Witches of Vardo: Anya Bergman

We are delighted to be welcoming along to the shop on Wednesday 1st March at 7pm, to discuss her darkly atmospheric and passionately beautiful new book, . We love it so much it’s our Fiction Book of the Month for January 2023!

Anya will be in-conversation with friend of the shop, Ann Landmann, Director of Cymera: Scotland’s Festival for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing.

The Witches of Vardo

They will show their power. They will not burn.

Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. After recently widowed Zigri's affair with the local merchant is discovered, she is sent to the fortress at Vardø to be tried as a witch. Zigri's daughter Ingeborg sets off into the wilderness to try to bring her mother back home. Accompanying her on this quest is Maren - herself the daughter of a witch - whose wild nature and unconquerable spirit gives Ingeborg the courage to venture into the unknown, and to risk all she has to save her family. Also captive in the fortress is Anna Rhodius, once the King of Denmark's mistress, who has been sent in disgrace to the island of Vardø.

What will she do - and who will she betray - to return to her privileged life at court? These Witches of Vardø are stronger than even the King. In an age weighted against them, they refuse to be victims. They will have their justice. All they need do is show their power.

Anya Bergman lives in Ireland. She graduated from Edinburgh Napier with a Master’s in Creative Writing with distinction in 2020. She lived for six years in Norway researching this book extensively. The Witches of Vardø, a passion project, is her debut novel. She says: “My aim is to raise the lost of voices of the women of Vardø with tenderness, to reclaim their agency and to empower the reader with a strong sense of F*** the patriarchy!”

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Doors: 6.30pm, event starts: 7pm

Tickets cost £3, and there is a Ticket & Book option which includes a signed copy of The Witches of Vardo.

The bookshop has level access, events are seated and speakers use microphones. If you have any concerns about accessibility, please do get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Please do not attend the event if you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 or if you have been advised to self isolate. For more information or if you would like a signed copy because you can't make it to the event, please contact the Blackwell's events team on 0131 622 8222 or [email protected]

Host or Publisher Blackwell Bookshop Edinburgh, South Bridge