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Hexenhaus

Nikki McWatters (Goodreads Author)

3.99 · Rating details · 177 ratings · 62 reviews

In 1628, Veronica and her brother flee for their lives into the German woods after their father is burned at the stake.

At the dawn of the eighteenth century, Scottish maid Katherine is lured into political dissent after her parents are butchered for their beliefs.

In present-day Australia, Paisley navigates her way through the burning torches of small-town gossip after he ...more

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Paperback, 333 pages

Published October 31st 2016 by University of Queensland Press

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· 177 ratings · 62 reviews

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Oct 25, 2016 Tamsin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

HEXENHAUS is a beautifully written story that completely surpassed my expectations. I totally fell in love with the characters of Veronica, Katherine and Paisley (I loved that name!).

The book is told from the point of view of three young women spanning four hundred years, all facing persecution and the accusation of witchcraft.

The stories begin in Franconia and take readers through the midlands of Scotland to the Australian town of Bundanoon. The three story threads are a powerful rendering of ...more

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Nov 03, 2016 Bron rated it really liked it

I enjoyed it this so much! I've read a few things on witch hunts/trials this year and loved this set of three stories with different but connected takes on it. And to see how the hysteria can take hold in today's world was so interesting too. ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Benjamin Black rated it it was amazing

I sat down the other night to read a few chapters of this whilst on holidays and then magically it was 4am and I had finished it! I just couldn't put it down. I have traversed our pale blue dot to Scotland, Germany and even Bundanoon too and these wonderful witchy words instantly transported me back to all of these fantastic places. The plight of these three young and strong women grabs hold of you tightly and doesn't let go until the very end. The way that the author decided to cycle through th ...more

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Oct 31, 2016 Tanya Grech Welden rated it it was amazing

Well done Nikki McWatters, you just succeeded in bundling everything I love about YA fiction in 331 pages!

As you can probably gather I am quite excited about this title. A delectable combination of 15th Century European History and Contemporary fiction, I was riveted to the book from the first page. Told in alternating narration Hexenhaus tells the story of Veronica, from 1628 Bamerg, Franconia (in what is modern Germany), Katherine, from 1696 Scotland and Paisley from present day Bunadoon, Aust Well done Nikki McWatters, you just succeeded in bundling everything I love about YA fiction in 331 pages!

As you can probably gather I am quite excited about this title. A delectable combination of 15th Century European History and Contemporary fiction, I was riveted to the book from the first page. Told in alternating narration Hexenhaus tells the story of Veronica, from 1628 Bamerg, Franconia (in what is modern Germany), Katherine, from 1696 Scotland and Paisley from present day Bunadoon, Australia. The three share a commonality, their names inscribed in a single book, the Systir Saga, a volume which binds them together in a witchy sisterhood than transcends generations, hailing back to early pagan society. With a powerful mix of historical truth and fiction, McWatters weaves the lives of the women together through their shared experiences of persecution and journey of self-discovery.

From the outset, as a text aimed at a YA audience, I think this works magnificently. Paisley’s narration effectively grounds the story in the here and now and will appeal to many teen readers, drawn to stories that speak to their own experiences. As a contrast to this, the narrations of Katherine and Veronica add a historical depth to the tale that is intriguing and highly evocative of the period explored. I challenge anyone to read this story without feeling drawn (at the very least) to read further into the history of the Grand Inquisition.

With obvious parallels to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s magnificent play The Crucible, Hexenhaus is perfectly suited for use with senior secondary students. Used independently, or as a shared text, it is a story that will certainly inspire important discussions about modern society, while complementing a historical exploration of the Grand Inquisition, witchcraft through the ages and life and society in 15th century Europe.

Hexenhaus is much more than a tale about witches and witchcraft. It is a story which examines the notion of evil masquerading in the guise of good, the evolution of mass paranoia and hysteria, all the while celebrating the indomitable feminine strength and triumph of the human spirit. Hexenhaus succeeds in its mission to unveil historical truths that must never be forgotten all the while speaking to a contemporary YA audience in a voice that they will understand.

