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The Last Witch Of Scotland - Philip Paris

 


Hot on the heels of The Witches of Vardo, I delved into another NetGalley Arc - The Last Witch of Scotland. 

The tone of the writing between these two stories is vastly different - whereas the Scandinavian tale was drawn down from historical accounts and documents, The Last Witch of Scotland seems to be more ambiguous and whilst still devastating in it's origins, the story has a more lighthearted feel to it. 

An account of the life of Aila, the daughter of Janet Horne who was the last woman executed in British soil, as a result of the witch trials. 

What I enjoy most about reading these books is the common themes of the trials - over-zealous ministers looking to take control of their 'flock' and using what we now understand to be medical or general science as a platform to denounce these women as witches. It's just ridiculous. 

But as I mention, this tale is slightly more lighthearted in the variety of characters that we meet and the stories that intertwine. 

Quite possibly a good starter book for those who have an interest in the witch trials but for those who are heavily into the history and feminism side this might be a bit too lightweight. 

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