The Witch, The Seed and The Scalpel by Scott O’Neill
Edinburgh 1841.
‘Reaching out like a hungry white worm it twisted and spiralled, tasting the air. Then, evidently attracted by the flow of warm blood, it squirmed its way under the surface of my skin.‘
Every autumn without fail, a strange seed appears on the chestnut tree that marks the spot where the witch Margaret McKay was murdered.
Legend states that anyone who catches this nut before it hits the ground will be blessed with untold riches, but when it falls into the eager hands of botanist Joseph Ware, the seed unleashes a terrible curse. In his quest to find the cure, Joseph discovers a resistance group battling to save the last of Scotland’s witches from a sinister order of surgeons – Gladius Dei* or The Sword of God – who believe the key to all magic lies hidden somewhere within a witch’s anatomy.
The conflict quickly tears apart the bonds of family, friendship and even reality itself, as Joseph fights to save his soul and avoid the anatomists’ dissecting table.
Ideal for readers of The Last Witch in Scotland, The Witches of Vardo, Bram Stoker or for those with an interest in witchcraft lore.
My Review
I can honestly say this was one of the strangest books I have ever read. There were times when I almost gave up, as I found some of Joseph’s visions where he talks about animal suffering (which I can relate to as a vegetarian) very upsetting. But please don’t be put off. It’s only a small part of the story, and everything else was just brilliant.
It’s a masterpiece of storytelling and modern Gothic literature – it’s use of language poetic and lyrical. It flows with the grace of a winding river, and the main characters are beautifully written and sympathetic.
And I admit I cried at the end, though I’m not sure whether it was tears of sadness or happiness for Joseph. But my favourite character was his cousin Molly, still so young, but brave, steadfast and loyal. In fact the whole story is very women-focused, the men being mainly sadistic torturers of witches, while the women understand the powers of nature, herbs and healing.
*Interesting to note that Gladius Dei was a book by Thomas Mann, though there is no parallel with this story. On the other hand the Viscus of Devilry – the seat of evil in a witch – seems to be a total invention by the author.
Many thanks to www.mcnidderandgrace.com for an ARC.
About the Author
Scott O’Neill spends much of his free time exploring the hills and shores of his homeland the Isle of Bute, a landscape full of history and mystery which inspires much of his writing including two published novels: The Buzz Building (2014) and The Hectic Headspace of Abigail Squall (2018).
He has written several screenplays including Underground, a crime thriller which was sold to Celtic Films, The Circle, an indie horror film starring Ross Noble (2017) and Sketches of Bute (2024). The sequel to The Circle called The Circle: Awakening will be released in 2025.
