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| Reading with a sea view in the Oban Chocolate shop |
I came across this book in The Highland Bookshop, in Fort William when I was on holiday in the Highlands last week. Witch Light is set in Glencoe and it tells the story of Corrag. Having been to Glencoe a few times over the years, I have often heard of Corrag the witch, but I didn't know that much about her, only that she was one of the historical witches of the region.
Of course, I am also familiar with the Massacre of Glencoe too. It is an aspect of Scottish history that always brings tears to my eyes at the thought of such a tragic betrayal of trust. I'd had my own adventure on the mountains of Glencoe just the day before, so when I saw this novel in Fort William, I swept down upon it like a vulture!
This book very cleverly weaves together the two strands of history and folklore, for here Corrag the witch is a witness to the Massacre which decimated Clan MacDonald in 1692. It is a very sweeping book. By that I mean, it accurately depicts the sweeping landscape of the Glen of Coe - the mountains, rocks, rivers, burns and waterfalls - and the weather that can almost sweep you away off the mountain if you're not careful, as I discovered for myself the day before! Also the narrative completely sweeps you away too. I felt like I was still standing on that mountain, following in the footsteps of the MacDonald Clansmen, feeling their ghostly breath in the wind and the air around me.
I don't know if this is because I had been in Glencoe the day before I started reading the novel or if it would have had the same effect on me had I read it in England, but it had a deep impact on me emotionally and I felt very moved by this book. The narrative is lyrical and poetic, almost like nature writing, for the landscape plays a significant role in the story.
This is a novel about loneliness and a life lived in solitude, with only the yearning for a love that can never be and the wildlife for company. It describes the wilderness as the only constant companion we will ever have - the weather, the birds, the river and so on. In this sense the book carries a pagan, almost indigenous quality, which I appreciated. Distrusted by people because of her witchy ways, Corrag befriends the animals around her, steadily gaining their trust. She makes friends with a stag and again, this is something I could relate to because I have had such a brief encounter as this one myself, on several occasions;
"There was a moment. We both knew it, and saw it - this one small moment where he had all his trust in me. He was, briefly, tame. Briefly, he was mine - for as he opened his warm mouth and leant in, and steamed, there was no strength in him. He could not have run. He was naked, tired, and he longed for the apple which I'd saved for him, all this while."
There is nothing more sacred than feeding a wild stag from your own hand, experiencing the mutual trust that is at play, knowing that he will never be tame, but for just a few moments, you are connected and there is true love between you. It's a very special, magical encounter and I hope to have more of them in the future.
Corrag learns to adapt to her surroundings, her solitude and changing situations. She knows when she needs to move on, when its time for her to run. Likewise she also knows when she has found her soul-home and the king stag of Glencoe calls to her in welcome as soon as she arrives there. Then she meets the MacDonalds, Alasdair among them, with his dark auburn hair like autumn leaves and ferns, and his sky-blue eyes twinkling, and she knows that she has changed in meeting him, that she will change more in knowing him, that her life will never be the same again. All so very relatable.
This is a very moving novel. It perfectly captures the storytelling style of Scots culture. It can be quite a weepy one, as it deals in some very dark material. Knowing that the Massacre is coming hangs over you like a dark cloud as you read. The betrayal, when it comes, is heart-breaking. The fear for the Clan is real, the worry for Alasdair is acute. The official Massacre Order is even reprinted at the end of the book, which is a very chilling read. I'd heard it read out at the Glencoe Visitor Center, but to see it written down in black and white, really brings it home to you, how much hatred there was for the Jacobites at that time.
I've always had a soft spot for the MacDonalds. They were one of the Clans who stood by the Bruce from the very beginning. Through the good, the bad and the downright murderous, they never wavered, never left his side and they were duly rewarded with lands and titles when he became King of Scots in 1306. That loyalty to the Scots Royal line remained in place, leading the Clan to become staunch Jacobites. It was for this reason, they paid the ultimate price and the Massacre was ordered.
But it didn't have the desired effect, for the MacDonalds still thrive throughout western Scotland. I know because I've kissed one - and a very handsome piper he was too! The MacDonalds are not the kind of Clan that will be kept down. They will always rise up again.
Witch Light is a beautiful, passionate historical novel. It will sweep you away to the Glen of Coe and leave you breathless with fear, loss and newfound hope. This is a novel of survival, betrayal, love and trust. It's an emotional read, so have the tissues at the ready. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it has been a wonderful way to prolong my holiday. I feel bereft now that I have finished the novel. I just want to stay in Glencoe with Alasdair for a bit longer!
I hope that the author writes more Scottish historical novels as I feel that she has truly found her vein of gold here. Fortunately you don't need to go all the way to Fort William to buy a copy - unless you want to! - as it is available on Amazon in paperback as Witch Light and on Kindle as Corrag. Prepare to be swept away to Glencoe!
BB Marie x
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