They Can't Burn Us All
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Transworld Publishers Ltd
Publishing:13th Aug '26
£20.00
This title is due to be published on 13th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
From the award-winning author of A Poisoner's Tale comes a dark, feminist retelling of the most famous witch trial in 17th-century Iceland, perfect for fans of The Witches of Vardo and The Mercies.
🔥 Condemned, but not silenced. This is a story of a witch who fights back. 🔥
Westfjords, Iceland. 1655
Þuríður Jónsdóttir has grown up praying to the old gods and watching her father and brother practise rune magic.
But now, a witch-hunting craze is sweeping across the land of ice and fire, fuelled by the Protestant Reformation. Unlike elsewhere in Europe, those condemned as witches here are not women, but men of learning. And when Þuríður’s father and brother are accused of witchcraft and condemned to burn at the stake, she is helpless to save them.
As Lutheran Pastor Jón Magnússon's accusing gaze turns to Þuríður herself, the first woman to be called ‘witch’, he will find that she is no ordinary woman.
She is prepared to fight back. But at what cost?
And in an age of fear and persecution, whose side will the community take? Who will fight for justice?
Set against a backdrop of sweeping religious and social change, They Can’t Burn Us All is a feminist retelling of Iceland’s notorious Kirkjuból witch trials.
They Can't Burn Us All is a thrilling, fiery fable, full of compassion, rage and magic. Kemp brings 17th century Iceland to vivid life; a place of deadly storms and even deadlier curses, of long-hidden secrets and lingering resentments. A timely and important reminder of the enduring power of women's voices. * Danielle Giles, author of MERE *
I utterly adored Cathryn Kemp’s debut, A Poisoner’s Tale, so I had high hopes for They Can’t Burn Us All, and I wasn’t disappointed! This is a haunting, mesmerising tale of C17th Icelandic witch trials, with descriptionsso evocative you can feel the snow’s chill and hear the ravens’ cries and smell the fires burning. A dark, urgent tale of female agency and the power of both speaking out and refusing to speak. * Naomi Kelsey, author of THE BURNINGS *
I absolutely LOVED They Can't Burn Us All. Immersive and heartrending, TCBUA is a powerful and compelling retelling of 17th century witch trials . . . With breathtaking descriptions and meticulous historical authenticity, I was completely captivated by this vital work of witch literature * ANYA BERGMAN, author of international bestseller, The Witches of Vardø *
ISBN: 9781787637160
Dimensions: 240mm x 156mm x 40mm
Weight: 500g
400 pages