Book Group Review: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Nine of us gathered to discuss The Mercies, as one member hadn’t quite finished the book, we took care to avoid spoilers. That didn’t stop our conversation from being as lively, thoughtful, and honest as always!
The novel centres on the lives of women in Vardø, a small fishing village in Northern Norway, in 1621. The community, already devastated by the loss of its menfolk in a storm, must contend with the arrival of the so-called ‘witch hunters’. The Mercies explores the horrifying real events that unfolded, telling a powerful story of resilience, injustice, and the strength of women.
At the heart of the narrative are two central characters: Maren, a local woman learning to survive in a world without men, and Ursa, the sheltered daughter of a merchant, brought to Vardø through marriage into a starkly different life. Their relationship becomes a poignant lens through which the reader experiences the events of the novel.
Our group had mixed reactions to the book.
One member stopped reading partway through, finding the subject matter too traumatic. We all respected this choice but agreed the book was worth finishing, as it faithfully reflects the real struggles and courage of women in history.
Although audiobooks are growing in popularity among us, we agreed that this particular story was best experienced through a physical copy. The descriptive writing made it easier to immerse ourselves in the setting and mood.
The story took some time to gather momentum as characters were introduced, but once it did, we found it absorbing. Reactions included:
“I couldn’t put it down.” and “It was compelling, though the cruelty was hard to bear.”
We all echoed this sentiment.
The ending proved disturbing and emotional. For some of the women, the outcome was horrific - they never stood a chance. While the story has elements of female empowerment, it also shows how easily male authority could intrude, disrupt, and destroy.
The novel is heartbreaking from the outset. Ursa’s father believes he is doing the best for her, while the captain, though kind, knows otherwise and is powerless to change her fate. One member described the book’s tone as building a “fear of dread,” reminiscent of a Joanne Harris novel.
Did the book portray women as victims? Some of us felt it didn’t. Rather, it showed their strength and heroism. A notable moment came when the Lensman’s wife said to Ursa, her Calvinist counterpart, “You must be so proud.” We debated whether this was sincere or sarcastic, but didn’t reach a conclusion.
There was much less debate about the portrayal of the male characters. Most were roundly considered to be idiots, the captain being the main exception. We struggled to reconcile how men responsible for such horrors could claim to act in the name of God.
Members of our group who had visited Norway praised the description of the setting and said they could easily visualise the landscape. A recommendation was made to watch Simon Reeve’s travel documentary on Norway. Here’s the link for anyone interested:
🔗 Scandinavia with Simon Reeve – BBC iPlayer
Talk even turned to a possible group trip to Norway - specifically Bergen and Vardø! A bit of travel research revealed:
- Ferry from Bergen to Vardø: every 30 minutes, journey takes about 5 days and 7 hours
- Train from Bergen to Vardø (via Sweden and Finland): 3 days and 5 hours
- Flight from Bergen to Kirkenes (3h 15m), then ferry to Vardø (4h 20m)
My conclusion? Visiting Vardø is certainly doable - but not simple! The distance and multiple modes of transport make it a serious adventure, requiring careful planning and consideration of cost and time.
This all gave us greater appreciation for Ursa’s journey by sea in 1617 and highlighted just how isolated Vardø was, especially for the women left vulnerable to religious persecution.
For perspective: this is the overland route from Bergen to Vardø. Vardø is now marginally less isolated as it is joined to the mainland by a tunnel and a bridge.
A fallback idea, if Norway proves too ambitious: the Edinburgh Museum was suggested as an alternative destination for exploring the history of witch trials closer to home.
Back to the book - some members felt the ending was sudden and didn’t quite match the slower pace of the rest of the novel. Was it a happy or sad ending? We won’t spoil it, but our interpretations were mixed.
As one member put it: “This is why I come to Book Group!”
Footnote: Several of us also read The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams and found it delightful. As a group, we’d already read many of the books it features and enjoyed revisiting them.
Would we recommend these books?
Yes - to both!
Next Meeting:
📖 The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane
📍 The Ash Tree, Ashendon
🕗 Thursday, 24th July 2025, 8pm
