Thank you NetGalley for approving me for this book. I am so glad I was able to read this book as I really enjoyed this and will read more by this author.

The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey is an incredibly gripping read! The book dives deep into a chilling and mysterious tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Kelsey does a fantastic job of blending historical events with a haunting atmosphere, making the story both compelling and thought-provoking. The characters are well-crafted, with each one adding depth to the narrative. The pacing is spot on, with just the right amount of tension building up throughout. If you're into dark, atmospheric stories with a strong historical backdrop, The Burnings is definitely one to check out!

I love this topic. This was enjoyable and entertaining. Well written and seemed incredibly well researched. At times gruesome. Really well developed characters. I love being immersed in a Historical Fiction and I was gripped from beginning to end!

This was a beautifully written historical novel covering a particularly bleak period of Scottish history. At times it was a hard read, but it was never less than brilliant. The descriptions of people and place really set the scene firmly in the time period and it felt very authentic, as did the characters.

In Denmark, June 1589, a witch is being burned at the stake. Margareta, who serves a princess in the Danish court, finds herself caught in the midst of the crowd and is repulsed by the smell and sight of the burning. She longs to find Ilsa, who she eventually locates leaning against a shipwright's building. Ilsa reveals that she has recently been to Scotland and asks Margareta for her help. Ilsa mentions a woman named Geillis Duncan, a midwife's apprentice, and insists that Margareta meet her. Margareta is hesitant and refuses to involve herself in anything related to witchcraft, but Ilsa persists, claiming that they will be safe with the help of powerful men.

Geillis seeks the help of skilled midwife Agnes Sampson to assist her mother in a difficult childbirth. Geillis contemplates becoming a midwife herself but is told she needs to learn the trade from Agnes and find work elsewhere. Agnes suggests she seek employment with Mistress Seton, the bailie's wife.

The Burnings took me on an intense journey through the challenges women faced ensnared in the political schemes of Bothwell as he attempts to overthrow the crown, leading to grave accusations of witchcraft. While difficult to read in parts, the author unfolds the heartbreaking hardships endured by women in a bygone era, excelling in drawing out the emotional depth of its characters, while staying true to historical realities and refusing to wrap things up neatly with happy endings. The tension builds steadily, culminating in scenes of torture that were, at times, hard to stomach. If this were a film, I would have found myself watching through my fingers, a testament to the intensity and graphic nature of the storytelling.

An amazing read that you can tell was well researched but wasn't overly full of facts, it was the perfect blend. For me the best part was the characters, they really came to life and was like they could jump off of the page.I loved it

I actually DNF'd this originally so would like to accurately report that. I don't think it was the book for me at the time. I have started giving it another go, and it's going slightly easier for me this time, but I'm still not 100% sold at the moment.

Set amongest the 16th Century North Berwick witch trials, this is partly based on historical events and is clearly well researched with lots of detailed descriptions. Having read a few WitchLit novels recently, I enjoyed this but found the pace a little slower, as there was so much detail to cram in. This is one you'd want to take your time over and with rape, abuse, misogyny as you might expect given the subject matter, this won't be for everyone.

King James of Scotland is to marry Anna of Denmark and her lady in waiting, orphaned Margareta is to travel with her to Scotland. Anna's powerful mother has tasked Margareta to spy on Anna and has married her to a Scottish spy, Laird John Wemyss. However Margareta's childhood companion Ilsa asks her to contact a cunning woman called Geillis and when she does so it brings her and her family close to treason. Geillis is involved with a coven trying to destroy James and promote the Earl Bothwell to the throne. this is a time of paranoia and James is determined to stamp out any witchcraft in his realm.
This book is based on the true story of the North Berwick witch trials in which it was claimed that both James and his bride had been subject to witchcraft designed to kill them. Over 100 people were executed in a brutal way by burning at the stake, often whilst still alive. Here Kelsey has taken the facts and woven a stunning piece of fiction where woman are cast into roles that they have to fulfil and are subservient to the whims of men. It is a sad story

Was I a bit overwhelmed with novels about witches? Well i thought maybe I was until I began reading this totally immersive tale and finding its basis in true events during the 16th century.
Characters were well crafted and interesting and the links with royalty broadened my knowledge of the Great Scottish Witch Trials during the period.
Locations in both Scotland and Denmark were well drawn and made for a thirst to explore the background even further.
300 years it took to 'pardon' in some form the deaths of hundreds of women. How strange were the beliefs of those times and how certain were many (particularly men) about the fear factor such 'witches' inspired.

