The suffering of the witch has been a subject of much fascination and debate throughout history. Witches, often seen as agents of evil and the devil, were believed to have supernatural powers and the ability to cause harm to others through curses and black magic. The persecution of witches reached its peak during the infamous witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time, thousands of people, primarily women, were accused of practicing witchcraft and were subjected to harsh and torturous interrogations, often leading to confessions obtained under duress. The suffering of the accused witches was not limited to physical torture. Witches were often ostracized and shunned by society, leading to social isolation and a loss of familial and communal support.

David Foley

A stinging indictment of American religiosity, SUFFERING THE WITCH brings Sharon Driscoll back to her dusty, Pentecostal hometown after an absence of 12 years. She has come to make peace with her past—or perhaps to destroy it. A vibrantly sexual figure against the backdrop of strip malls and storefront chapels, Sharon acts as a catalyst for hidden desires and buried secrets, unsettling the local pastor, his teenage nephew, and her own mother whose struggle to reconcile with Sharon leads to disaster.

Published by Oberon Books in Three Plays. Also available at The Drama Book Shop and Amazon. Read an excerpt.

“Lucid, corrosive, terrifying. Who’d have thought a witch story could still give us goosebumps?”
Le Soir

“A virulent indictment. An elemental metaphor for an America ready to kill its children to make its idea of the Good prevail.”
La Libre Belgique

Sometimes the progress from inkling to play is relatively short. CRESSIDA, for instance, was inspired by a production of the Shakespeare play I saw one summer, and the following summer it became a play. The inkling for SUFFERING THE WITCH, though, came many years before I wrote it: when I was in high school, I read a small item in the back of the local paper, and for years afterward, it stayed in my head. I kept thinking it would make a good story, novel, or play, and now and then I’d try to make it one. It was probably twenty years later, the same summer I wrote CRESSIDA, that I wrote SUFFERING THE WITCH. (I wrote them both during a stay at the Ragdale Foundation.) By that time, the story was feeding into certain obsessions of mine about belief and religion (see MOTHER CALDWELL or PARADISE). Several years ago the British director Derek Goldby read the play and, having a relationship with Théâtre de Poche in Brussels, he persuaded them to do it there. So its first production was actually in French, though they gave it the title AMERICAN WITCH. It opened a few days before the 2004 election, and one of the directors of the theatre told me that, by producing the play, they felt they were “throwing a stone for John Kerry.” (I returned to the US just in time to vote, and, well, you know the rest of that story…) I was asked to write a program note for the production. You can read it here.

copyright 2012 david foley | design by Fort Hill Design

Suffering of a Witch

SHE WON’T GIVE UP
Kylie Worthington is in love with a man who doesn’t return the sentiment. She’s thrown away her pride and all attempts at pretense, yet Quinn St. Germaine still pushes her away. With the arrival of her trial, she will go where Fate dictates and is destined to fall in love. At least she’ll finally find the man she was meant for. Whether she likes it or not.

HE WON’T GIVE IN
Quinn has spent his life preparing for his family’s prophecy, but no spell or book could have ever prepared him for Kylie. Her passion for him is strong—and persistent—but he must deny what she makes him feel. Though he’s drawn to her beauty and vitality, deep inside he fears her. Quinn already knows what he wants, and accepting her means giving up on himself.

THEY BOTH WILL HURT
United in their battle against evil, Quinn and Kylie can’t see what’s right in front of them. And they never suspected what destiny had in store. Only the worst can bring them together, but will they be forever bound by love? Or by loss?

Genres ParanormalWitchesUrban FantasySouthernFantasyRomance

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2013

About the author

Suza Kates is the author of the Savannah Coven Series as well as other suspense and paranormal books. She loves writing mysterious places, page-turning suspense, and characters you’d like to hang out with. She’s a member of Novelists Inc. and has written fifteen novels with the help of lighted candles and full coffee mugs.

Suza currently lives in the German countryside with her husband and two fierce attack cats—at least until a tractor drives by.

Witches were often ostracized and shunned by society, leading to social isolation and a loss of familial and communal support. They were viewed as pariahs and were treated as such, facing ridicule, humiliation, and even violence from their neighbors and fellow villagers. This social ostracization further amplified their suffering and added to their already dire circumstances.

Ratings & Reviews

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Community Reviews

Awsomeness! Total awesomeness again! For those unfamiliar with the series (what are you waiting for??), each book represents a trial each witch must face. This book, as we can tell from the cover, FINALLY brings the trial of Kylie, the witch full of lightning in more ways than one. I've SO been looking forward to Kylie’s trial, because she is the youngest witch of the coven who has a lot to prove, and has been dying to prove it – especially to one person in particular (I won’t give away who, for those who haven’t read the series, because that’s the second best part).

Kylie absolutely did not disappoint, and either did the rest of the coven. There was certainly never a dull moment, even when you would expect at least a lull. I ADORE this coven, and all those that are close to them. Every time I read these books, I wish I knew them. They’re more than friends, and more than family. They are a truly special group of people – and not all are witches, but magical in their own way. And because they are all so close, when you cross one, you cross them all. And with each trial, the coven as a whole gets stronger. That’s why how Kylie’s trial ended was such pure awesomeness. Shock and awe, and right when you weren't expecting it…a little MORE shock and awe!

