The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

I received a copy of this book from the publisher
 in exchange for an honest review

On December 24, 1617, just off the coast of Vardø, a remote and underpopulated island at Norway’s north-easternmost point, a sudden storm drowned 40 men, leaving the women of this fishing village to fend for themselves. Three years later, a Scottish witch finder is sent to rid Vardø of alleged witchcraft. He brings his unknowing Norwegian wife on his pious journey to rid the community of evil. Building on the true events of the Vardø witch trials, The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (released February 11, 2020) focuses on the communal ties between the village women. Hargrave’s haunting descriptions of the women’s mourning and survival following the catastrophic storm is almost poetic in its rawness. The undercurrents of jealousy and hatred among the women reach a fever pitch when those who feel they have been wronged find a way to exert power through accusations. This novel swept me away, broke my heart, gave me new characters to love (Kirsten, Maren, Ursa), and new additions to my “love to hate” characters list (Absalom, Toril, and Christin). It’s a calmer, quieter book that may not stand out for a lot of readers, but I loved it and definitely recommend it.