This novel takes its readers back into the 16th century and is based on historical events during the reign of James VI of Scotland.

The extraordinarily heavy autumn storms of 1589 made sailing conditions treacherous for James VI’ bride Princess Anna, crossing the sea from Denmark to Scotland. Witchcraft was suspected and created an atmosphere of fear and terror, stoked by the King himself, whose weakness and insecurities directly led to a huge witch hunt culminating in the North Berwick witch trials of 1590 to 1592.

This book however concerns itself with much more, it provides some captivating insights into the power machinations of the royal courts of Denmark and Scotland, how precarious this power was at any time and how far those in power would go to protect it. It also introduces us to some fascinating women from very different walks of life and looks into the price they are made to pay for the power they hold: Anna Princess of Denmark and later queen of Scotland, her Lady in Waiting Margareta, the Scottish midwife Agnes and her apprentice Geillis. All of them play an intriguing role in both the empowerment and disempowerment of the men in their lives.

I found this book an enthralling read and enjoyed very much how historical events are woven into a fictitious story that I found hard to put down.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a rich piece of historical fiction centring around the North Berwick witch trials. Full of double-crossing spies, treasonous plots and witchcraft there is so much drama in this book.

The strength of this novel though for me was the way Kelsey portrayed her female characters. How they had a little agency, yet how they rose above their circumstances and trauma. The women were used as pawns in the male pursuit of power and this leads to the inevitable tragedy this book was heading towards. However, although this is really tough in places, Kelsey leaves us with hope for the women and for Scotland.

A great historical novel.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

1589, Scottish housemaid Geillis and Danish courtier Margareta lead very different lives, but they are both about to become entangled in the North Berwick witch trials. Geillis is working as a maid at the home of the Seftons, a wealthy family, whilst learning the secrets of midwifery & the powers of plants & herbs from local wise woman Agnes Sampson. Lady Margareta grew up in the home of her wet-nurse, Joanna, with her 'milk-sister' Ilsa. Now, a lady-in-waiting for Princess Anna, Margareta is about to undertake the perilous journey to Scotland, but before she leaves she receives an ominous warning from Ilsa to contact Geillis Duncan when she reaches her new home.

Princess Anna is about to marry King James VI of Scotland & sets off with her entourage, however, bad weather force them back to land. James ends up travelling to met his new bride & is not happy with the whispers of bad omens for the match. It seems that James is fearful of rumours of witchcraft & suspicious of the machinations of the Earl of Bothwell. Margareta is forced to marry one of James's Scottish nobles John Weymss but finds herself growing fond of him. With competing loyalties & no way to know who one can trust, the Scottish court becomes a hotbed of innuendo & intrigue, & outside it spills into bloodshed.

This was a really good read about an aspect of British history that I didn't know much about - the North Berwick witch trials. The reader gets to see what is happening from two perspectives, Geillis & Lady Margareta. Both characters (based on actual people) have their good points & their faults but it was easy to empathise with them, although I found Margareta a little naïve at times when it came to playing politics, more than I would have expected from someone who lives at court. I did prefer her narration slightly more to Geillis' though. I thought the author very much nailed James's sly personality going on what I have read about him. It could be a little slow-going at times though. Verdict: great characterisation, excellent incorporation of real-life events & people, but the pace suffered a little at times. 4.5 stars (rounded down)

TWs: graphic birth scenes, abortion/miscarriage, torture, death, sexual assault. This book is about witch trials so be warned that there are some graphic scenes of torture. Witchcraft was a useful accusation to throw at women (men were accused as well) as there was often little evidence that could be used to exonerate the accused. The torture of the accused also seemed to have a truly misogynistic slant at times including the use of the infamous 'scold's bridle', a particularly nasty torture device.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperNorth, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

There's a lot of books about witch hunt and the women who were victims of superstition. This one talks about witches but also about power and the characters are on the grey spectrum.
I found it refreshing as it talks about women who deal with politics and power.
They're not innocent but they're strong.
It's a dark story with some very violent part. Loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Novels about the persecution of ‘witches’ in Stuart times set in the Nordics are having a moment (‘The Witches of Vardø’, ‘The Mercies’ and no doubt others.) I find them fascinating, but what really made ‘The Burnings’ stand out for me was the moral ambiguity.

While in most novels dealing with this issue, the (usually) female victims of religious zealotry are completely innocent, here, characters on both side of the North Sea are politicised. Ilsa, Agnes and others try to use their powers to bring down the fledgling Stuart dynasty. In the end, while we can sympathise with them, only Margareta, lady-in-waiting to the Danish Princess Anna, emerges as innocent and even she is compromised at times.

