The Witches of Vardo set in Norway – Anya Bergman
Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. The novel is inspired by a very real story and very real people as the author details in her author note at the end of the book.
BookTrail Travel to The Witches of Vardø
Boarding Pass Information: Vardø, Norway
Author guide: Anya Bergman
Genre: historical, gothic
Food and drink to accompany: eggs but be careful of the shells
@thebooktrailer
#Bookreview
The novel to transport you to the island of Vardoya, Norway to the most infamous witch trials of Scandinavia
I devoured this book. Witches, women accused of witchcraft and the belief system mixed with rumours that can destroy a community. All things which are fascinating to read about.
I was intrigued by the Norwegian setting. Strangely, I hadn’t considered there were witch hunts in Norway for some reason. The trials I had heard and read about were those in Salem and the UK. Most countries had them to some degree I guess, since they were the ideal way of controlling and ultimately killing women who got in the way with the male way of control.
BookTrail Travel to The Witches of Vardø
This story really is fascinating. I was enthralled by the way the author buit up the atmosphere and landscape. The writing is like something out of Shakespeare’s time – rich in tambour and nuance. However, this is very easy to read. No head-shaking here. Well, not at the language. What you find out about how and why women were accused of witchery deeds, then I was not only shaking my head but wanting to slap the next fictional character who invented a new reason to destroy a woman’s life.
BookTrail Travel to The Witches of Vardø
Anna and Iangeborg – two characters who are so different but tell such rich interweaving stories. My heart lept into my mouth when Anna was told she would basically have to join the witch hunts. Ingeborg was a complex woman and her meeting with Malen who is a VERY intriguing character just really made this novel a rich and complex tapestry for me which held me tight between its various strands.
I remember being very hungry at one point but not wanting to leave my reading spot to go and get food. I ended up with an omelette -taking care of course to crush the egg shells into thousands of pieces…..(important to protect against witches it seems.)
This book gets inside your head. It is an exquisite tapestry though and the cover (of the proof at least) reflects the artistry of this craft and, of the tangled web of the story that is woven so beautifully within.
This book isn’t out until Jan 2023 but I’m in a Halloween, witchery kind of mood so there you go. Plus, it just called to me…that cover..the premise. Totally worth the leap from next year’s TBR pile.
BookTrail Travel to The Witches of Vardø
Postcard details: Access The BookTrail’s Map of Locations and travel guide here
Books set in Norway
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Witches of Vardø
Twitter: @anyacbergman
