amchristians's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
michelenwash's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
oliii_24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
ttnnllrr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As I was reading the book, I found it to be an undeniably heavy and justified scrutiny of Puritan America, slavery, and the patriarchy, and it forced me to really analyze what I knew about the story of Tituba and the Crucible. However, when reading the afterward and the interview with the author at the end of the book, I gathered that this book was mostly written to be satirical and overdramatized to poke fun at what people believe these experiences to truly be like.
The book was phenomenal, I think it would be beneficial to reread, knowing what the objective of this book was, just so I can try wrap my head around it.
Really well done!
The book was phenomenal, I think it would be beneficial to reread, knowing what the objective of this book was, just so I can try wrap my head around it.
Really well done!
bookish_by_elle's review against another edition
5.0
Tituba, a slave originating from the West Indies and probably practicing 'hoodoo'.
Would Maryse Condé have written this beautiful story if history had bothered to remember Tituba?
Tituba and I lived for a year on the closest terms.
During our endless conversations she told me things she had confided to nobody else.
This fictional biography is so palpable. Condé brings Tituba [back] to life within the pages of this book. Tituba is such a beautiful mess. We are presented her story from her conception to her death, written in her voice - a story so authentic that it is difficult to believe that Tituba, the first woman to be accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials, could have lived a different life.
In her re-imagination of Tituba, Condé weaves in the scant details that have been recorded in relation to Tituba's trial to this story - Tituba's incoherent confession, her husband's testimony - and reintroduces us to Hester Prynne whose friendship with Tituba transcends death. Within this biography Condé has a lot to say about belief and religion, love, feminism, social responsibility and freedom. This was my first Condé read. I finished thoroughly satisfied and ready to read more.
Would Maryse Condé have written this beautiful story if history had bothered to remember Tituba?
Tituba and I lived for a year on the closest terms.
During our endless conversations she told me things she had confided to nobody else.
This fictional biography is so palpable. Condé brings Tituba [back] to life within the pages of this book. Tituba is such a beautiful mess. We are presented her story from her conception to her death, written in her voice - a story so authentic that it is difficult to believe that Tituba, the first woman to be accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials, could have lived a different life.
In her re-imagination of Tituba, Condé weaves in the scant details that have been recorded in relation to Tituba's trial to this story - Tituba's incoherent confession, her husband's testimony - and reintroduces us to Hester Prynne whose friendship with Tituba transcends death. Within this biography Condé has a lot to say about belief and religion, love, feminism, social responsibility and freedom. This was my first Condé read. I finished thoroughly satisfied and ready to read more.
lislowed's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0