Pages: 352
Published: 2nd March 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
Content warnings: Misogyny
1645. When Alice Hopkins’ husband dies in a tragic accident, she returns to the small Essex town of Manningtree, where her brother Matthew still lives.
But home is no longer a place of safety. Matthew has changed, and there are rumours spreading through the town: whispers of witchcraft, and of a great book, in which he is gathering women’s names.
To what lengths will Matthew’s obsession drive him? And what choice will Alice make, when she finds herself at the very heart of his plan?
Once upon a time there was a man called Matthew Hopkins who developed such a God complex that he proclaimed himself Witchfinder General, persecuting women for seemingly innocuous acts and using his diabolical methods to gain royal favour. The human tragedy he left in his wake is a compelling topic for an impactful historical fiction novel, but while there are some strong moments here in that regard, they are too few and far between to make this book truly stand out.
The focus is largely on Hopkins’ sister Alice, who is rightfully appalled by his actions and the man he has become but powerless to stop him. Much of the story is devoted to the relationship between the pair and the author shows strong imagination to portray that dynamic, and the writing is at its strongest when it delves into the backstory of these characters to find a reason for Matthew’s newfound hatefulness.
If there is an issue with this, it is that Alice simply not the most interesting person. While taking into account the time period and attitudes towards women, she does not possess either a strong or a distinctive voice, so it did make for a somewhat less entertaining read as a result. Elsewhere, we do not encounter any other main characters, with the main sense of peril being for Alice’s fragile pregnancy and the women Matthew hunts down.
Matthew’s depiction was in some ways fascinating. He was not always the evil, domineering figure you might expect, with many of his actions coming from deep-seated feelings and prejudices. There was an odd vulnerability about him at times, yet there was always something that lay beneath like we see in the average bully.
Arguably the biggest strength is in the atmosphere, which is full of menace – not only due to Matthew’s tyranny but also Alice’s fear of crossing him. The house they share is claustrophobic with their opposing values, and as the reader you sense that for all women in his vicinity you sense a rather precarious existence. That vibe and Alice’s constant walking on eggshells accounts for most of the plot, which is disappointingly slow paced.
Overall, this book comes with an excellent concept but this is not completely followed through, with long periods of the plot lacking much substance other than the atmosphere and sense of foreboding. It does, however, shine a light on an important moment in history and the author does well to an extent by developing a narrative that explores Hopkins’ legacy through the eyes of others, so you could describe it as a reasonable read, but not an entirely memorable one.
A great atmosphere and a fascinating characterisation of Matthew, but other than that this book will not live long in the memory. The plot is too slow and uneventful for that.