Tanya Grech Welden ...more

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Dec 25, 2016 Maria Lewis rated it really liked it

I loved this so much. I usually struggle with books that jump between different characters each chapter - even if it's just three characters like in Hexenhaus - because I get deeply involved in one character's story over the others and get annoyed by being constantly pulled out of it. With this, each woman at the centre of her story was so interesting and so different from the last, I found myself excited to start a new chapter each time because I loved each character so much. The historical set ...more

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Nov 01, 2018 Cass Moriarty rated it it was amazing

Hexenhaus (UQP 2016) is a fictionalised tale of witchcraft anchored on true events, by author Nikki McWatters, who has woven together three different tales, based on three young women living in very different times. In 1628, after their parents are burnt at the stake for their beliefs, Veronica and her brother Hans flee into the safety and anonymity of the woods in Germany. Tainted by their family’s reputation, Veronica begins to discover her own healing power. In 1696, in Scotland, Katherine is Hexenhaus (UQP 2016) is a fictionalised tale of witchcraft anchored on true events, by author Nikki McWatters, who has woven together three different tales, based on three young women living in very different times. In 1628, after their parents are burnt at the stake for their beliefs, Veronica and her brother Hans flee into the safety and anonymity of the woods in Germany. Tainted by their family’s reputation, Veronica begins to discover her own healing power. In 1696, in Scotland, Katherine is pursued as a witch after a child in her care exhibits strange behaviour. And in present day Australia, teenage Paisley struggles to deal with her new-age hippy mum who runs an alternative healing shop and is blamed for the disappearance of a boy she had counselled. Paisley’s absent dad shows up and things get a little weird.
This is YA fiction, although the themes and historical accounts of torture and deprivation are visceral and authentic, and may not be suitable for younger readers. But for adolescents, this book offers a tantalising and dark exploration of the origin of the term ‘witch-hunt’, and depicts how real life historical characters were caught up in the religious and pious fervour of the day. McWatters cleverly transposes this with alternating chapters of the present day, with a mirrored view of how ‘witches’ (ie anyone alternative or different) might be perceived and treated. The book could almost be three separate stories combined. First we have a chapter from Veronica’s perspective, then from Katherine and finally from Paisley, and this continues throughout. And while the girls are each from very different circumstances and times, their journeys progress with somewhat similar challenges and difficulties. Each of them must confront the fear and persecution of the political and religious beliefs of the day. Each faces prejudice and gossip. And despite the very different times in which they live, each has a strong connection to family and loved ones, each values loyalty and trust, each faces betrayal. Veronica, Katherine and Paisley each have a romance attached to their narrative also, and it is somehow so gratifying to read about three young women from such different lives who nevertheless share the same feelings, doubts, hopes and dreams.
On one level, this is an historical novel based on solid research about the European witch-hunt trials and the trauma of that time. But on another level, it draws parallels with modern Australian life, and with the current zeitgeist of the embracing of difference versus the fear and panic of the unknown or unfamiliar.
I was drawn into each of the girls’ stories. I found the two historical stories compelling and fascinating, rich with detail of the time, very descriptive and full of sensory elements. Paisley’s tale added a regular and welcome light relief to the book – her story is relatable and funny, and provides an opportunity to escape from the darker sections of Veronica and Katherine’s lives. But I think what McWatters has done really well is to highlight the similarities between these young women, not in the particulars of their situations, but in the broad brushstrokes of how they are seen by the world, how they represent themselves, how they fight for what they believe to be right and true, how they suffer for their beliefs, and the loyalty they show to those they love. They may live centuries apart, but their circumstances – their hurts and disappointments, their small successes and achievements, their dreams – transcend time. This book is such a great way to demonstrate how our differences unite us, how history is real and being made all the time. It shows the similarities of these girls’ lives, despite the years and countries separating them. If you have a young person interested in witchcraft, this is an enthralling read that also satisfies with plenty of historical accuracy and facts. And it is perhaps a timely lesson about intolerance and misinformation, misunderstandings and folklore, prejudice and fear. ...more

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Nov 06, 2016 Kate McNally rated it it was amazing

I have always been fascinated by the witch stories from the Middle Ages and rate The Crucible as one of my favourite reads. THIS BOOK WAS SUBLIME! I was transfixed from the first page and could not put it down. I loved the way the writer wove the three stories together and absolutely loved the three main characters. I could hear their different voices and feel their fear. The writing was beautiful, haunting and evocative and I stopped sometimes to reread passages that were just so charming. The ...more

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Nov 22, 2016 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned

