Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Reviewed by Christy

            Mary Deerfield is a deeply unhappy woman. The twenty-four year old Puritan is the second wife to a seemingly respectable man twice her age. Because of this, she has a daughter-in-law who is around her age and “grandchildren” as well. The arrangement feels odd but she accepts it as God’s will. Even though her husband, Thomas, is an angry and violent drunk, she commits to being an even better wife than she was the day before. Until one night, Thomas goes too far and stabs her through the hand with a three-tined fork. Mary refuses to keep living in fear of her husband’s mercurial rages and wishes to seek a divorce.

            In 1662, divorce is no easy feat, and Mary must make her case in front of the magistrates who will then decide what’s best for her. Over two days she must listen to witnesses discuss what a good man Thomas is, and how they never witnessed any abuse or even heard Mary discuss it. The request for divorce is denied. Mary must go home to her abuser. Because of this, and because Thomas’ rages are becoming more frequent and starting to happen even when he’s not drunk, Mary becomes desperate.

            Though Hour of the Witch is marketed as a thriller, it is a courtroom drama more than anything. The story is slow and methodical while still being engaging. I found Mary to be an interesting character because, while she is very pious, she struggles with the restrictions of the time without fully understanding why. She chalks it up to her being sinful because, after all, she has made note of her son-in-law’s good looks. She also travels to the docks often to watch the sailors unload their cargo. It makes perfect sense she would be more attracted to men closer to her age. But, of course, she doesn’t see it that way. These are transgressions for which she will be punished.

            I believe it is a credit to the story that I liked it as much as I did while listening to the audiobook. The narration is very flat, and the narrator does little (if anything) to differentiate between the characters. I found myself rewinding more than usual to make sure I understood who was speaking. I was so baffled with this choice of narrator that I did some digging and discovered that she is the author’s daughter and has narrated several of his audiobooks. Well. That solves that mystery.

            There is also some repetition throughout the book that is grating (particularly references to a fork as “the Devil’s Tines” and Thomas’ insistence that Mary has “white meat for brains”.) The latter one will probably be stuck in my head for a while. Bohjalian must’ve particularly liked that turn of phrase because he used it again and again and again. Overall, however, I think it is a well-paced, slow burn drama that is satisfying. I just would not recommend the audiobook.

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit

Reviewed by Christy

 

            In Beheld, TaraShea Nesbit tells the fictionalized story of the first murder of a colonist by a colonist in the New World. John Billington was accused of killing John Newcomen and thus put to death. While the book has several points of view, including Billington and Newcomen, it is mostly told by the governor’s wife Alice and Billington’s wife Eleanor. (Nesbit does a good job of making the voices distinct from one another.) In the afterward, Nesbit says that while she was doing research on Plymouth she noticed that women’s stories were largely missing, and she wanted to rectify that.

            Nesbit takes her time unfolding the story of the murder but at no point did I feel like it dragged. The narration is relayed from the future with the narrators making ominous comments about the incident. I knew the novel was based on a true story but because I didn’t know the details, I found that these little hints of future tragedy helped build the tension. Because it is slow-paced with no grand climax, I could understand if some readers would find it boring. However, the Puritan lifestyle is pretty interesting to me and in that regard, it held my attention. In addition, I can’t say I know how Puritans genuinely talked back then but Nesbit’s dialogue seemed realistic without being impenetrable.

            The only thing that really affected my enjoyment was Nesbit’s inclusion of sexual assault that was unnecessary to the narrative. I say that because it happens to an unnamed 13-year-old female indentured servant who we do not know and never see in the story again. I have been unable to figure out Nesbit’s reasoning for including it. Since she wanted to focus on giving a voice to women who were largely voiceless during this time period, perhaps she wanted to include an indentured servant’s perspective. However, it also mirrors an instance that happens later in the book to one of the main characters, so it seems excessive. The latter incident, while upsetting to read, did not bother me quite as much because it was further illustrating the subjugation of Puritan women without feeling gratuitous.

            Overall, though, I did like this novel. I don’t know that I could recommend it to mystery or suspense readers but historical fiction readers might enjoy it quite a bit.

** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. **

Of Witches, Salem, and Hysteria: Beyond the Movie Witch

Recommendations by Christy H.

In the new horror film “The Witch” a family is cast out of their Puritan village for somewhat hazy, although most definitely religious, reasons. William and Katherine decide to build their own homestead right at the edge of the untamed New England wilderness. However, they and their five children soon learn that there is something unnatural lurking in the woods. And while that something is dangerous so is the fear and paranoia slowly growing within their own family.

After seeing this, I went on a book-adding frenzy for my to-read list – anything relating to Puritans or witches. Here are a few that I’m looking forward to reading (and a recommendation I’ve already read.)

Fiction

The Minister’s Daughter by Julie Hearn

Nell is a healer, herb gatherer, and midwife.

Grace is a minister’s daughter: refined, sweet, and innocent.

These two women could not be more different, and when Grace and her younger sister start pitching fits and speaking in tongues suspicious eyes look to Nell.

The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Martha and Sarah Carrier are like most any mother and daughter. They love each other but they are often at odds with each other as well. Sarah stands by her mother, however, when Martha is accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts.

Susannah Morrow by Megan Chance

Fifteen year old Charity is trying to cope with her first young heartbreak which isn’t easy to do when there is no one to turn to for comfort. Charity‘s mother died in childbirth and her stoic Puritan father has been withdrawn ever since.  A small hope comes in the form of her aunt Susannah Morrow who has arrived from London.

But independent Susannah struggles in the strict community. Suspicion towards her begins to grow and soon “the fanaticism, repressed emotions and sexual guilt in Salem explode into a form of hysteria that will make its name infamous.”

The Fever by Megan Abbott

            This book isn’t about Puritans, and it’s not set in the past. It’s not even really about witches. But the comparisons are easy to see.

            When Deenie’s best friend seizes up in class in what can only be described as “a fit” rumors fly faster than Deenie can keep up. Soon girls are having fits left and right and no one can explain why. As hysteria and suspicion grow, Deenie struggles to understand what is happening.

Non-Fiction

Six Women of Salem: the Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in the Salem Witch Trials by Marilynne K. Roach

            Most people know the story of the Salem Witch Trials. Many even know prominent names of some of those involved. But Roach zeroes in on six specific women in an effort to transform trivia tidbits into real, three dimensional human beings. 

A Delusion of Satan: the Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials by Francis Hill

            Called a “grisly read and an engrossing one”, Hill details the Salem Witch Trials from the spiteful accusers who seek vengeance to a four year old “witch” who was chained to a wall.

American Jezebel: the Uncommon Life of Ann Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans by Eva LaPlante

            Although not specifically about witches, Ann Hutchinson was certainly called that - among other pejorative terms like “instrument of Satan” and “Jezebel.” Her only crimes seemed to be hosting a weekly religious study group (of sorts) in her home and expressing discontent with local ministers, or as someone more directly put it: “[being] more bold than a man.” Tried and banished from her own community, Hutchinson made an everlasting impression in women’s history.