The Witch's Trinity: Erika Mailman

Witches were long to blame for many evils that befell the more ignorant people of Europe. With an inablity to satisfactorily explain the twin horrors of plague and famine, it seemed easiest to blame the maledictions on the old, addlebrained women that clung to every village, refusing to die and eating food meant for the young and strong. When these evils visit Güde Müller's village, her daughter-in-law sees a way out of caring for the elderly woman who has become nothing more then a burden but too often in times like those, the accusers could quickly find themselves on the wrong side of the witness stand. In The Witch's Trinity, Erika Mailman strips back the layers of the human psyche to reveal what drives and motivates us in times of horror and grief and how we survive, knowing that each day might be our last.

Güde Müller is a burden in the house that her husband built for her. Her husband having passed away many years ago from the plague, Güde is supported by her son and his wife, Irmeltrud. She lives in the house with them and their two children, though she has been relegated to a straw pallet. Güde is old and her mind is going so when her closest childhood friend is tried and executed as a witch by an itinerant priest her daughter-in-law quickly seizes the chance to cast out Güde, the extra mouth taking up room in her house. Güde is unable to proclaim her innocence because of things she believes she has seen in the forest; the dancing of witches, and a cloven-hoofed man. When Güde proclaims that she was cast out of the house by Irmeltrud though, the gaze of the priest is turned in Irmeltrud's direction and another woman finds herself defending her actions before a crowd that demands blood and fire for the return of crops and food. With the majority of the men gone in search of game, Güde and Irmeltrud find themselves fighting for their lives and souls against people they've known their whole lives. Güde will have to drag together the pieces of her scattered brain in order to protect the lives of her precious grandchildren and die with dignity.

Mailman writes in a very stark style that is beautiful in it's simplicity. She peppers each chapters with poisonous bits from the Malleus Malleficarum as examples of the the things that were believed about women, and witches and it makes the story that much more believable and heart-rending. It's an impressive debut novel from the author and one hopes to see more such efforts in the future.
------------------------
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (September 25, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0307351521
ISBN-13: 978-0307351524
Buy the Book