"Burn the Witch" Throughout history, there have been instances where individuals have been persecuted and condemned as witches. The act of burning the witch at the stake is one of the most chilling and gruesome practices associated with the witch trials of the past. This phrase, "burn the witch," evokes a range of emotions and conjures images of fear, hatred, and injustice. The belief in witches and witchcraft dates back centuries, with various cultures and societies subscribing to the notion that certain individuals possessed supernatural powers and engaged in dark magic. These individuals were often blamed for misfortune, illness, and other societal problems. As a result, prosecutions and trials were held to identify and eliminate these alleged witches.
What I really admire here is that the author brings to us a very unusual love story which made for great reading. I would point out though that this isn’t what I would typically define as the ‘romance genre. What I also hadn’t really thought about until writing this review is that Sayers has included a love triangle. So, here am I, I don’t like love stories and love triangles are one of my pet hates – and yet I loved this. I raise my hat to the author and confess myself gobsmacked.
In fact, this point plays a key role in the novel, as Luke struggles with his feelings for the different versions of Juliet, watching someone he cares for very much die and live again, not knowing what the next cycle will bring. In addition to the oddly romanticized portrayal of a grooming relationship, there is also a gratuitous, graphic, and violent rape scene during the Juliet past life narrative that serves no purpose other than to highlight how awful Juliet s life is at that moment.
As a result, prosecutions and trials were held to identify and eliminate these alleged witches. The method of burning at the stake was a popular means of execution for convicted witches. It was believed that fire had the power to cleanse and rid society of their evil influence.
A WITCH IN TIME
When Helen Lambert meets her blind date, Luke Varner, at a trendy D.C. bar, little does she know they’ve met before—over several lifetimes.
In this, her debut novel, Sayers cleverly twists the loves-lost-through-time motif. Helen and Luke are not star-crossed, or rather curse-crossed, lovers from the 19th century, doomed to an eternity of thwarted passion. Instead, Sayers binds them together in a complicated codependent triangle: Helen is certainly replaying a thwarted love affair from more than a century ago, but she did not love Luke then. It all begins in 1895, when Juliet LaCompte, a beautiful 16-year-old French farm girl, falls in love with her summer neighbor, Auguste Marchant. Marchant is a Parisian artist who adores painting Juliet, and as the summer progresses, their desires for each other grow. But Marchant is very much married with a heavily pregnant wife, and Juliet is betrothed to a boy whose farm abuts her father’s. Even worse, Juliet’s mother, a skilled herbalist and sometime witch, finds out about their affair. Enraged that Juliet has besmirched the family’s honor and terrified for reasons Juliet cannot understand, her mother casts a spell cursing Marchant. But the spell is sloppily made, and it not only catches Juliet in its web, but also saddles her with a demon administrator: Lucian Varnier (aka Luke), who begins to fall in love with her, too. Sayers builds tension between present-day Luke and Helen by plunging Helen into a dream world, where she relives her time as a 1930s Hollywood starlet and 1970s rock musician, and each incarnation of Juliet becomes more attached to Luke. Moreover, her own powers as a witch have grown, so perhaps this will be the lifetime in which she breaks the curse. But her own feelings for Luke may get in the way.
A smart, engrossing debut from a writer to watch.
Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-49359-8
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Redhook/Orbit
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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However, the practice was more than just a means of execution; it served as a spectacle and a warning to others who might dabble in witchcraft. The act of burning the witch was a public event, often attracting large crowds eager to witness the demise of the accused. Victims would be tied to a stake or a pyre, surrounded by bundles of wood or other combustible materials. Once set alight, the accused would suffer an agonizing death, where the flames would gradually consume their bodies. Despite the horror of this practice, it should be noted that many of those accused of witchcraft were innocent victims caught up in the hysteria and fear of the time. Women, in particular, were often targeted, as their position in society made them susceptible to accusations of witchcraft. The motivations behind these accusations ranged from personal vendettas to societal scapegoating. The phrase "burn the witch" symbolizes the darkness and injustice of a time when fear and superstition reigned supreme. It serves as a reminder of the danger of blindly following collective hysteria, and the harm that can befall innocent individuals. It is a stark reminder of the need for critical thinking and the importance of preserving the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their beliefs or perceived differences..
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