I couldn't put it down once I started to read it. This was a brilliant book, and I think any girl or woman of every age will find themselves swept along with Nikki's wonderful prose. She manages to carry you along through the three different ages so the girls Veronica, Katherine and Paisley come alive in your imagination. You will feel their terror and pain and for two of them the sweet release from their anguish. ...more

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Nov 04, 2016 Henry Ix rated it it was amazing

I loved everything about this book: the story, the characters, the prose, the intelligence in the writing. I laughed so much and was so enthralled the whole time. Definitely will follow this author from now on

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Mar 25, 2017 Lily rated it really liked it

Shelves: aussie-lit, book-reviews, mf-relationship, young-adult, social-protest-and-social-justice, historical-fiction, oppression-and-persecution, poverty, womens-history-reading-list, religion

“’By fear and by terror she has been possessed’ I agreed. ‘And the poor girl looks for the cause in the only things her little eyes can see: us, those around her who are different’”

‘Hexenhaus’ is a work of historical fiction exploring the witch trials across Early Modern Europe and the psychology that perpetuates such horrific acts. The story weaves together the lives of three teenage girls from different periods in history – 17th Century Germany, 18th Century Scotland and modern day country tow “’By fear and by terror she has been possessed’ I agreed. ‘And the poor girl looks for the cause in the only things her little eyes can see: us, those around her who are different’”

‘Hexenhaus’ is a work of historical fiction exploring the witch trials across Early Modern Europe and the psychology that perpetuates such horrific acts. The story weaves together the lives of three teenage girls from different periods in history – 17th Century Germany, 18th Century Scotland and modern day country town Australia – who are each condemned by their communities for witchcraft. A surprisingly thoughtful, nuanced and powerful read, the author examines the hysteria that led to the persecution of thousands of people, primarily women, during these witch hunts, and contrasts this with how such a mentality translates into the contemporary day.

This is such a sadly poignant and haunting story, in parts quite difficult and painful to read, that is ultimately about fear culture, social conscience and the excuses that are used in order to other and oppress those who are different. Well written, compelling and incredibly confronting, this book does so much with the subject matter. It is a deeply relevant story, despite the historical setting, with important parallels to modern attitudes that cleverly examines the danger of unjustified mistrust and hatred that leads society to accuse and persecute innocent minorities. Whilst I found the beginning a little slow, the dark atmosphere coupled with an undercurrent of tension, danger, paranoia and suspicion draws you deep into the story. The use of alternating perspectives worked really well, making it impossible not to become invested in each characters harrowing and horrifyingly real experiences, and I really adored the way the theme of sisterhood was layered throughout the story.

Immersive, gut-wrenching and intelligent, ‘Hexenhaus’ is a disturbing yet fascinating look at an important part of history from the perspective of three strong, brave, loyal and determined young women. Well worth the read.

TW: torture/violence, some ableist language (regarding mental illness) and use of a potentially harmful racial slur ('gypsies') that is not unpacked in text.

Disclaimer: I received a free unsolicited copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Mar 31, 2017 Calzean rated it really liked it

Shelves: culture-australia, woman-author, culture-france, culture-england, author-australia, young-adult

An interesting book.
Three stories featuring young 18 year oldish women. Veronica in 1628 in Germany, Scottish Katherine in 1696 and Paisley in modern day Southern Highlands NSW.
All stories revolve around witchcraft, young love, betrayal, abuse of power, prejudice, the impact of small mindedness and the inherent dangers of being powerless.
For YA readers, a book to discuss.

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Mar 06, 2020 Shay B. Keats rated it really liked it

This was excellent. Gut-punching and heart-achingly good. The writing really shone in the most awful of the scenes, the tortures the innocent people endured, and I particularly loved the parts focused on Veronica (in early 17th Century Germany) and Katherine (in late 17th Century Scotland). I appreciated the knowledge gained about the cruelty of the witch-hunts and I even teared up at one specific moment.

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Jan 25, 2017 Jeann (Happy Indulgence) rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copy, witches, young-adult, love-oz-ya, university-queensland-press

This review was originally posted on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!

Three women, from three different timeframes have only one thing in common - they are condemned for being witches. From 17th Century Germany, to 18th Century Europe, and modern day Australia in a small regional town, we hear from Veronica, Katherine and Paisley. They are each teenage girls with their own hopes and dreams, from worrying about their family, to survival, and the persecution that they experience.

Wh This review was originally posted on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!

