The genesis of the witch craze can be traced back to a combination of factors that emerged during the early modern period in Europe. **The witch hunts were a manifestation of the broader religious, social, and political tensions that characterized this time period.** As the Catholic Church began to lose its monopoly on religious authority with the Protestant Reformation, there was a general sense of fear, uncertainty, and instability in society. This created a fertile ground for the scapegoating and persecution of witches. **The religious context of the time played a significant role in the genesis of the witch craze.** The Catholic Church had long held a belief in witchcraft, considering it a sin and a form of heresy.
** The Catholic Church had long held a belief in witchcraft, considering it a sin and a form of heresy. However, with the rise of Protestantism, ideas about witchcraft became even more pronounced. Protestant reformers, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, viewed witchcraft as evidence of demonic influence and saw the persecution of witches as a necessary step in purifying the Christian community.
Review: The Dawn of the Witch, Volume 1
Magical academy stories sure have become popular lately, especially in the last five years or so. The Dawn of the Witch follows those same footsteps, but with a slightly unusual twist: rather than taking place in the school itself, it follows a group of students and their eccentric teacher on a special assignment that sees them travelling the world, trying to challenge the widespread anti-magic sentiment.
At the centre of all this is Saybil, a boy with no memories who was taken in by the school at a young age. Magic is the only world he knows and the only future open to him, but he’s also… terrible at it. With the lowest scores in the whole academy, his only hope of passing is to complete this special assignment. He’s joined by a few others: Hort, the top student who decided she needed a bit of extra credit anyway; Kudo, a reclusive “beastfallen”—half-human, half-beast—who’s a victim of frequent bullying and discrimination; and Loux Krystas, “The Dawn Witch”, whose childlike form, and petulance to match, belie the fact that she’s hundreds of years old and a powerful force to be reckoned with.
This special assignment is far from a simple field trip. This is a world where, due to the relatively recent memory of a great war, magic is despised by most of the populace and magic-users hunted by the church. The academy itself and surrounding villages are a bit of a safe place, where everyday meetings between mages and non-mages have helped to pave over prejudices and let the practical benefits of magic be shown, but the further afield you go, the more hated magic is. The aim of the assignment, then, is to travel the land, bringing regular folks into contact with magic, and helping to normalise its use and fight back the discrimination—but with witch hunters that even the church distances itself from out on the prowl, that’s a dangerous task.
This setup lends The Dawn of the Witch plenty of exciting possibilities for adventure, action, and humour. It’s like a magical road trip, where you never know what’s coming around the next corner. Each character comes with their own motivations, dreams, and baggage, complementing one another well and opening the door to plenty of interpersonal moments—both humorous and dramatic, but always with the humanity of its characters at its core.
That said, there’s a lot going on, and the pacing suffers for it. In the space of a single volume, we’ve got full character arcs for three different members of the cast, flashbacks to how everyone met and came together, the usual volume-one scene-setting, a handful of big twists, budding romance, and the sort of decisive battle that you normally wouldn’t expect to see until the end of a full story arc. It’s a lot to cram into 200-odd pages, and that means nothing really gets as much attention as it should. Moments that should be huge and shocking instead get glossed over in the space of a page or two; scenes that would be powerful given a proper build-up instead fall flat; what should be heartfelt moments lose impact without the necessary investment in letting readers get properly attached to these characters.
Tatsuwo’s art does a lot of heavy lifting to make up for those shortcomings in pacing, with detailed scenery and attention to the composition of each panel that does a fantastic job of setting each scene. Action scenes feel fluid and full of energy, and expressive characters bring a wealth of emotion to every page. Takashi Iwasaki’s vibrant character designs, too, overflow with personality. There’s a weird obsession with oddly-placed, fanservice, though—I don’t object to some suggestive imagery, as a rule, but in The Dawn of the Witch it feels forced and wildly out of character. Beyond the obvious aspect of titillation, good fanservice can inject a lot of character, humour, and cheeky fun, but here, it just comes across as a distraction—and in the case of Loux and her whole “she’s not really a child” thing, a rather uncomfortable one.
If you like a good magic academy story and can tolerate some crass, out-of-place panty shots, The Dawn of the Witch is a wild and enjoyable ride to take. There’s a little too much going on for one volume to deal with, and pacing suffers for that, but this is an intriguing world that’s home to some curious folk, with the potential for plenty more excitement going forward.
The Dawn of the Witch, Volume 1
Story: Kakeru Kobashiri
Art: Tatsuwo
Character design: Takashi Iwasaki
Publisher: Kodansha
Release date: 23 March 2021 (digital)
The Dawn of the Witch, Volume 1
**In addition to the religious context, there were social and cultural factors that contributed to the witch craze.** The early modern period was marked by profound social changes, including the breakdown of traditional communities and the erosion of long-standing social hierarchies. As communities became more fragmented and individuals felt increasingly isolated, there was a growing sense of suspicion and distrust. **This socio-cultural climate created a context in which accusations of witchcraft could flourish and be taken seriously.** **Furthermore, political factors also played a role in the genesis of the witch craze.** In many cases, local authorities and rulers used accusations of witchcraft as a means to maintain social control and exert their authority. Witch trials allowed rulers to demonstrate their power and commitment to maintaining social order. Additionally, the legal systems of the time often encouraged and legitimized the persecution of witches, leading to a vicious cycle of accusation and punishment. **In conclusion, the genesis of the witch craze can be attributed to a combination of religious, social, and political factors.** The religious upheaval of the Reformation, the breakdown of traditional social structures, and the use of witchcraft accusations as a means of political control all contributed to the widespread fear and persecution of witches during the early modern period. The witch hunts were a dark chapter in European history, highlighting the dangers of mass hysteria and the power of scapegoating in times of uncertainty..
Reviews for "From Folklore to Witch Hunts: The Witch Loux in History"
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I found "The Genesis of the Witch Loux" to be incredibly boring and confusing. The plot was all over the place, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The writing style was also very disjointed, making it difficult to follow along. Overall, it was a disappointing read that I wouldn't recommend.
2. John - 2/5 stars - While "The Genesis of the Witch Loux" had an interesting premise, I felt that the execution fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest multiple times throughout the book. The author attempted to create a complex world, but it ended up being convoluted and difficult to understand. I struggled to stay engaged with the story and ultimately, it was a letdown.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high expectations for "The Genesis of the Witch Loux," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to them. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, which made it hard for me to care about their journey. Additionally, the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and found it to be a forgettable read.