A perfect start to fall.

This book gives the reader a glimpse into the witch burning hysteria of the 1600's.

The language of this novel reminds me of a Nathaniel Hawthorne novel. It gave me flashes back to The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables, with a very obvious and important difference: The Manningtree Witches is told with a modern feminist voice.

Rebecca West is our heroine and following her experiences through this story is amusing and insightful. As the expected mania of Witch Fever takes over this 1600 English Village, Rebecca and some of the other women know that these labels of "witch" and associations with the unholy and the devil is another way of holding women down.

This book reflects that past with a knowledge that the accusors, prosecutor and the people who stood by to do nothing, will be remembered unkindly. However the women chosen to be the show piece of this holy circus, and unfairly made an example of, will live on in stories and history.

This book was funny and dark and it was a welcome addition to my autumn reading list.

First things first, I LOVED the narrator. She did an amazing job for all the different characters. However, it took me forever to feel fully immersed in this book, and it just seemed to drag on a bit. There were times I felt like the book should be ending, and then would realize I was only about halfway through or so. While it had very good qualities, a decent ending, and interesting characters, I just found myself lost and a bit tired throughout it. Might be a better pick for someone who ADORES historical fiction about witches (I like it, but don’t LOVE it), but still a decent read. Would not pick up again just due to how long it felt to me.

Outstanding Dark and Poetic Debut

The first novel offering from poet AK Blakemore is a beautifully written tale composed by a true wordsmith. It is an elegant book that should be read and reread...underlined and highlighted.

The Manningtree Witches is a fictional account of the Essex witch ‘trials’ which occurred in Manningtree in the mid 1600s. Several of the key characters and events are pulled from real life occurrences. The self proclaimed Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, as well as John Sterne, were truly responsible for the deaths of 23 women in Manningtree, 19 of them by hanging. But this is not a villainous accounting of the accusations and trials of witches and covens. In truth, this is a timeless story of the conditions of women who are sometimes bound together and sometimes standing, and hanging, alone when faced with the brutality of men and law. The real villain of the book is the unflinching wickedness of men with seemingly unlimited power. The real heroine is the bravery and resourcefulness of everywoman to stand against such injustices and make a world for themselves.

While the plot is well conceived and the characters are multidimensional and believable, it is the language of the book that will draw you in.

I listened to the audiobook from Dreamscape Media and read by Sofia Zervudachi. The narrator was outstanding as she brought heart and hatred to the characters that she voiced. But this is a book to be read and marked. I have a hardcopy of the book on the way so that I can do just that.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be an interesting book, and a good read for October. It isn’t what I typically read/listen to, but fans of historical fiction will really enjoy this!

Chronicling life in a 17th century puritanical village (or town since Manningtree is considered England’s smallest town), the novel explores religion and the power it holds to shape a community. It is a book about a small community not about the influential and well off people but just regular people trying to get on with their lives. Through the detailed portrayal of individuals in the village, Blakemore highlights her characters’ experiences.

Not just their regular life but also how quickly things can deteriorate after the notorious and historical Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins arrives. Blakemore shows, with chilling familiarity, how readily the instinctive desire to cast blame in times of hardship leads people to turn on the poor and the marginal. One thing this novel does do well is to show how mob culture can so easily spiral out of control and how women are pitted against each other.

The novel’s shining quality is its language. The novel is superbly written, atmospheric and with the feel of dread and helplessness. The language adds to the authenticity of the period. Blakemore is an award-winning poet, and she writes lyrically and beautifully !

I loved learning more about the English witch trials that predated the Salem witch trials and loved learning more about this period in history and the Essex area in England through extensive google searches since I did not know much about this ! Just like Chris Bohjalian’s Hour of the Witch this book included some older language and old documents were quoted and I loved it!

I listened to the audio and felt transported to village life in old England, the lyrical language let me see everything described in vivid detail and Sophia Zervudachi’s narration was superbly done.

Thank you to @dreamscapemedia and @netgalley for providing me with an advance audio copy for this beautiful book. The audio is out today September 23rd!

This one I found hard to follow, I felt a unattached from all the characters. The writing was beautiful and poetic even when grimy at times. Over all not a winner or a loser for me. Just a book I read I guess

I just couldn't get into this 17th century witch hunt tale based on real events and people. I was expecting a historical fiction tale along the lines of Hour of the Witch or Everyone knows your mother is a witch but I found this book sooooo slow moving I couldn't keep interesting. The narrator perhaps didn't help and the fact that I couldn't speed it up past 2.0x. Had to DNF around 20% because the story failed to maintain my interest. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!

I received the audiobook of The Manningtree Witches as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

In the early years of the English Civil War, in the small village of Manningtree, a young woman named Rebecca West lives a quiet life with her widowed mother. When a new Puritan official named Matthew Hopkins moves in, however, he elicits accusations of witchcraft against many of Manningtree's single and vulnerable women, including Rebecca and her mother. As hysteria grows, Rebecca finds her life and the lives of those close to her in danger, but will need all her wits and nerve to defeat the hysteria that has befallen her community and claim her freedom.

This was a fascinating story, and a well-delivered audiobook. Given the tenor of current events, there's certainly some modern-day relevance to a war being raged uniquely on women, particularly those on the fringes of society. Rebecca isn't the warmest character--she's prickly and guarded, though not without good reason--but as someone who isn't particularly warm, it endeared me to her all the more. I admired her ability to keep her wits about her when her life was hanging in the balance and her willingness to roll with her new circumstances and build a new life away from Manningtree. A dark but powerful read.

I received this book as an audiobook ARC on NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was not an easy read (listen) for me. Historical fiction is not in my wheelhouse, but I thought that this one would be different because of the "witchiness" of it. Historical FANTASY is something that I enjoy. This book was poetic and beautifully written, but the language was a bit inaccessible. I had to pause and look words up as I listened. I also found that a LOT of words were used before any action would take place. I think that readers who enjoy historical fiction and the flowery language that often accompanies it will enjoy this more than I did. The book is good and I did like it. It just was a bit outside of my wheelhouse.

I'm torn. The narrator was excellent and drew me in. I was invested. Now with that said, I'm confused.

The writing was amazing, Between that and the narrator I was hooked. I needed the physical book, and hope that I'm able to get it. I had problems with the English dialect, and rewinding and slowing down helped minimally. I feel like I missed about 30% of the story; the little pieces that solidified the bigger picture.

What I was able to understand was beautiful. I could visualize (no spoilers) and feel what was being said. I read the synopsis prior to asking for the opportunity to review, and I now believe I didn't know enough about the time period and that hampered me being able to fully appreciate the story. I don't feel like the author gave enough back history, and I hope that is not part of what I couldn't understand.

With a heavy heart I'm going with 3 stars on the audiobook due to dialect difficulties and piecing the time period with the story.

This is my first NetGalley review where I want to say "to be continued." I want to get the E-book or physical book. and read along with the fabulous narration and writing. I know I'm the one losing with just the audio.

SIGH and then vomit

I received an audiobook of this and was SO EXCITED!! 😐😒 I shouldn't have been. I felt, at times, it was a terrible rendition of The Crucible, and then got lost in what was even going on???? I was so off-put by really cringe-worthy sentences that I just can't even allow myself to retype them!!

On another note, the narrator was FABULOUS and her voice is all that kept me going!! 🤷🏼‍♀️

“Just like a man to suggest the most obvious thing in the world as though it might be a revelation to a woman’s cottony mind. When it seems to me all the most obvious things in the world must be done by women, or else they wouldn’t get done.”

THE MANNINGTREE WITCHES
Thank you, NetGalley, A.K. Blakemore, and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this book, the audiobook will be released on September 23rd!

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore is narrated by Sofia Zervudachi. It is 1643 and to be frank, not the greatest time period for women. England is currently in the midst of a Civil War and then there is the rise of the Puritans. Rebecca West lives in Manningtree. She is poor and unmarried. Her mother, Beldam West is a widow and is quite feared in the community. However, fear is everywhere these days. Rebecca West has eyes for the clerk, John Edes. He teaches her about the bible, and how to read and write. She can’t help but have a little hope that one day he may turn his eyes on her. But then a man named, Matthew Hopkins comes to town. He makes it his business to know what is going on in town and if there is anything suspicious happening. Suddenly, a child succumbs to raging fits. He mentions the devil and familiars. Accusations are made and one wrong turn can send a woman to the gallows.

