caring, if strange, friend.

Of course, no one actually knows if Katharina is a witch. All the testimony throughout the book seems to be either misremembering past events or twisting the event to show Katharina in a bad light. It's horrible how one person can have a whole town turn against an aging widow. Thankfully, Katharina is found innocent of the charges and lives out the rest of her days with her daughter. However, the rest of the ending (written by Simon) felt like a let-down and was abruptly wrapped up with all the people who died, except Greta (Katharina's daughter) who remarried.

I'm now interested in reading more books (non-fiction) on Katharina and the witchcraft trails. But, let us all remember no woman actually practiced witchcraft. Women were accused of being a witch because they expressed an opinion or said something that upset someone or any number of benign infractions.

I struggled with this book. It is historical fiction about a widow who lives in a small village in Germany. She makes a living by providing cures and potions to the local residents for a variety of ailments. She is outspoken with her opinions, and not as pious in her beliefs as many in her village expect her to be. In addition, her children, especially her eldest son, have met with a modicum of success that leads to jealousy among some of the townsfolk around her.

This jealousy spurs an accusation that she is a witch, and she is put in jail and tried on these charges. The book is based on the true story of Johannes Kepler, an astronomer and mathematician whose mother was accused of being a witch.

I appreciated the character of the widow that the author imagined for this book. An somewhat prickly woman who is strong in her own opinions and not likely to bow to the restrictions of society and the Church. But the book was an odd mix of fairly contemporary writing describing the life of the widow and her children, and a more stilted language when describing the courtroom scenes. It felt jarring as I read it, and I eventually found myself just wishing it would end already.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

A fictionalized account based on the famous mathematician and astrologer, Johannes Kepler, whose mother Katharina was accused of being a witch in the 16th century.

The writing and story flow was good but the word usage seemed off using more modern language like the word 'okay' and 'huh'. It was humorous and rather terrifying to hear the inane accusations which would prove Katharina to be a witch- or not.

3☆

The novel is achingly, vividly imagined, the narrative voice is smart and believable, the story is so interesting, and I loved it entirely. And yet I wanted something more. I'm not sure what I wanted. I think maybe I wanted the story to matter more. I wanted it to mean something more. I wanted it to be revelatory along with being exhilarating and damn-great. I wanted the narrator's experiences to build into something more profound than they did. I wanted her to make some deeper realization about life, about her life, than I could glean here. Maybe it's here and I missed it. I'm more than happy to imagine reading this delightful story again and to find in it deeper meanings. On this read there was something cruel and smug about the ending especially that made the novel just one small step from perfect. I've just spent a lot of words trying to explain the absence of something that would have made this book a masterpiece instead of being an incredibly great novel. What's here is so very good. Every sentence. Every word.

This was based on the true story of Katharina Kepler, who was accused and tried for witchcraft in 16th century Germany. Her son is Johannes Kepler, a mathematician and astrologer. A lot of drama, suspense and a some great history is learned here. I enjoyed this book immensely. Great writing, well researched and very interesting. I'm definitely going to buy a hard copy as well. Thank you so much!

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen is a superb read which will keep you engrossed and turning pages at a rapid rate until the very last one.

I have always been fascinated with the old-time witch hunts. This creative book had me hooked from the beginning. The plot is very loosely based on the real witchcraft trial of famed mathematician Johannes Kepler in the 17th century. It is told in alternating view points of various characters. It took a bit of time for me to find my rhythm with the book as there are no chapter markings, but once I was able to recognize quickly who was speaking when, I couldn't put it down. The narrative is occasionally broken up with interviews of various witnesses and accusers.

I was surprised by the ending. If you enjoy historical fiction centered on witchy things as well as slightly post-modern prose, you will enjoy this novel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

In Württemberg, Germany, in 1618, a neighbor accuses 72-year-old Katherina Kepler, mother of famed astronomer Johannes Kepler, of witchcraft. In a society wracked by war and Plague, such accusations against an eccentric, superstitious widow take hold all too easily, and Katharina’s famous son must come to his mother’s defense.

Based on Katharina Kepler’s real life, the often bitingly funny narration comes primarily from Katharina herself as she unspools her story to her friend Simon. Juxtaposing this with court interviews with Katharina’s acquaintances, Galchen weaves a whip-smart feminist tale of a woman who is prosecuted and persecuted to save a man’s reputation. Along the way, she makes sharp and still relevant observations about society’s willingness to cast aside women when they’re no longer young and beautiful. Considered both expendable and incompetent, Katharina is prohibited from defending herself or even from appearing before the authorities without a male guardian. Her knowledge of herbal medicines reinforces her community’s beliefs that she is a witch and should be executed. In light of all this, it’s little wonder that the fictional Katharina’s favorite companion is her old milk cow.

Though the plot at times feels meandering, Galchen does eventually get to the point, and Katharina’s insights, as well as those of the large, colorful cast of secondary characters, keeps the novel entertaining. Readers who can forgive an abrupt ending will find much to enjoy.

I could not get past the first 30 pages and I became confused with the shifting timeline and jumbled characters. The author seemed intent on sarcasm, but for me it did not come off as a fun read. Not my cup of tea.

The cover promised something quirkier than was inside, which is pretty staid and unredemptive. Do "they" know what covers might get us literary hipster fictionites to cross over into a more fantastical story? Probably. My biggest disappointment from this book was that it takes place in the 1600s but no one seems to have 1600s kinds of problems. Like, in the 1600s, everything smells bad. Kids are disposable. Meat is always spoiled. Where was all the spoiled meat?

Katharina Kepler is instantly loveable and funny.
I enjoyed the testimonies of other villagers.
It's a fascinating look into the past and insane to see how easily a woman could be accused and tried for being a witch.

I really enjoyed this story overall - I loved that it felt like I was being told a story by an old relative, it really helped me to feel immersed in this world. I will say the narrator changes were a bit hard to follow at times, I had to reread a few paragraphs just to make sure I understood fully who was talking at that point in the book. However upon learning that this book was based mildly in fact, I grew to love it that much more.

Isn't it so funny how in those days someone was just able to say someone they didn't like was a witch and ultimately bring upon their downfall? I imagine if that was still possible today our world would be nothing but chaos. I enjoyed Katharina's character - a strong willed widow who cared only for the ones she loved. And how well she was loved by her family & her at first reluctant neighbor Simon.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story to be told to them down to all the details. If you enjoy historical fiction - this is definitely for you. It is less of a witch trial story and more of a story of a woman's life and how one person's words can lead to an untimely demise in how a town can view you.

Clever, funny, compelling and with an assortment of hilarious one liners (I cant even win at backgammon) but also at the same time fable like and mysterious. Original and fascinating.

This novel is based on the famous mathematician and astrologer, Johannes Kepler, whose mother was accused of being a witch in the 16th century. It's an interesting mix of fiction and fact, and at times I was more drawn into the story than others. The characters are intriguing, and there's much humor involved in the narrative, yet, at times, I just felt like the novel was trodding a bit too slowly for me, and felt a bit repetitious. Maybe I reread the novel again next year, I won't be able to put it down once I start. That happens. Today that did not happen.

I was expecting more. This is a well researched, evocative account of superstition, corruption and the clash of beliefs. And yet... after The Crucible, it’s hard to find it brightly original. Enjoyable but somehow predictable.