Book Review - De Heks van Limbricht by Susan Smit

Title: De Heks van Limbricht
Author: Susan Smit
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2021
 
Description: Limbricht, near Sittard, late seventeenth century. Throughout her life, Entgen Luijten has been accustomed to going her own way. In family matters, in business and in love. She is supported in this by her deep knowledge of nature, which she also regularly uses to help her fellow villagers. But then, due to a few unfortunate incidents, she is accused of witchcraft. The lord of the castle is determined to extract a confession, for which he employs every means at his disposal through the Inquisition. But what if, against all odds, Entgen stands her grounds?
 
Review: With “De Heks van Limbricht” (The Witch of Limbricht, not translated into English yet), Susan Smit delviers a masterful historical novel that touches your heart from the very first page. In doing so, she gives a voice to one of the many women who, throughout history, have injustly fallen victim to fear of superstition. It is a powerful, moving, and painfully timely tribute that leaves a lasting impression.
 
The story is set in Limbricht in the late seventeenth century and follows the life of Entgen Luijten. Entgen is a headstrong, independent widow with a vast knowledge of nature, medicinal herbs, and remedies. She is used to doing things her own way, but in a male-dominated society where the church and the lord of the castle hold absolute power, her independence is seen as a threat. After a series of unfortunate incidents in the village, she is officially accused of witchcraft in the summer of 1674. While she is imprisoned in the castle dungeon and the lord of the castl tries to extract a confession using every means at the Inquisition’s disposal, Entgen looks back on her life. It becomes a bitter struggle to preserve her dignity and her truth in the face of a cruel system.
 
What makes “De Heks van Limbricht” so special is that it is based on the true legal proceedings of the very last with hunt in the Netherlands (in the part of the Netherlands that I live in, my city Roermond is also mentioned several times). Smit manages to make the atmosphere of the seventeenth century terrifyingly tangible: the cold in the dungeon, the suffocating pressure and the deep-rooted superstition in the village.
 
The novel’s structure is rock-solid. The alternation between the grueling trial in the present and the vivid memories of Entgen’s past ensures that, as a reader, you fully empathize with her. Entgen is not portrayed as a helpless victim, but as a complex, intelligent, and proud woman. Her refusal to bow to the blackmail and torture of those in power is deeply admirable and gives you goosebumps. I really identified with Entgen.
 
Smit’s writing style is poetic, fluid, and cinematic. She describes Entgens love of nature in such detail that you can almost smell the herbs yourself. This book os much more than a historical account; it is a feminist pamphlet that shows just how dangerous fear and mass hysteria can be. A breathtaking, important, and beautifully written book that everyone should read. And I hope, for my English speaking friends, it will someday be translated in English.
 
Rating: 5/ 5