This raises questions: should you be loyal to your queen, whom you're tasked with protecting and whom you pity for her inability to have a child, or to the foster sister railing against the burning of women like herself?

It is as if, knowing that as midwives and wise women they are vulnerable, these women feel they might as well use their powers to enact change. No woman, however well-intentioned, is safe from allegations of witchcraft should a man cry ‘witch’. In the end, they all fall victim to men like James IV of Scotland and Francis Stuart, Earl of Bothwell, who exploit them ruthlessly.

It's hard to believe this accomplished novel is the author’s debut She brings late 16th-century Scotland and Denmark, with all their rivalries, to life. She presents a cast of rounded characters with credible motivations, from the lowliest serving-girl to the highest in the land. Even James VI comes to appear less of a monster as we come to understand the very real threats he faces, with the succession uncertain and different factions of the Scottish nobility fighting for supremacy.

Set during the North Berwich witch trials, whilst ultimately a fictional account you can tell the author has well-researched on the topic, so it is equally enjoyable as an start point on the topic of the Scottish witch trials in regards to a very dark side of Scottish history, that came at the cost of ultimately innocent women suspected solely for the nature of their sex. I would say if you like historical fiction with accuracy (e.g. Philippa Gregory) then this book is for you!

I love being immersed into an historical fiction to get a real feel for the time and the way of life. So much research has been done for this novel, every detail so vivid, I could really see myself as a witness to the political scheming and the stirr of suspicion that sparked the witch hunts in Scotland. Each character is based on an historical figure and the different perspectives gave insight to how women and men of all classes were manipulated and exploited, with tensions rising to the point that even a whisper of ‘witchcraft’ caused a mass outcry of accusations and executions.

This book cannot be taken lightly. The detailed descriptions of torture could be overwhelming at times and the pace could very slow. However, it gives a voice to the women (and men) silenced during this time, offers a story and character to those whose lives were lost and forgotten, branded and remembered as ‘witch’ in the midst of hysteria.  An important read but a brutal one.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Burnings
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Naomi Kelsey
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fiction
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 8th June 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 13th May 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5

”Powerful men don’t keep poor women safe. They use you to keep themselves safe.”

The Burnings describes the North Berwich witch trials, where almost a hundred men and women were accused of witchcraft and killed for it.

My favourite aspect of this novel was the authors really powerful writing. There were undertones of feminist rage and empowerment and the descriptions are so exquisitely detailed it’s easy to picture and believe.

”If she had a single mark on her–a mole, a scar–then she was a witch. If she’d ever spoken to a cat or dog, she was a witch. If a rich man said so, she was a witch.”

I also really enjoyed the multiple points of view. As readers, we get to follow Margareta, the queens lady in waiting, and Geillis, a servant who aspired to be a midwife. They were both really fleshed our characters and their stories were flawlessly thought out.

The reason I haven’t given this a five star is that the plot could be quite convoluted, filled with subterfuge and secrecy, I found the pacing really slow, and the torture was so it could be a bit overwhelming at times for me—this is a personal preference, however.

Overall, a captivating and beguiling debut that blends fact and fiction and demonstrates that debilitating flaw in powerful men: the audacity.

—Kayleigh🤍
@ Welsh Book Fairy🧚‍♀️✨

Denmark, 1578, Princess Anna of Denmark is to marry King James of Scotland.

This novel is loosely based on historical people.
I found myself constantly researching bits and bobs throughout the story, with much interest. Researching what they looked like? Who they were?
I enjoy reading historical fiction, and this book really appealed to me with the setting of the witch trials being set around Edinburgh and North Berwick, areas I am really familiar with location wise. I have family from there and it is a subject that intrigues me.
It is a compelling read, with some graphic descriptions of what happened to “supposed “ witches in that era. Awful!
So convenient to blame witchcraft on innocent women, trying to heal people in that era.
I do feel like the book could have been slightly shorter in page length, however, I did glean much information from the book, and certainly enjoyed reading it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions of this book are entirely my own.

"The Burnings" by Naomi Kelsey is set during the North Berwick Witch Trials which for me are definitely less well-known than the Pendle Witch trials. This is a well-researched, fictional account, set in the gaps of any historical records and flits between Denmark and Scotland. Was there a plot to stop King James marrying Anna of Denmark? What about the heir they tried to produce? Was this thwarted by witchcraft or something else? Once again, women are easily blamed and persecuted at the scheming hands of conniving men who pull the strings from the shadows. An interesting but at times grim read.