appalonia's review against another edition
2.0
The first part of this book dragged, as the author wrote in detail about the daily life of a 17th century girl. Once the accusations of witchcraft were made mid-book things moved a bit faster and were more interesting. The author wrapped up the book nicely, telling what happened to each of the characters. Overall this wasn't quite as good as I was anticipating.
bellatora's review against another edition
5.0
A historical fiction book set during the Salem Witch Trials that's actually really, really good? I found it!
Sometimes books set in Puritan times come off as super-preachy. It's easy to fall into that trap. Yeah, Puritans were no-fun, uptight, patriarchal religious fanatics. Did it suck to be a woman? Hell yeah. Did a spark of independence or free thought often lead to consequences like ostracism or death? Yep. There's still a way to show all this without being preachy and having the whole story about OH MY GOD PURITANS HATED STRONG WOMEN I WILL SHOW THIS BY HAVING A SPUNKY HEROINE WHOSE SPIRIT GETS CRUSHED. No one likes reading about that, no matter how much authors apparently like writing about that.
The story here is both a coming-of-age in terrifying, tragic times and the story of a mother-daughter relationship that is often rocky but in the end incredibly strong and touching. The paranoia and fear is felt strongly without getting over-the-top. I liked Sarah a lot and felt she was very well done. She was a young woman who found a core of inner strength in herself that was necessary to survive the world she found herself in.
Kent has a good touch with historical fiction. I would compare her to [a:Michelle Moran|269069|Michelle Moran|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1218163557p2/269069.jpg]. Entertaining yet enlightening, just how I like my historical fiction.
Sometimes books set in Puritan times come off as super-preachy. It's easy to fall into that trap. Yeah, Puritans were no-fun, uptight, patriarchal religious fanatics. Did it suck to be a woman? Hell yeah. Did a spark of independence or free thought often lead to consequences like ostracism or death? Yep. There's still a way to show all this without being preachy and having the whole story about OH MY GOD PURITANS HATED STRONG WOMEN I WILL SHOW THIS BY HAVING A SPUNKY HEROINE WHOSE SPIRIT GETS CRUSHED. No one likes reading about that, no matter how much authors apparently like writing about that.
The story here is both a coming-of-age in terrifying, tragic times and the story of a mother-daughter relationship that is often rocky but in the end incredibly strong and touching. The paranoia and fear is felt strongly without getting over-the-top. I liked Sarah a lot and felt she was very well done. She was a young woman who found a core of inner strength in herself that was necessary to survive the world she found herself in.
Kent has a good touch with historical fiction. I would compare her to [a:Michelle Moran|269069|Michelle Moran|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1218163557p2/269069.jpg]. Entertaining yet enlightening, just how I like my historical fiction.
l1brarygirl's review against another edition
3.0
amazing book - i loved the storyline. it was intriguing to see the witch trails from the victims' point of view - i cried several times throughout as well. i hated how fast the ending went. i would have liked a little bit more closure.
lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
2.0
I would give this book an extra half star.
I found it tedious, and slow to get to the heart of the matter. The most interesting section of the book was the incarceration. I loved the very end when the author shares what happened to the various players.
After listening to this book and gaining more insight into the trials, I found myself wanting to know more about the accusers. This isn't a POV of historical fiction that I have found. I would be interested to read something about one of the "bewitched" girls in her post Salem Witch Trials life.
I found it tedious, and slow to get to the heart of the matter. The most interesting section of the book was the incarceration. I loved the very end when the author shares what happened to the various players.
After listening to this book and gaining more insight into the trials, I found myself wanting to know more about the accusers. This isn't a POV of historical fiction that I have found. I would be interested to read something about one of the "bewitched" girls in her post Salem Witch Trials life.
pezfilledcookies's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a toughy.
I was going to Boston to visit family and I thought a book on the Salem Witch Trials would be interesting for the flight there. Well, my plane was delayed and I had to sit in the airport for an extra two hours. And, despite sitting there with nothing else to do but read this book, I still struggled.
It took me longer than it should have to read this because I didn't want to pick it back up again. There were too many details that did not need to be there, and things that I wanted her to explain were just completely ignored. It took halfway through the book for the subject of witches to even come up, and then the last three chapters were just this girl sitting in a cell. It was boring.
There was one good thing about reading this, the reason I gave it two stars instead of one: there were good facts. Sometimes I thought she was writting an essay, with the names she rattled off that really had nothing to do with the story at all. But I did learn a few things. But if that was my intent, I would have read something non-fiction.
I was going to Boston to visit family and I thought a book on the Salem Witch Trials would be interesting for the flight there. Well, my plane was delayed and I had to sit in the airport for an extra two hours. And, despite sitting there with nothing else to do but read this book, I still struggled.
It took me longer than it should have to read this because I didn't want to pick it back up again. There were too many details that did not need to be there, and things that I wanted her to explain were just completely ignored. It took halfway through the book for the subject of witches to even come up, and then the last three chapters were just this girl sitting in a cell. It was boring.
There was one good thing about reading this, the reason I gave it two stars instead of one: there were good facts. Sometimes I thought she was writting an essay, with the names she rattled off that really had nothing to do with the story at all. But I did learn a few things. But if that was my intent, I would have read something non-fiction.
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a promising premise but the plot fell a little short of my expectations. It wasn't boring but it wasn't that compelling. I would maybe recommend it to someone interested in witch trials and that area of American history but really wouldn't recommend it over other novels.
nferre's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very interesting narrative about the Salem witch trials told from the point of view of a young girl, Sarah Carrier, who arrives in Andover with her family during an increasingly tense time. She sees her mother hauled off to jail on charges of witchcraft and the young Sarah is given an impossible choice. As many of the villagers succumb to the mass hysterical accusations, Sarah and her brothers are caught in the net and thrown into jail as well. The author, herself a descendant of Martha Carrier, Sarah's mother, obviously did her research thoroughly and this shines through in this book.
missymouse's review against another edition
An interesting read about witches and the Salem witch trials in the 17th Century. I felt the end was kind dragged and disappointing, and to be honest the only reason the writer chose her subject was because she was a direct relative of Martha Carrier, a supposed witch. Nevertheless, it was well written and very well researched, just the actual witch trial itself was a let down.
aksharpes's review against another edition
5.0
A great story, some places seemed a bit rushed in others went on in great detail. The ending seemed like the author was in a hurry to finish the book and I still don't understand what was in the "red book" of the family. Other than that it was a great book to listen to.