Book Synopsis:
Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.
1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland. Before they can wed, Anna must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy of being Scotland’s new Queen. Determined to fulfil her duties to King and country, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .
By her side is Kirsten Sorenson, her loyal and pious lady-in-waiting. But, whilst tending to Anna’s every need, Kirsten has her own secret motives for the royal marriage to succeed . . .
Meanwhile, in North Berwick, young housemaid Jura practises the healing charms taught to her by her mother. When she realizes she is no longer safe, she escapes to Edinburgh, only to find herself caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped not just the capital, but the new queen . . .
My Review:
The King’s Witches is a fascinating, gripping read which I thoroughly recommend.
I always love a witchy book, especially if it teaches me more about the infamous witch hunts. This book focuses on the witch hunts in Denmark and Scotland which I found really interesting. It was heartbreaking to see how small, innocent acts could lead to women being accused of witchcraft. It made me very glad that I didn’t live in this time.
The story is told from the point of view of three women from very different backgrounds, each having a different reason to fear the witch hysteria that’s gripping the UK. I found it quite emotional to follow them throughout the book. My heart was often in my throat as I watched events unfold and as I watched them trying to defend themselves against an injust system.
I thought the characters were all fantastic creations that I enjoyed following throughout the book. The author has clearly done her research and I loved how she bought these historical characters to life. I warmed to them quickly and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them.
Overall I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it . I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. There’s a lot of tension in this book as well as a lot of uncertainty which made the book both hard to put down and hard to read at times. If you love a witchy read them I think you’d love this book.
Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe from Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
About The Author:
Kate Foster has been a national newspaper journalist for over twenty years. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. The Maiden won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2020 prize for new writers. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.
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