The Book of Witching

Name: The Book of Witching
Price: 19.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780593816967

✍️ C J Cooke

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$19.00

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A mother investigates an ancient curse after her daughter wakes up as a different person.

The narrative follows Clem’s desperate search for answers regarding her daughter’s sudden identity shift. Erin claims to be Nyx, a woman executed four hundred years prior in the Orkney Islands. Clem explores the location of the accident and discovers records of a wrongful execution. The text focuses on the tension between medical explanations for brain injury and supernatural interpretations of the curse. Cooke uses the setting of the Orkneys to ground the horror in real historical grievances. The plot moves from personal grief to historical investigation, linking past injustices to present suffering.

Key Themes

maternal grief Orkney witch trials identity loss

Literary Context

This work engages with the specific history of the Orkney Islands and the persecution of women accused of witchcraft in the early modern period. It draws on local folklore surrounding hexes and retaliation, situating the supernatural elements within a documented historical framework of injustice.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · Daphne du Maurier · M.R. James

🏚️

Gothic

🏛 Berkley Books 📅 2024 📖 387 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780593816967

📚 This Book in Collections

🧙 Witches in Fiction

📝 Description: The Book of Witching

C J Cooke returns with a Gothic novel that examines the lingering power of historical injustice. The narrative centers on Clem, whose life unravels when her nineteen-year-old daughter Erin suffers a catastrophic accident during a hiking trip in the Orkney Islands. The event leaves Erin’s boyfriend dead and her best friend missing. When Erin awakens from her coma, she exhibits severe dissociation, rejecting her identity and claiming to be a woman named Nyx. Clem investigates the site of the tragedy and uncovers a dark chapter in local history. Four centuries ago, a woman was executed for witchcraft on these islands. She cast a hex in retaliation before her death. Clem must determine if Erin’s condition stems from psychological trauma or the activation of this ancient curse. The story draws on the traditions of Orkney folklore and the specific historical context of early modern witch trials. Readers who enjoy atmospheric tales of family bonds tested by supernatural forces will find much to appreciate here. Those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions may feel frustrated by the ambiguity. The book suits those interested in the intersection of maternal love and historical guilt. It does not suit readers who prefer straightforward mystery plots without emotional complexity.

💎 Our verdict on The Book of Witching

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

C.J. Cooke delivers a potent Gothic novel that prioritizes emotional weight and historical resonance over conventional mystery solving. The text effectively utilizes the Orkney setting to anchor its supernatural elements in tangible historical trauma, creating a chilling sense of place. While the ambiguity regarding the cause of the daughter's condition may unsettle some, it serves the thematic exploration of grief and justice. The story is best suited for readers who enjoy psychological depth and atmospheric dread. It avoids straightforward answers, offering instead a nuanced look at how past injustices manifest in present suffering. This is a thoughtful, if demanding, entry into dark fantasy that values mood and character dynamics above plot clarity.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate atmospheric tales of family bonds tested by supernatural forces will find much to appreciate here. The narrative offers a compelling examination of the lingering power of historical injustice, grounding its horror in real grievances rather than abstract fear. It is particularly suited for those interested in the complex intersection of maternal love and historical guilt. However, it may frustrate readers seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions. This book demands patience and an openness to emotional complexity over straightforward plot mechanics, rewarding those who linger in its ambiguous, grief-stricken atmosphere.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

C.J. Cooke delivers a potent Gothic novel that prioritizes emotional weight and historical resonance over conventional mystery solving. The text effectively utilizes the Orkney setting to anchor its supernatural elements in tangible historical trauma, creating a chilling sense of place. While the ambiguity regarding the cause of the daughter's condition may unsettle some, it serves the thematic exploration of grief and justice. The story is best suited for readers who enjoy psychological depth and atmospheric dread. It avoids straightforward answers, offering instead a nuanced look at how past injustices manifest in present suffering. This is a thoughtful, if demanding, entry into dark fantasy that values mood and character dynamics above plot clarity.