THE POPE'S BUTCHER

From the first chapter, I was hooked as the book is a real page turner! I love that the book is inspired by actual history and that the author provides great details about the true horror in the medieval Vatican!

Having been raised in a catholics boys home I can attest to the brutality of the Catholic Church so I was not surprised by the factual events this books is derived from, it’s a good read, interesting and intriguing, the story flowed well and would recommend this even if you have no interest in the the church

Sebastian is a young seminarian who was orphaned as a child. When he is asked to research witches for the Grand Inquisitor, Sebastian agrees without a second thought, believing that he will be rewarded for his hard work. Sebastian begins his research by travelling to France and he discovers that perhaps witchcraft (or Satan worship) is occurring there. He follows clues that lead him to the Mount Saint-Michel library where he discovers one book he has been told contains dark magic. From there he goes to London and finally to Ireland where he meets the intriguing Brigantia. Sebastian soon comes to discover that most women who are accused are actually more Christ-like than the male accusers, and that there are men who are out practicing dark magic for their own benefit. This was an interesting fictional look into the history of the most blood-soaked book in history, The Witch's Hammer and how fear of strong women by a probable serial killer lead to millions of women being murdered in the name of eradicating witchcraft.

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author, Joseph C Gioconda, for the opportunity to read The Pope's Butcher in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Wow, such a good read. I found it very hard to put down.
Well worth a read.

The Pope’s Butcher is probably one of the most well-researched and well-written books I’ve read in some time. To learn that it’s Joseph C. Gioconda’s first book makes it remarkable.

Based on historical facts, this book of fiction is about a priest initiate named Sabastian who is tasked with searching out witchcraft and its practices throughout the 15th century Roman Catholic world. Sabastian travels through Europe, Britain, and Ireland studying and taking notes on local witch practices. Toward the end of his travels, he judges witchcraft to be the innocent application of herbal medicinal practices that have been practiced from long before the founding of the Christian Church. In his notes, he opines that the actions taken by witches are entirely beneficial to the health and welfare of the communities being served. Spending a considerable amount of time with one young witch, he falls in love but leaves her to return to Rome to file his report with the chief inquisitor. According to the fictional account, Sabastian’s notes are misused and end up serving as the basis for the chief inquisitor’s widely distributed book on the evils of witchcraft. That book, The Witch’s Hammer, is still being published and is in circulation today. The initial publication of The Witch’s Hammer led to the deaths of thousands of women in Europe and America over the ensuing years.

In my experience, books that include a bibliography the size of the one at the end of The Pope’s Butcher are assigned social sciences texts that must be read in college. While historically factual and somewhat interesting as enhancements to the subject matter being studied, they are not enjoyable literary reading. Gioconda, on the other hand, wrote his book as reading literature, not an academic enhancement. I think that he succeeded in doing so and has, what will shortly become, a bestselling book as a result.

Gioconda, no doubt, has a busy schedule as a trial lawyer, but I do hope that he continues to set time aside for more historically based fictional writing. The Pope’s Butcher emotionally engaged me and always had me looking forward to my next reading session.