Three women, from three different timeframes have only one thing in common - they are condemned for being witches. From 17th Century Germany, to 18th Century Europe, and modern day Australia in a small regional town, we hear from Veronica, Katherine and Paisley. They are each teenage girls with their own hopes and dreams, from worrying about their family, to survival, and the persecution that they experience.

What's immediately evident are the different voices that are given to each girl, which felt authentic to the time period - from the more formal, olden day setting to modern day Aussie English and slang. I was able to pick up which of the characters I was reading at any one time, even though the chapters were extremely short.

Reading Hexenhaus was like reading three different stories in one, with key elements that ran parallel to each other. From their relative innocence before being condemned, to torture and persecution, to the road after everything's been said and done, their stories went in three rapidly different directions. Aside from Paisley, I didn't know whether Veronica or Katherine were going to escape their circumstances because of how severe the charges were laid against them.

From learning about Hexenhaus, a German witch house built to torture young women, the horrific torture devices that were used and the sheer horror these women felt at what had happened, Hexenhaus was a dark and harrowing experience about witchcraft in the 17-18th century. It was evident that you didn't need to really do anything suspicious to be blacklisted as a witch - you just needed to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time to endure these unspeakable events.

There's a strong theme of sexism running through the story, where the fate of many young women were decided from men along. At one stage, a male condemns one of the girls for intentionally beguiling him and casting a spell on him. Another women is blamed for a kid 'seeing spirits' which was sent after them. It was frustrating to see how these women could simply not defend themselves against such accusations, and it's easy to see how far these rumours and accusations can spread like wildfire, causing the townspeople to spiral out of control.

While I was invested in Veronica and Katherine's stories, I had trouble connecting to Paisley who probably had the least interesting perspective. She's defending her mother, the town's fortune teller from being accused as a witch. Perhaps it was done intentionally to illustrate how unfair these accusations were, but I had trouble believing that a kid repeatedly chanting her name was good enough to condemn her from the town. Paisley's perspective was also quite out of place, given the historical settings of the rest of the book.

Hexenhaus provided a fascinating side-by-side glimpse into 17th-18th century witch accusations and today's rumour mill. From witchy persecutions to the strong sexism vibe and how little "witchcraft" there actually was in the novel, it offers more of a historical perspective on witches. While I had trouble connecting to some of the characters, the interchanging chapters and stories kept the story moving.

I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
...more

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Jan 17, 2017 Bec (booktineus) rated it liked it

Shelves: review-physical, own, read-2017

This review first appeared on Readers in Wonderland

INITIAL REACTION

5 THINGS ABOUT HEXENHAUS
Three different stories, three different times
HEXENHAUS features three different witch hunts in three different time periods, told in alternating chapters. These alternating chapters can be a bit worrying as sometimes you like one character more than the others and so some chapters become boring. In HEXENHAUS this was not the case, as I really enjoyed all the stories and the distinct voices. Victoria’s ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Charley Rose rated it it was amazing

I couldn't put it down and read it one sitting. The writing and characters pulled you in from the first confronting and intriguing line. I felt as if I was there with each of the three girls in the book and found myself wanting to get back to each one at the end of each chapter. The book is such a clever commentary on the effects of mass hysteria and what fear can drive people to do. I especially loved Veronica and all of the characters in her storyline and found myself crying at the airport whe ...more

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Nov 01, 2016 Trisha rated it really liked it

Shelves: family, suspense, ya-literature, survival, contemporary, multiple-narrators, romance, grief-loss, historical, ozya2016

Three and a half stars rounded up. The three narratives are told in alternating chapters - Veronica, Katherine, then Paisley. These are very short and it was disconcerting to have to jump from story line to story line so abruptly. Half way through, I changed to reading straight through each girl's story, and found that much better.

