The Manningtree Witches
A Novel
by A. K. Blakemore
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Pub Date Aug 10 2021 | Archive Date Aug 10 2021
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Description
England, 1643. Puritanical fervor has gripped the nation. And in Manningtree, a town depleted of men since the wars began, the hot terror of damnation burns in the hearts of women left to their own devices.
Rebecca West, fatherless and husbandless, chafes against the drudgery of her days, livened only occasionally by her infatuation with the handsome young clerk John Edes. But then a newcomer, Matthew Hopkins, arrives. A mysterious, pious figure dressed from head to toe in black, he takes over the Thorn Inn and begins to ask questions about what the women on the margins of this diminished community are up to. Dangerous rumors of covens, pacts, and bodily wants have begun to hang over women like Rebecca—and the future is as frightening as it is thrilling.
Brimming with contemporary energy and resonance, The Manningtree Witches plunges its readers into the fever and menace of the English witch trials, where suspicion, mistrust, and betrayal run amok as a nation's arrogant male institutions start to realize that the very people they've suppressed for so long may be about to rise up and claim their freedom.
Advance Praise
A Literary Hub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
"The Manningtree Witches ventures into dark places, to be sure, but it carries a jewelled dagger. Blakemore is a poet, and readers given to underlining may find their pencils worn down to stubs . . . Such sharp wit and rich textures would be welcome in any setting, but here they form what seems a fitting tribute. The persecutors in this tale are given close scrutiny, but the book belongs to the persecuted. And on these pages, in all their ordinary glory, those women are at last allowed to live." —Paraic O’Donnell, The Guardian
"This book is extraordinary first for the richness of the language, which is partly born from a remarkably sensitive use of 17th century English but is also brilliantly Blakemore’s own. Her heroines are real, thinking people, sometimes petty and self-interested, sometimes courageous and generous, and often startlingly funny. She masterfully shows us a world where witchcraft feels absolutely real to real people, but where it can also be a cynical lie used to weaponize malice and misogyny—a phenomenon that feels frighteningly topical in the era of QAnon and Pizzagate. The Manningtree Witches is not just the best debut novel I’ve read in years, it’s the best historical novel I’ve read since Wolf Hall." —Sandra Newman, author of The Heavens
“I loved this riveting, appalling, addictive debut. In The Manningtree Witches, Blakemore captures the shame of poverty and social neglect unforgettably, and the alluring threat of women left alone together, in a novel which vividly immerses the reader in the world of those who history has tried to render mute.” —Megan Nolan, author of Acts of Desperation
“Dark, original, unsettling, and crackling with fierce and visceral life, The Manningtree Witches heralds the birth of an utterly vital new voice in fiction. A.K. Blakemore makes the past breathe, and allows it, with dazzling candour, to speak hotly to the complicated reality of our own moment.” —Rebecca Tamás, author of WITCH
“A.K. Blakemore’s debut is a riveting, unsettling story of menace, corruption, and muck, rendered in limber, evocative prose that delights and surprises at every turn. Its heroine wants too much, and too often, and the wrong thing—which is quite a bit more dangerous than usual, considering this is 17th century England and the Witchfinder General has just come to town. Based on actual events, but told in a deliciously brazen voice, this novel reads like Fleabag meets Hilary Mantel: bawdy, bewitching, weird, and wise. I loved every minute, and even when I was horrified, I didn't want to look away.” —Emily Temple, author of The Lightness
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781646220649 |
| PRICE | $26.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Carol M, Reviewer
Blakemore's prose submerges the reader in the Civil War period of England and the frenzy of witch-hunting led by Matthew Hopkins. Although historical fiction, Blakemore's writing focuses on the impoverished women of Manningtree in such a way that the reader lives and breathes their tragedies. This brilliantly-written novel demands a reading without allowing for interruption, unless that interruption involves another cup of tea or other sustenance.
Samantha R, Reviewer
I quite enjoyed the setting of this novel and found it spooky and hard to put dowbn. The writing is very lyrical, something I had not expected in a witch-hunting style novel, but it brought a vivid atmosphere to life. I did look into the author while reading this and can absolutely see her poetic roots in this book. I was delighted to see the sinister nature of people portrayed so well, and I appreciated the setup for that. I would recommend this to friends!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Maryann C, Reviewer
4.5 actual stars
There have been several books recently on witch trials( with another one from author Chris Bohjolian soon to be released) and despite the fact that this is material has been covered before I was still anxious to read this, the synopsis of course was intriguing but this one had me really exited to read and I was thrilled when NetGalley approved me for it.
Set in England 1643, young Rebecca West, her mother and some of the town folk's women have come under the suspicion of being witches. Led by the imposing, dressed in black religious zealot Matthew Hopkins who is aptly named the Witchfinder General, Hopkins becomes a celebrity of sorts among small towns for snuffing out and ridding those who are purported to consort with the Devil. While Rebecca and the women defend themselves against the accusations and betrayals of their neighbors Rebecca becomes attracted to a young clerk, handsome John Edes who ultimately betrays her and while she knows that she must fight for her life to survive, she also must fight against the burgeoning sexual stirrings within her.
The atmosphere of the book was dark and chilling with the Witchfinder's relentless interrogations and his seemingly enjoyment of the persecutions he puts into play. Also what stands out for me about this book is that despite Rebecca's young age, her sensibilities of the situation at stake was deeply introspective and mature for one so young. Her awareness of Matthew Hopkins and his hypocritical pursuit of her and the other women accused was almost amusing to her because she knew he struggled with his own dark desires and sins. Her calm demeanor with everything going around her and the lives at stake I think led her to accept her fate but also do what she must do in order to survive. Rebecca's story was more than just a story of persecution but a deeply felt look into her soul and the reasoning of others involved in the witch hunts. Recommended.
Thank you to author A.K Blakemore and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.
Jasmine M, Reviewer
The Manningtree Witches brings to life the history of a small English town set in the mid-seventeen century where there is the sudden upheaval of witch trials. In this small community that is mostly populated by women due to men joining war, Rebecca West finds herself and the women around her accused of being witches. The new man in town, Matthew Hopkins, self-proclaimed witch-hunter, leads the charge against these women. This rendering of the witch trials is charged with betrayal, first love, suspicion, and the desire for freedom at any cost.
A. K. Blakemore has accomplished writing both a lyrical and excellently researched novel that flies off the pages. The inclusion of the primary sources that were sprinkled throughout the novel were a nice addition and helps to remind the reader that this story is based on actual history.
If you love beautifully written historical fiction, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Catapult, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my opinions!
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