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venomess's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
suvata's review
4.0
Read in March 2011
Read again in August 2011 (book club pick)
I don't know what it is with me and the Salem witch trials books. I'm just fascinated by that time period and those events. I've read several books about this topic and have enjoyed most all of them. The Heretic's Daughter is no exception. It tells the tale of the Salem witch trials but more importantly, it records how these injustices affected generations of families. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this subject matter.
Read again in August 2011 (book club pick)
I don't know what it is with me and the Salem witch trials books. I'm just fascinated by that time period and those events. I've read several books about this topic and have enjoyed most all of them. The Heretic's Daughter is no exception. It tells the tale of the Salem witch trials but more importantly, it records how these injustices affected generations of families. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this subject matter.
ameschreiber's review against another edition
5.0
This book is somehow harrowing and beautiful at the same time. I loved this book.
shhh_imreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jtferdon's review
3.0
The first half of this book was very slow. I enjoy books about the Salem Witch Trials and ended up liking the book. The book would have rated 4 Stars if the first half of the book had better pacing. Also, I think it may have been better if it had been from Martha Carrier POV. I would not suggest to anyone not interested in the subject.
mara_m_'s review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
imbos's review against another edition
4.0
Salem witch trials from the viewpoint of a ten year old girl whose mother is accused. Good if you are in the mood for bleak and sad.
koalathebear's review against another edition
3.0
It has taken me a while to finish this book. It's very good and well-written but it's depressing as hell and when you already know that something's going to end really badly, you do have a sense of dread! I have the same sense of apprehension whenever I re-read Arthur Miller's Crucible. Each time I re-read it, I find myself (stupidly) hoping that it's going to end differently. The spite surrounding the accusations of witchcraft and the vengeful nature of the accusations is as unsettling in this book as it is in the Crucible.
Based on actual historical events, The Heretic's Daughter of course shares many of the same characters from Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible". There's a different focus though. In this novel, the Salem Witch Trials are told through the eyes of ten-year-old Sarah Carrier, the daughter of Martha Carrier, one of the accused.
Months before the trials begin, the Carrier family moves to Andover, Massachusetts from Billerica in a vain attempt to escape an outbreak of smallpox. unfortunately, one of Sarah’s older brothers, Andrew already carries small pox and becomes gravely ill after they arrive in Andover. After Andrew falls ill, Sarah and her younger sister Hannah are sent to live with their aunt and uncle. Her mother, father, brothers Tom and Richard remain with Andrew at their grandmother's house.
Her aunt and uncle's household appears very warm compared to that of her own home. She begins to notice that her mother Martha is particular cold, distant and strict. When she returns to her home, the family's circumstances are changed dramatically. As time passes, the local community becomes increasingly suspicious of the Carrier family - in particular Martha, who is uncharacteristically argumentative and almost 'unfeminine 'in her headstrong ways. Martha makes no attempt to appease her neighbours or be conciliatory. She's a very matter-of-fact and blunt woman who does not suffer fools gladly and will not tolerate wrong.
Sarah and her mother's conflicts continue to increase as she continues to compare her mother unfavourably to her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, hysteria in Salem about witches also starts to infect Andover.
I do find it very interesting that although Kent has chosen to focus on the love between Martha and her daughter as the driving force of this novel - she does not attempt to soften Martha or make her more likeable. Martha is a hard, argumentative woman. She hasn't been portrayed as a hippy, herbal, salt of the earth, 'at one with the universe' serene earth mother whom everybody loves. She's a bit of a spitfire, a virago who speaks her mind and thus creates enemies rather than friends. Nonetheless, despite all of this, a sympathetic portrait is painted of this courageous and very unusual woman.
The novel also refers to the extremely unfortunate four-year old girl named Dorcas/Dorothy Good who (like her mother), was accused of practising witchcraft. Not only was she imprisoned but she was tortured. It's quite horrific.
The descriptions of the trial are very vivid - reminding me greatly of "The Crucible" as Martha's accusers beat themselves up into a hysterical frenzy. The descriptions of the jail are also very graphic and unsettling.
