The Lancashire Witches

Description

In the background of evil cats, familiars and spirits found around Malkin tower, young Alizon Devi is raised by the dreaded witches of Lancashire in a tale with numerous twists and turns that forks the original story of the Lancashire Witches into a fantasy story worthy of recognition.

Written by W.H. Ainsworth and placed largely in the 17th century, the book first follows the tale of a monk falsely accused of witchcraft who escapes his faith and takes on the name of Nicholas Demdike. Despite being granted special powers and becoming a true warlock, Demdike is later cursed by his rival, and his offspring later become the powerful but feared Lancashire witches.

The tale itself should not be confused with the historic events associated with the well-known Lancashire Witches. Ainsworth paints an entirely different picture of the tale, and while using numerous elements from the real Lancashire, the book is not meant to be an historical account.

Sometimes even diving into horror scenes, the story is a remarkable – although historically inaccurate – portrayal of the witches’ original tale. Ainsworth’s writing style is captivating and highly imaginative, often being able to take the reader by surprise with his various plot twists and unexpected turns of events.

For some readers, the Lancashire dialect can be somewhat tricky to follow, although it doesn’t continue throughout the entire book, and the plot can still be understood quite well. Moving slowly and being depicted in a somewhat old-fashioned style that truly reflects the mood and atmosphere of 17th century Britain quite faithfully. Ainsworth was born in Lancashire, and his knowledge of the local land, folklore and people can be observed very clearly in the book.

Generally speaking, if you want a book that closely depicts the widely known and accepted image of fantasy witches as portrayed by folklore.
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