Alice Kyteler’s narrative is a notable one, as she was the first Irish woman to be examined for accusations of witchcraft. Born of Anglo-Norman origin, Alice lived a significant portion of her life between the years 1263 and beyond 1325. Financially independent as a moneylender, she was wed four times and accumulated considerable wealth from her deceased husbands’ inheritance, all of whom met somewhat unexplained ends, leading to suspicions surrounding her involvement in their respective deaths.
Avoiding her conviction, Alice managed to flee, possibly to England or Flanders. Alice’s helper, Petronilla, was not as lucky and was executed by burning. It is applauded that Molly Aitken, in her rendition of the tale, decided to not include explicit details of Petronilla’s demise.
The past of Alice Kyteler has always intrigued us, due to the rarity of official witch trials in Ireland, and the universal fascination with witches. While Molly Aitken’s novel about Kyteler isn’t the first, it distinguishes itself by providing the story from Alice’s perspective. The author empathises with her main character, depicting her as enticing, attractive and sensual.
Molly Aitken’s writing enriched the tale by beautifully describing the environment, flora, and fragrances. Alice’s sensitivity towards her environment is convincingly portrayed by Aitken’s bewitching prose, reflecting this in rhythmic text. Alice’s motherly love towards her son William along with her compelling attraction towards some of her husbands, primarily the second one, Alan de Blund, are also effectively written.
Aitken also successfully provides detailed context regarding the city, living conditions, clothing, and food. However, she falls short in documenting the political situation of the time and spends little attention on language nuances. Yet, considering Aitken’s evident penchant for language, she may have lost an opportunity to delve deeper into the language aspect of this unfortunate narrative.
In her research, it’s evident that she has been comprehensive and meticulous. This is affirmed in her concluding remarks where she even delves into the description of the controversial object purported to be Alice’s dildo, made from a type of clay pipe (not apt for comfort), which was key evidence in the court proceedings. Alice’s sexual proclivity in the narrative didn’t waver, despite the societal view in the 14th century, and for many years thereafter, that considered sex a serious misdeed.
The book is imaginative, eloquently composed, and captivating.
Eilis Ni Dhuibhne’s recent publications include Selected Stories (Blackstaff, 2023), together with her collaboration with Michaela Schrage Früh in editing Well, You Don’t Look It: Irish Women Writers Reflect on Ageing (Salmon, 2024).