One man, Miles/Giles Corey refused to enter a plea and was crushed to death under heavy stones. I note that this must have been inherited from the English/French punishment peine forte et dure which was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system. A defendant who refused to plead would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon his or her chest until a plea was entered, or as the weight of the stones on the chest became too great for the condemned to breathe, fatal suffocation would occur. The reason some brave defendants chose to endure this was because of their love for the families. If a defendant pleaded guilty, his/her heirs would inherit nothing as their property would be forfeited. If they refused to plead, then in theory, they would escape forfeiture of property - but had to suffer agonising torture.
Both "The Crucible" and "The Heretic's Daughter" refer to the fact that Corey refuses to confess and that his last words as he was being crushed to death were: "more weight".
If there's any complaint about the book, it's the fact that Kent overdoes it a little on the ominous foreshadowing:
"He carried the seeds of sickness within him"
"But then, she would not be alive to witness the worst of it"
"But that was not to be."
She uses that sort of foreshadowing throughout the book and you already know that this story does not end well so by the time you get to the accusations and trials, you're totally on the edge and thinking: "Ayah! Just get to the horrible stuff, ok?"
That being said, it IT a very bleak book about a very bleak and dark chapter of history. The Puritans were at the mercy of the elements, disease and a world that they did not understand. It was a very brutal life - Kent's descriptions of attacks by Native American tribes is very matter of fact and quite upsetting. I'd recommend the book - in fact, reading it has made me go through the public library's catalogue and request books relating to the Salem trials.
Lastly, the cover of the book is interesting. It does look as though it belongs to a book about the American Salem Witch trials but in fact ... it's a photo-illustration by Marc Yankus called "A young woman from Wilno, Poland". :)
Based on actual historical events, The Heretic's Daughter of course shares many of the same characters from Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible". There's a different focus though. In this novel, the Salem Witch Trials are told through the eyes of ten-year-old Sarah Carrier, the daughter of Martha Carrier, one of the accused.
Months before the trials begin, the Carrier family moves to Andover, Massachusetts from Billerica in a vain attempt to escape an outbreak of smallpox. unfortunately, one of Sarah’s older brothers, Andrew already carries small pox and becomes gravely ill after they arrive in Andover. After Andrew falls ill, Sarah and her younger sister Hannah are sent to live with their aunt and uncle. Her mother, father, brothers Tom and Richard remain with Andrew at their grandmother's house.
Her aunt and uncle's household appears very warm compared to that of her own home. She begins to notice that her mother Martha is particular cold, distant and strict. When she returns to her home, the family's circumstances are changed dramatically. As time passes, the local community becomes increasingly suspicious of the Carrier family - in particular Martha, who is uncharacteristically argumentative and almost 'unfeminine 'in her headstrong ways. Martha makes no attempt to appease her neighbours or be conciliatory. She's a very matter-of-fact and blunt woman who does not suffer fools gladly and will not tolerate wrong.
Sarah and her mother's conflicts continue to increase as she continues to compare her mother unfavourably to her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, hysteria in Salem about witches also starts to infect Andover.
I do find it very interesting that although Kent has chosen to focus on the love between Martha and her daughter as the driving force of this novel - she does not attempt to soften Martha or make her more likeable. Martha is a hard, argumentative woman. She hasn't been portrayed as a hippy, herbal, salt of the earth, 'at one with the universe' serene earth mother whom everybody loves. She's a bit of a spitfire, a virago who speaks her mind and thus creates enemies rather than friends. Nonetheless, despite all of this, a sympathetic portrait is painted of this courageous and very unusual woman.
The novel also refers to the extremely unfortunate four-year old girl named Dorcas/Dorothy Good who (like her mother), was accused of practising witchcraft. Not only was she imprisoned but she was tortured. It's quite horrific.
The descriptions of the trial are very vivid - reminding me greatly of "The Crucible" as Martha's accusers beat themselves up into a hysterical frenzy. The descriptions of the jail are also very graphic and unsettling.
One man, Miles/Giles Corey refused to enter a plea and was crushed to death under heavy stones. I note that this must have been inherited from the English/French punishment peine forte et dure which was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system. A defendant who refused to plead would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon his or her chest until a plea was entered, or as the weight of the stones on the chest became too great for the condemned to breathe, fatal suffocation would occur. The reason some brave defendants chose to endure this was because of their love for the families. If a defendant pleaded guilty, his/her heirs would inherit nothing as their property would be forfeited. If they refused to plead, then in theory, they would escape forfeiture of property - but had to suffer agonising torture.
