About The Book
Nothing scares men like witchcraft.
1589. Scottish housemaid Geillis and Danish courtier Margareta lead opposite lives, but they both know one thing: when a man cries “witch”, no woman is safe.
Yet when the marriage of King James VI and Princess Anna of Denmark brings Geillis and Margareta together, everything they supposed about good, evil, men, and women, is cast in a strange and brilliant new light.
For the first time in history, could black magic – or rumours of it – be a very real tool for women’s political gain?
As the North Berwick witch trials whip Scotland – and her king – into a frenzy of paranoia, the clock is ticking. Can Margareta and Geillis keep each other safe? And once the burnings are over, in whose hands will power truly lie?
My Review
The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey is a powerful piece of historical fiction set in the late 1500s examining the witch trials which took place in North Berwick under the rule of King James I of Scotland. Taking place in both Denmark and Scotland, this book explores the marriage between King James and Anne of Denmark, a union arranged to strengthen political power, and how his fear of witchcraft led to the persecution of many innocent men and women.
Written mainly from the viewpoints of Margareta, one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting, and Geillis, a servant training to become a midwife under the tutorage of Agnes Sampson, we are shown the inner workings of a court and the inequality between those close to power and those who serve. Despite their differences, they have much in common and are united not only by their knowledge of herbs and their medicinal properties, but by their dangerous links to Lord Bothwell, a man intent on overthrowing the King.
The Burnings is an evocative and atmospheric read from an author whose love and passion for this period of history shines from the pages. It is incredibly well researched and filled with interesting and vivid details, yet it doesn’t feel bogged down. Many of the events and people depicted in the book were real and Kelsey brings them to life. At times I felt I was there, in 16th Century Scotland, not knowing quite who to trust with the scent of fear in the air.
Kelsey creates a world where women are powerless and whose lives are in the hands of the men who rule. But the female characters are not weak. Oh no, they are stronger than the men give them credit for, and it is this strength which the men fear. It is easy to accuse a woman of being a witch, to twist innocuous things like speaking to a pet cat or know which herbs to use to prevent pregnancy as proof of black magic. It is frustrating to read, and desperately sad at times, when it becomes clear that no matter how high your status, as a woman you do not matter.
The Burnings does not shy away from the brutality and horror of the interrogations of those accused of witchcraft. She allows us to see the very worst of humanity, from the treatment of female servants by their male employer, to the rigged trials and to the grotesque and vile techniques used to extract confessions. Some readers may find these passages difficult to read, they are explicit, but I thought they added depth and were integral to a book about the oppression of women.
I do love historical fiction, and whilst I knew a little about this period of history I realised that I had huge gaps in my knowledge and I have gone well and truly down the rabbit hole reading about the people mentioned in The Burnings. The English Literature geek in me loved the MacBeth quotes and the book and my Googling has whetted my appetite for more fiction in this era. This is such an interesting and powerful book, and one that I highly recommend.
Where You Can Buy It
The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey is out now from Harper North an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. I was very kindly gifted a copy by Naomi’s husband who I met recently.
You can buy it by following the links beneath.
Beverley Has Read 