The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a visceral tale of witchcraft

A Visceral Tale of Witchcraft: "The Wax Child" Review

Olga Ravn's latest novel is a deeply unsettling exploration of witchcraft, femininity, and the human condition. Set against the dark backdrop of 17th-century Denmark, where women were accused of witchcraft with alarming regularity, this book delves into the mysterious world of magical practices that existed in tandem with Christianity.

At its core, "The Wax Child" is a thought-provoking tale that complicates our assumptions about charges of witchcraft. By focusing on Christenze Krukow, a real-life Danish noblewoman accused of witchcraft three times during her lifetime, Ravn humanizes the often-maligned figures of history's most demonized women.

Through the narrative voice of a wax doll who witnesses and absorbs the events unfolding around it, Ravn masterfully weaves together threads of magical realism, folkloric tales, and psychological insight. The novel's use of spells and incantations from "black books" adds a layer of authenticity to the story, making the fantastical feel eerily plausible.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its portrayal of everyday magics that were deemed threatening by the authorities: the camaraderie between women, their shared laughter, love, and support networks. These quiet moments of connection serve as a powerful counterpoint to the public narrative of witch hunts, which often demonized these very same women.

Ravn's prose is evocative and visceral, conjuring an atmosphere that is both beautiful and creepy. The writing is precise, with a keen attention to detail that immerses the reader in the world of 17th-century Denmark. While some may find certain aspects of the narrative elliptical or baffling, this can be seen as a deliberate choice, echoing the way magic operates in the story – a subtle yet powerful force that defies neat explanations.

Ultimately, "The Wax Child" is a novel that demands attention and rewards it with a richly textured exploration of femininity, power, and the human condition. It is a testament to Ravn's skill as a writer that she can craft a narrative that feels both deeply personal and universally relevant, offering a nuanced understanding of a dark period in history through the lens of magical realism.

just finished reading this review for "The Wax Child" and I'm still reeling from it... the way Olga Ravn humanizes these women who were accused of witchcraft is just so powerful it's like she's shining a light on a dark chapter of history that we need to remember. I love how she weaves together all these different threads of magical realism, folkloric tales, and psychological insight... it's like nothing I've ever read before the writing is just so evocative and visceral but at the same time, it feels like a gentle whisper rather than a scream in your ear... anyway, if you haven't read this one yet, trust me and give it a try

omg i just finished reading "The Wax Child" and i'm still reeling from it. olga ravn's writing is like, whoa - so vivid and unsettling at the same time . i loved how she humanized those women who were accused of witchcraft, it's crazy how they're always portrayed as evil in history books. and that part where christenze krukow is a real person? mind blown . also, can we talk about how beautiful but creepy the writing is? i'm still thinking about the magical realism aspects of the book... it's like, what's real and what's not?

I just finished reading this book "The Wax Child" and I'm still reeling from it ! The way Olga Ravn weaves together historical facts with fictional magic is pure genius . I mean, who knew that witchcraft wasn't all about burning witches at the stake, but also about these everyday moments of connection and love between women? It's like she's saying that our struggles for power and identity are universal, no matter what time period we're living in.

And can we talk about the writing style? It's so evocative and visceral, it feels like I'm right there with Christenze Krukow, witnessing all these events unfold . The way Ravn uses language is like a spell – it draws you in and refuses to let go . Of course, some parts might be a bit confusing, but that's part of the magic, right?

What I love most about this book is how it challenges our assumptions about history and feminism. It's not just about witch hunts; it's about the women who were hunted, who survived, and who found ways to resist in their own quiet ways . Ravn's done an incredible job of bringing these stories to life, and I'm so grateful she has .

omg this book sounds soooo good I love how it humanizes these women who were demonized for their supposed 'witchcraft' - like they're not just victims but complex characters with their own agency and stories the way it explores the everyday magics that were deemed threatening is super interesting to me, like how female friendships can be just as powerful as any spell I've also heard great things about Olga Ravn's writing style - her prose sounds so evocative and visceral what's your take on this book?

I'm telling you, this book is more than just a historical fiction novel about witchcraft... it's like they're trying to distract us from something bigger . I mean, think about it, the author is focusing on these women who were accused of witchcraft and how their lives were affected by it, but what if that's just a smokescreen? What if there's actually a deeper conspiracy at play? Like, what if the authorities didn't really care about "witchcraft" per se, but more about controlling women and suppressing dissenting voices? It's all too convenient how this book just happens to be released now, don't you think?

I just finished reading "The Wax Child" by Olga Ravn and I'm still reeling from the experience . The way Ravn weaves together historical fact and fantasy is pure genius - it's like she's bottled up the eerie atmosphere of 17th-century Denmark and served it on a platter .

I loved how she humanized these women who were demonized by society, making them feel like real people instead of just footnotes in history books . And that wax doll narrator? Chilling . But what really got me was the way Ravn explored everyday magics and the power of female relationships - it's like she's saying that the most powerful spells are the ones we cast on each other .

The writing is so evocative, I felt like I was right there in 17th-century Denmark, surrounded by the sights and sounds of a society that's both familiar and yet utterly alien . And yeah, it can be confusing at times, but that's part of the magic (no pun intended) - Ravn's not afraid to leave things open to interpretation .