When you think of the Witch Trials, what comes to mind? That’s right, Salem. But I was shocked how many people don’t realize that there were Witch Trials all throughout Europe. One of the things that I loved most about this book is the research that went into it. In fact, the “villain” is none other than Matthew Hopkins. Matthew Hopkins was a prominent figure during the English Civil War and his title: The Witchfinder General. Just a quick search and you will find that he was the reason for the execution of more than 100 “accused witches” in just two years. Most were women. He wrote the book, The Discovery of Witches and he claimed he started his career in Manningtree. So when he is introduced in this book, I got chills. As you are reading, you can feel the sense of dread whenever he is in the scene.

The women are the stars of this book thought. Rebecca West, Judith, their mothers…they were poor women in a society who hated women in general. With the story being partly from Rebecca West’s point-of-view the author is giving her power and her voice, the voice of women who were often silenced. While the beginning is a little slow, it sure picks up. It did get some Crucible vibes as well and the prose is outstanding. Don’t get me started on the narrator. She was amazing! It felt like she was acting out every word and we only had the audio. I could almost hear her actually crying whenever there were tears involved. This is an excellent book to add to your Witchy lists! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

I liked this one, but it didn't blow me out of the water. I think it was a mixture of the narrator and the prose itself. There was something that just didn't grab my attention. I found the main character to just make some silly choices.

This was a very well written and researched novel. The entire premise was very interesting as is the history of this dark time in 17th century England. The abuse of power, the complete helplessness of those accused and the absolute fear among the residents of small communities was very well depicted. I wanted to like it but I was just bored a lot of the time. The narrator for the story did a great job with the accents but I just couldn't get into the story. It is a very slow paced story that has a satisfying ending. I think it was just not a story for me.

Based on actual events, this is the story of a group of intelligent 17th century women who value their independence, and because of that become a target of both the ignorant, hate mongers of their village, but also the dreaded witch hunter, Matthew Hopkins. Rebecca West has neither father nor husband, but she does have a growing interest in a handsome young clerk. Any sense of independence Rebecca has felt is quickly squashed by the arrival of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins, a man who quickly stirs the villagers up and against any woman who lives on the margins of society. Terrifying in both a historical sense and its parallel to the modern persecution of women all over the world

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore
Pub date: May 4, 2021
Audiobook: 12 hours and 44 minutes
Narrator: Sofia Zervudachi
5 stars

“We are like two tree’s that have grown entangled in the denseness of the wood. Ripping at each other’s branches in the wind.”

I just finished listening to The Manningtree Witches, a fictional story built around a horrifying truth, and I am still lingering in the atmosphere that A.K. Blakemore has created. I loved it so much that I’ve ordered a hard cover copy to add to my shelves.

Set in the 1640’s, it’s narrated primarily by Rebecca West who lives with her widowed mother, Beldam West. As the Puritanical intensity and battle against paganism rises, so do the accusations of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. Beset by the new inn-keeper, Matthew Hopkins, himself a self-proclaimed witch finder, he leads an attack against the women of Manningtree and beyond. Hopkins and his misogynistic followers soon imprison, victimize and execute many of the women of the county that are labeled as witches – especially those seen as not repentant against the sins they’ve committed.

“If you’re on the right end of the scaffold, do you watch those to the left of you twist? Do you watch them die attentively to better understand what is to happen to you or is it best not to?”

This is a gorgeously written and emotive historical fiction with strong themes of friendship, courage, hopelessness and duplicity in the face of a bleak situation.

Narration: Sofia Zervudachi does an exceptional job – she carried the exceptional prose beautifully. A true delight to listen to.

There is much to be learned from the past in this unsettlingly dark and insightful story; I cannot recommend it highly enough!

My thanks to @Dreamscape_Media for the #gifted ALC!

The Manningtree Witches by A. K. Blakemore was just the historical escape I needed!

Already I can feel fall in the air and that always gets me primed for a tale about witches...

From the jump, Blakemore uses language choices and a highly specific voice to set the scene: We are hearing the words of a woman coming of age in the 1600s. Helped expertly by the narrator, Sofia Zervudachi, Blakemore's use of language, while sometimes causing me to process and understand slower, was so enriching to this world. Instantly, I was drawn into the split villages of Manningtree and Mistley.

Rebecca West, begins as a slightly unlikable protagonist but soon rises to be a really well developed antihero. I’m really awestruck that this is a debut novel, it was wickedly enchanting.

Publication Date: August 10th, 2021

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#TheManningtreeWitches #NetGalley