Both "The Crucible" and "The Heretic's Daughter" refer to the fact that Corey refuses to confess and that his last words as he was being crushed to death were: "more weight".
If there's any complaint about the book, it's the fact that Kent overdoes it a little on the ominous foreshadowing:
"He carried the seeds of sickness within him"
"But then, she would not be alive to witness the worst of it"
"But that was not to be."
She uses that sort of foreshadowing throughout the book and you already know that this story does not end well so by the time you get to the accusations and trials, you're totally on the edge and thinking: "Ayah! Just get to the horrible stuff, ok?"
That being said, it IT a very bleak book about a very bleak and dark chapter of history. The Puritans were at the mercy of the elements, disease and a world that they did not understand. It was a very brutal life - Kent's descriptions of attacks by Native American tribes is very matter of fact and quite upsetting. I'd recommend the book - in fact, reading it has made me go through the public library's catalogue and request books relating to the Salem trials.
Lastly, the cover of the book is interesting. It does look as though it belongs to a book about the American Salem Witch trials but in fact ... it's a photo-illustration by Marc Yankus called "A young woman from Wilno, Poland". :)
emmavonb's review against another edition
4.0
"I am here because I am my mother's daughter." The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous moments in American history. In Kathleen Kent's 'The Heretics Daughter' , we get an inside look as to what life was lke during that tumultuous time. Told through the eyes of Sarah Carrier, the daughter of Martha Carrier, we see the swift decline into horror that was the Salem Witch Trials, as gossip and petty disputes run rampant and lead wholly innocent and godly people to their untimely and unwarranted deaths.
Isolated and hardworking, The Carrier family are not entirely welcomed by the citizens of Andover when they move there in 1691. They unknowingly bring the pox to the community which furthers their reputation as "storm crows", bearers of ill will and bad tidings, and they quickly become the subject of gossip. Told in increments of a few months at a time, we follow Sarah Carrier as she is sent away, returned, bullied, and ultimately arrested along with the rest of her family under suspicion of witchcraft. Betrayed by her extended family and the community itself, her mother refuses to play into the hysteria of the trials, declaring her innocence in an effort to not only prove the insanity of the whole event, but to save the lives of her children. Because of this, however, Sarah is forced into a position that she should never have been in and must make decisions that will possibly save her life, but lead her mother to the gallows.
Kathleen Kent built a different world of 17th Century New England than I am used to seeing. Things were difficult and sometimes dreary, but there was also beauty, warmth and love infused through all of it. Her diligence and attention to detail in the first half of her book made the decision and half more compelling than I anticipated. The relationship Sarah and her mother have is one that I think all women can relate to; secrets our mothers keep are for the good of us, even if we do not see it. In the end, this book was about perseverance and growth, and I can't wait to read it again in the future.
Isolated and hardworking, The Carrier family are not entirely welcomed by the citizens of Andover when they move there in 1691. They unknowingly bring the pox to the community which furthers their reputation as "storm crows", bearers of ill will and bad tidings, and they quickly become the subject of gossip. Told in increments of a few months at a time, we follow Sarah Carrier as she is sent away, returned, bullied, and ultimately arrested along with the rest of her family under suspicion of witchcraft. Betrayed by her extended family and the community itself, her mother refuses to play into the hysteria of the trials, declaring her innocence in an effort to not only prove the insanity of the whole event, but to save the lives of her children. Because of this, however, Sarah is forced into a position that she should never have been in and must make decisions that will possibly save her life, but lead her mother to the gallows.
Kathleen Kent built a different world of 17th Century New England than I am used to seeing. Things were difficult and sometimes dreary, but there was also beauty, warmth and love infused through all of it. Her diligence and attention to detail in the first half of her book made the decision and half more compelling than I anticipated. The relationship Sarah and her mother have is one that I think all women can relate to; secrets our mothers keep are for the good of us, even if we do not see it. In the end, this book was about perseverance and growth, and I can't wait to read it again in the future.
rhondafuller's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75