All in all, "The Wax Child" is a masterpiece - a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction, magical realism, or just great storytelling in general . Trust me, you won't regret diving into this one

I gotta say, this book sounds like it's gonna be a wild ride . The idea of a wax doll as a narrator is already giving me chills . I'm intrigued by how Ravn weaves together magic realism, folklore, and psychological insight to create this immersive world. And the fact that she's humanizing real-life women who were accused of witchcraft in 17th-century Denmark? That's some next-level storytelling . The author's attention to detail is giving me life, too - I love how she gets into the nitty-gritty of what daily magics looked like back then. All in all, this book is definitely piquing my interest... but is it gonna be a page-turner or a brain-twister?

I'm tellin' ya, this book is more than just a tale of witchcraft , it's like they're tryin' to tell us somethin'. The way Olga Ravn weaves together all these threads of magic and reality... it's like she's tryin' to show us that there's more goin' on beneath the surface than what we can see. And them spells and incantations from "black books"? That's just plain suspicious, if you ask me . I mean, who's behind this stuff? What's their end game? It's like they're tryin' to tell us somethin', but we don't know what it is yet...

this book sounds like it's gonna be SO mind-blowing i mean, witches being accused all the time? that's wild and using real-life stories as inspiration? that's genius olga ravn must be a total witch whisperer (lol get it?) to make the magical realism feel so real but what really gets me is how she highlights those quiet moments of women supporting each other in a time when they were demonized that's like, totally empowering

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this book . I mean, it's like Olga Ravn is speaking straight to your soul, you know? The way she weaves together these fragments of history and folklore to create this immersive world... it's just masterful. And that wax doll narrator, though? Unsettling, but in the best possible way . I love how she humanizes these women who were basically demonized by society, it's like they're still with us today, whispering their stories in our ears . The writing is so evocative, you can almost smell the candle wax and feel the sweat of the witches' brows . It's like she's conjured this whole world into existence, and now I'm forever changed .

I'm literally obsessed with this new novel "The Wax Child" by Olga Ravn ! The way it explores the dark side of witch hunts in 17th-century Denmark is so unsettling, but also thought-provoking. I love how the author humanizes these often-maligned women and highlights the everyday magics that were deemed threatening. The writing is so evocative and visceral - I felt like I was right there with Christenze Krukow, witnessing all the events unfold around her . One thing that really stood out to me was how Ravn weaves together magical realism, folkloric tales, and psychological insight to create this richly textured narrative. It's a testament to her skill as a writer that she can make you feel both deeply personal connections with the characters and universal understandings of power and femininity ‍.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - The mere fact that Olga Ravn took the risk to create this unsettling yet mesmerizing tale is proof that she's already halfway there, and I think we're all reaping the benefits of her journey into the dark world of 17th-century Denmark.

omg u guys, i just finished reading "The Wax Child" it's like, totally unsettling! olga ravn's writing is sooo good, she has this way of making you feel all the feels... the atmosphere in 17th century denmark is so dark and creepy but also really beautiful i loved how she humanized christenze krukow, like, she's not just a witch from history books and the wax doll narrative is genius

I'm totally obsessed with this new book "The Wax Child" by Olga Ravn! It's like, so deep and unsettling at the same time . I love how she humanizes these women who were accused of witchcraft, it's crazy to think about how they must have felt . The way she weaves together magical realism, folkloric tales, and psychological insight is just genius . And that prose? It's like a dark, mystical hug for your soul . I mean, some parts might be a bit hard to follow, but that's part of the magic (pun intended) . Anyway, if you're looking for a thought-provoking read, "The Wax Child" is def worth checking out .

omg u gotta read this new novel "The Wax Child" by Olga Ravn its so freaking unsettling i mean its about witchcraft & femininity & its set in 17th century denmark where they used to think women were witches lol its like ravn humanizes these often-maligned women & makes us see things from their perspective

and the way she weaves together magic realism & folkloric tales is insane i loved how she included spells & incantations from black books it adds this layer of authenticity to the story that makes the fantastical feel super real

the thing thats really stood out to me is how ravn portrays everyday magics that were deemed threatening by the authorities its not just about the grand magic stuff, its about the little moments of connection between women like laughter & love & support networks

anyway if u haven't read it yet u gotta get on that ASAP its a game changer

So I just finished reading this crazy book "The Wax Child" and I'm still reeling from it . The way Olga Ravn weaves together historical fact, folklore, and psychological insight is pure magic . I love how she humanizes these women who were demonized by society – Christenze's story is so heartbreaking .

The use of magical realism is what really drew me in . It's like Ravn is tapping into this otherworldly energy that feels both authentic and eerie . And the way she portrays everyday magics that were deemed threatening by authorities... it's like, I get it now how these women survived in a world where they could be accused of witchcraft at any moment.

Ravn's writing is, like, whoa . It's so evocative and visceral, you can almost feel the atmosphere she's creating . Some parts might feel a bit ambiguous or confusing, but I think that's intentional – it's like magic isn't always easy to explain .

Overall, this book is a game-changer . It's not just a historical novel or a story about witches – it's a deeply personal exploration of femininity, power, and the human condition . If you haven't read it yet, trust me, you need to