Reviews with content warning for Blood - I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem

This book was was absolute perfection and has changed my mind on historical fiction.

I picked this one up at my local library, the title caught my eye as I was walking out and I am so happy I stopped to pick it up as this might have been my favorite read this year.

I can't exactly put my finger on why I loved this book so much but I am going to say that majority of it has to be because of Conde's writing prowess. Conde was able to weave together a novel about this woman that history has forgotten in a heartbreaking, raw, and beautiful way.

This book has changed my perspective on historical fiction, I enjoyed the history and the value it added to the story. I am now much more open to reading historical fiction, I enjoyed the value the history added a lot more than I expected I would.

I am excited to read more work by Conde, and more historical fiction in the future.

Content Warnings

amkclaes's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved this book. the story of Tituba, a woman born on a plantation in Barbados - it starts strong, she's born through the rape of her mother by the plantation owner.
Tituba's perspective is tragic, fresh, cunning... the story is so obviously horrible and full of suffering, but her pov adds so much depth and humanity to it all. i haven't read a bunch of stories set in slavery conditions, but i really appreciated that this was not trauma porn like in the least. in fact this was really masterfully done, i was totally absorbed and got through it quickly, even though i felt like the last part lagged a little, outside of that this was really a perfect novel to me.
it's funny that she references Ann Petry in the end, because as I was reading this I thought of The Street, especially the way the main character, as a black woman, provides truly intersectional analysis of the people around her, commenting on gender, class, even age, as well as race, and specifically shows the ways that we can be supported and betrayed by those with whom we find some kinship.
beyond all of that, the story is really gripping, and i love the witch parts, the supernatural elements and the relationship to the natural world, and healing, its so cool.

Content Warnings