There is a lot of sadness and injustice, and misery, which is difficult to read, especially when in hindsight, we know how corrupt and ridiculous witch-burning was (i ...more

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Dec 14, 2016 Lexi // libraryoflexi rated it it was amazing

What an absolutely fascinating book. I was originally going to give this book 4.5 but then a mere 2 pages right at the end of Historical Notes cranked it up to 5. This gave a brief overview about how the stories of Veronica and Katherine were written based on true happenings back in the 1600s.
Truely fascinating. It's basically a historical fiction (with a view from the present day which really balances it out perfectly) but it doesn't feel like that.
I'd highly suggest giving it a read! ...more

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Oct 24, 2016 Pauline rated it really liked it

Full review closer to release date

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Aug 06, 2017 Elizabeth rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, australian-authors, historical

My review of Hexenhaus for the CBCA

http://readingtime.com.au/hexenhaus/ ...more

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Feb 11, 2020 Laura Morrigan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: alternative-characters, magic, youth-fiction, female-and-lgbt, europe, australasia-oceania, non-fiction, history-and-alternate-history, 2020

A really gripping story of three women of different eras caught in in historical witch hunts and the modern day equivalent. Wonderful characters. I read it in two days.

Edit: this is reality based, not urban famtasy type magic. It's more about women and persecution. ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Akka Constantin rated it it was amazing

Nikki McWatters' book came at the right time. Days before, I was just musing over how each century seems to have its own witch hunt, sometimes disguised into something else.
Then I started to read Hexenhouse and I could not put it down until I finished it entirely. It is captivating, enthralling, gut-wrenching and it leaves you in awe. You are amazed and disappointed at the same time. Not at the book - the book is beautifully written. It leaves you disappointed and full of rage at the treatment ...more

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Nov 29, 2016 Julz Laskazeski rated it really liked it

i really enjoyed this book!! loved the 3 charcters and each chapter alternated between them!! loved the twist it was an omg out loud moment for me!! loved that when it changed between stories u knew where u were!!! great idea im going through a witch/wizard/magic faze atm. thank u

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Dec 21, 2016 Jess Baker rated it it was amazing

Really takes you on a journey back through time. Great characters that are all so interesting and different. Fascinating look at the witch-hunting era. Clever way the writer drew subtle comparisons to modern persecution of minorities! Highly recommended for anyone - not just young adults.

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Nov 15, 2016 Joanie rated it it was amazing

Loved this book - engaging women, who I really enjoyed getting to know. Like all good books I will read it again. Highly recommended- well researched and attention to detail.

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Dec 18, 2016 Cate McKinnon Alexander rated it really liked it

The witch trials of the early modern period is a fascinating era of women's history and this novel is an excellent introduction. ...more

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Jan 01, 2017 Saturday's Child rated it really liked it

The plot, the title and the cover all said "read me" and I'm so glad that I did. ...more

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Mar 07, 2017 Kate Forsyth rated it really liked it

Shelves: australian, historical, ya-fantasy, aww16

Nikki McWatters and I share two nephews, though we have never met. So when my sister-in-law told me that her other sister-in-law was writing a novel for young adults inspired by witch-hunts through history, I was intrigued. Tell her to send me a copy, I said. I’m very glad that I did. Hexenhaus is a gripping story of three different young women at different times of history who all find themselves persecuted in some way for witchcraft.

Veronica lives in Bamburg in what is now Germany in 1628. Kat ...more

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Dec 02, 2017 Stef (Noveltea Corner) rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2017, loveozya

Hexenhaus tells the story of three young women and their experiences with ‘witch hunts’ in their respective time periods. Veronica flees into the German woods after her father is burnt at the stake, Katherine becomes embroiled in political dissent while others try to cover it up with the hunt for those accused of witchcraft, and Paisley is left to pick up the pieces after her mother is targeted for a modern-day witch hunt in small-town Australia.

Each story is discreet, with chapters alternating ...more

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Jan 02, 2018 Jo Casey rated it it was amazing

Fantastic historical fiction regarding how women have been perceived as witches during 3 time periods - early 1600s, late 1700s and modern day times.

I really loved this book - took me a while to get my head around the fact that each chapter was from another time period, but once I got it sorted, I loved it!

Not all of the 3 women have a happy ending, but this does not disappoint!

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Mar 28, 2018 Sylvia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

Great read well written, it’s like reading 3 stories at once and you just can’t decide which one you like more or less so you just love reading them all...My daughter tells me that all the stories are written from true events, you can research them... an enjoyable read 10/10 for me

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About Nikki McWatters

Nikki McWatters

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Nikki is an Australian-based writer who lives with her family north of Sydney, near the beach. She was shortlisted for a Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Emerging Writer

Her memoir, 'One Way or Another, the story of a girl who loved rock stars' was released by Black Inc in 2012.

Nikki's short fiction has appeared in The Big Issue, The Newcastle Literary Award Anthology, The Grieve Anthology ...more