Witch Born

Great book! Would buy more from this author.

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Witchborn was a really fun historical fantasy with a realistic setting and plenty of added mystery and magic. Set in 1577 with Queen Elizabeth I on the throne and Mary Queen of Scots locked in the Tower of London for treason this is a story about an ongoing, bitter rivalry between the two queens and a young girl who gets caught in the crossfire.

Alyce’s life is turned upside down when her mother is burned at the stake for witchcraft. Alyce manages to escape and heads to London, determined to deliver a secret letter to a man her mother said would be able to help her, but with the witch finders hot on her heels, and her growing powers becoming increasingly difficult to hide, it’s not going to be easy.

I don’t want to say much more about the plot because it’s better to let you unravel events for yourself but I really liked Alyce as a character and enjoyed the journey she goes on. She meets a few allies along the way but it’s very difficult to decide who can be trusted and certain things definitely aren’t what they originally seem. The book is creepy and quite dark in places but I mean that in the best way possible and Nicholas Bowling really brings historical London to life with all the sights, sounds and smells you’d come across if you took a step back through time. I believe this is a stand alone story, and it definitely works as one, but I’d be very happy to read more stories about these characters and I’ll be watching out for more from this author.

This novel adapts the rivalry between Queen Elisabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots as a battle between rival factions of witches. The two historical queens were both accused of being witches so the writer has cunningly used this as a starting point for a very original re-telling of history. Since there was a recent movie about these same two women, that makes this book even more contemporary.

Anyone whos even glancingly aware of historical facts knows that religious factions in Europe were often tied up with superstitious hysteria. Anyone even remotely different in terms of lifestyle was considered to be a witch. People greedy, angry, spiteful or bitter about anyone elses success could and did accuse others of witchcraft. That the accused were often helpless women, alone and friendless, made it easy for them to be victimized by false allegations.

Fear of the unknown runs rampant throughout this book, indicating the strain it posed for true witches who had to hide what they were. Time and again, the protagonist is told to hide her talent because the local groupbar customers, actors, sailors, whomeverare a superstitious bunch and wouldnt take kindly to knowing she can see and hear the dead.

The writer throws in mentions of other real historical figures: Dr. John Dee, necromancer; Walter Raleigh, friend and confidant to Queen Elizabeth; John Hopkins, infamous witchfinder. Their voices and tales are woven into the story of one Alyce Greenliefe, a girl whose mother has been burnt at the stake forwhat else?witchcraft. Her crime? Not going to church with the others in the village.

The story is compelling, convincing and the tension is very real. The fact that its based on actual historical fact with witchcraft thrown in makes it all the more readable. The two queens face off in a dramatic showdown that makes Alyces part in the drama frighteningly clear.

You understand Marys determination to clear the world of death. Alyce does, too, and her belief that death can be conquered makes for some nervous reading. We expect the heroine of the book to defy the obvious villain not collude with her. Alyces temptation and the steps she takes make you uneasy and left me wanting a sequeland nowadays I prefer books without sequels because there are just so many books and so little time

You wonder if its possible to use an evil practice for a good purpose and what mark it can leave on the practitioner. When a book makes you ponder such philosophical questions, you know that youve got something special on your hands.

England, 1577: Alyce can’t trust anyone after her mother is burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft. With only the barest instructions and a mommet doll to guide her, Alyce heads to London. She hopes it will be easy to follow her mother’s instructions to find the hangman.

Along the way Alyce has to dodge dangerous witch hunters and learn how to trust new friends and allies. But Alyce isn’t the only one in London with a mission. Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots are both searching intently for Alyce. Both queens want to use her, but only one of them for good in Witch Born (2018) by Nicholas Bowling.

Witch Born is a thoroughly researched historical fantasy. Bowling brings the squalor and wonder of the sixteenth century to life along with the near-constant terror of witchcraft. Genuinely frightening witch hunters and evocative settings make this slim novel a page turner.

Because of Alyce’s young age, this novel is also ideal for readers of all ages. Alyce is a winsome heroine sure to endear herself to readers in this gripping debut. Recommended for readers of both fantasy and historical fiction.

Possible Pairings: Tumble and Blue by Cassie Beasley, Savvy by Ingrid Law, Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood