#BlogTour: The Witches Of Vardø by Anya Bergman @anyacbergman @Tr4cyF3nt0n @bonnierbooks_uk #TheWitchesOfVardø #AnyaBergman #5Stars #HistoricalFiction #HighlyRecommend

Book Synopsis:

They will have justice. They will show their power. They will not burn.

Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. After recently widowed Zigri’s affair with the local merchant is discovered, she is sent to the fortress at Vardø to be tried as a witch.

Zigri’s daughter Ingeborg sets off into the wilderness to try to bring her mother back home. Accompanying her on this quest is Maren – herself the daughter of a witch – whose wild nature and unconquerable spirit gives Ingeborg the courage to venture into the unknown, and to risk all she has to save her family.

Also captive in the fortress is Anna Rhodius, once the King of Denmark’s mistress, who has been sent in disgrace to the island of Vardø. What will she do – and who will she betray – to return to her privileged life at court?

These Witches of Vardø are stronger than even the King. In an age weighted against them, they refuse to be victims. They will have their justice. All they need do is show their power.

My Review:

The Witches Of Vardø is an atmospheric, chilling and absorbing read that will stayed with me.

The story is told from the point of view of three women: Anna, Ingeborg and Maren who all help bring a different element to the story. I wasn’t really sure about Anna to begin with as I was never completely sure about her motives and whose side she was on. As such it took me a little while to warm to her despite the awful situation she finds herself in. I loved Ingeborg who bought a little bit of innocence into the story and Maren who seemed a very feisty, independent lady. I enjoyed watching their friendship develop and the way they helped each other through things.

I didn’t know anything about the Norwegian witch trials so I found it fascinating to discover more about them. It was really chilling to learn how awfully they were treated and how women could be harshly punished for the smallest crimes or suspicion. It made my blood boil to read about it and my heart went out to all the women who might have suffered.

The author does a great job of setting the scene and I really felt transported to Norway like I was experiencing everything alongside the women. I felt like I could actually feel the biting cold, smell the awful accommodation Anna finds herself in and feel the fear of the characters situation. It made me glad that the world has moved on from this time.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t believe it’s the author’s debut. The story did start a little slow but soon became very gripping as there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The tension in the book slowly creeps up until it’s almost palpable which meant I read far to late into the night. If you’re a fan of absorbing historical fiction then I highly recommend this book.

Huge thanks to Tracey for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bonnier for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Anya Bergman became interested in the Witch Trials of Vardø and the vivid folk tales of the North while living in Norway. She became fascinated by the trials and the women murdered there on a visit to the Steilneset memorial, in which Louise Bourgeois and Peter Zumthor commemorated the persecution of women accused of witchcraft. Now resident in Edinburgh, Anya graduated with distinction from the Creative Writing programme at Edinburgh Napier University.