The Last Witch by C. J. Cooke

 

My thoughts

This is possibly the best book I've read about Witches and Witch trials. It is a bit emotional in so many ways. Also based on actual facts. This really happened. Back in 1485 women were accused of being witches and burned alive. All it took was for one person to accuse them.

The saddest part of this to me is how other women would believe the lies told. How they would sit in judgement of their fellow women as a bishop brought these women to trial. Said the horrible things he said. How "women" are born evil. Born witches. Born sneaky and liars. He truly hated women. I have to wonder what he truly thought about his own mother. How can anyone have faith in the things preached when it seems to me that all religions love to point fingers. Sit in judgement of others. Condemn people to hell for all eternity. Just who do they all think they are? This is why I do not believe in any organized religion. 

In this book you meet seven women who are accused of being witches. All except one had someone accuse them and they were able to face their accusers. One, the main character Helena Scheuberin, had no one to face. She did not know who her accuser was. Not at first. These women were of many ages. Even in one case a six year old child was burned with her mother. Helena was accused because she stood up to this awful bishop. Heinrich Kramer was his name. Seems he hated women something awful. He also had a terrible infatuation with male body parts. If you read this book do not skip the Author's Note. Explains so much and shows how researched this book is.

This is truly a good book. Yes it keeps you on edge in many places. Has you holding your breath. Shedding tears. But it's really so good. I didn't know how awful organized religion has always been until I read this. How a person can claim to be godly and do the things this man did and tried to do.

This is a good story. A story based on actual events. Even most of the names are real. This author did a magnificent job in this story. Her research is impeccable. Her writing is not to be beat. If you love a good witch trial story grab this one. You won't be disappointed. 

@cjcooke, @berkelybooks @netgalley

5 stars 

About

Will she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic?

Helena Scheuberin should be doing what every other young wife is keeping house, supporting her husband, bearing his children. But when her husband's footman, Leopold, with whom she was having an affair, is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.

Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged from her bejewelled life of comfort into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to conjure escape. But the totem is the severed hand of a murdered woman, and Helena's life is in danger both inside and outside the dungeon.

Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to a man determined to paint her as the most wicked of all? Or is the world beyond this one the real threat?

Based on a real-life event, this historical horror offers a jewel-bright portrait of female power in a period of wide-spread female disempowerment, a thrilling addition to the canon of witcherature and silenced voices from the past.