And the one person she wanted to prove her strength to…BEST part of the story! So well put together in how each and every step came about – it’s so hard to say without spoilers, but I can say it was ALL perfect, and covered every emotion.

And the way the book ends – as in the last few pages – I did NOT expect or see coming in any way, and I LOVED it! Sadly, as there are 9 witches, and this is the 7th book, we all know there are only 2 left, but these two we can already tell are going to be crazy intense, and I CAN NOT WAIT!
This Review is copyrighted. Please do not share without giving Paranormal Reads/Erin full credit.

The suffering of the witch

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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Exodus 22:18

Thou shall not suffer a witch to live.
] Such that had familiar spirits, and conversed with them, and by means thereof got knowledge of many things relating to persons, at least pretending they did; and who did or seemed to do many strange and surprising feats, as even to raise the spirits of departed persons, to converse with them and gain knowledge by them, though in reality they did not, and could not do such things, but used some juggling tricks to deceive the people, and in which they might be assisted by evil spirits; as appears from the case of the witch of Endor, who was surprised at the appearance of Samuel, it being out of the ordinary course of her art and practice really to bring up the spirit of a man deceased, whatever pretensions might be made to it; however, such being deceivers of the people, and leading them into unwarrantable practices, and off of a dependence on God and his providence, and from seeking to him, and asking counsel of him, they are by this law condemned to death, such an one was not to be suffered to live; not that it was lawful for anybody to kill her, or that any private person might or must do it that knew her, or took her to be a witch; but she was to be had before a court of judicature and tried there, and, if found guilty, to be put to death by the civil magistrate: so Jarchi's note is,

``but she shall die by the house of judgment;''

or the sanhedrim; for these words are spoken to Moses the chief judge, and to those that were under him, and succeeded him and them; though the Targum of Jonathan prefaces them thus:

``and my people, the children of Israel, thou shalt not''

and though only a witch is mentioned, or this is only expressed in the feminine gender, because a multitude of this sort of people were found among women, as Ben Melech observes, and so Aben Ezra; yet wizards, or men that dealt with familiar spirits, are included; and it may be reasonably concluded from hence, that if women, who generally have more mercy and compassion shown them, yet were not suffered to live when found criminal in this way, then much less men: and this law is thought by some to follow upon the other, concerning enticing and lying with a virgin not betrothed; because such sort of persons were made use of to entice and decoy maids to gratify the lusts of men.

Furthermore, the perception of witches as malevolent beings meant they were often subjected to brutal and painful methods of execution. Burning at the stake, drowning, and hanging were common forms of punishment for those found guilty of witchcraft. These methods were not only physically agonizing but also served to degrade and dehumanize the accused. The suffering of the witch extended beyond their own personal experiences. Many innocent individuals were falsely accused and convicted, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of families and communities. The hysteria and paranoia surrounding witchcraft led to a climate of fear and suspicion, where anyone could be accused and subjected to the same cruel fate. In modern times, the suffering of the witch is often viewed through the lens of historical injustice and misogyny. The witch trials are seen as a manifestation of societal and cultural attitudes towards women and the marginalization of those who deviated from societal norms. This recognition has led to discussions on the importance of gender equality and the need to address and rectify past injustices. In conclusion, the suffering of the witch is a dark chapter in human history marked by injustice, fear, and hysteria. The persecution of witches resulted in immense physical, emotional, and social suffering for those accused and convicted. It is a reminder of the dangers of unchecked prejudice and the devastating consequences it can have on individuals and communities..

Reviews for "The Role of Church and State in the Witch Trials"

1. Jane - 2 stars

I found "The Suffering of the Witch" to be quite underwhelming. The plot felt scattered and lacked a clear direction. The characters were one-dimensional and unrelatable. I also found the pacing to be quite slow, with the story dragging on unnecessarily. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.

2. Mark - 1 star

"The Suffering of the Witch" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was hard to follow, and the author used excessive descriptions, making the story confusing and convoluted. The characters were uninteresting, and I couldn't connect with any of them. The book felt like a mashup of different ideas that didn't come together cohesively. I struggled to finish it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating read.

3. Sarah - 2 stars

I had high expectations for "The Suffering of the Witch," but unfortunately, it fell short. The story was predictable, and I found myself anticipating the plot twists long before they happened. The dialogue was awkward and didn't flow naturally. Additionally, the book lacked depth and failed to explore the intriguing themes it introduced. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wouldn't consider reading anything else from this author.

4. Alex - 1 star

"The Suffering of the Witch" was a tedious read. The writing was overly verbose and convoluted, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The characters were uninteresting and lacked development, which made it hard to care about their fates. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt disjointed. I was disappointed after reading all the positive reviews and would advise others to skip this book.

The Aftermath of the Witch Trials: Rebuilding a Shattered Community