Thursday, September 18, 2008

Witchy Woman

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent just came out this month and has been getting a lot of buzz. This historical fiction novel is based on a real person, Martha Carrier, who was one of the 19 people executed during the Salem witch trials. The author is a tenth-generation descendant of Martha Carrier, and she incorporates actual court testimonies and transcripts, as well as stories that have been passed down through her family.

Sarah Carrier, Martha's eldest daughter, recounts the events which led up to her mother's death. When an outbreak of the plague occurs in their village, the Carriers leave their home to live with Martha's mother. In their new village, the villagers are less than welcoming. They are angry that the Carriers may have brought the plague with them (which they have). Martha's nephew believes he is entitled to his grandmother's house and land, and poisons the villagers' minds against the Carriers. Soon everyone begins accusing everyone else of witchcraft, and many are arrested, including Martha. Shortly after, Sarah and her brothers are arrested as well. Martha vehemently maintains her innocence, but encourages her children to admit to the charges, so that they will be set free. Ignorance prevailed, and in the end Martha was hung. Sarah and her brothers are eventually released, but their lives are forever haunted by this event.

This story was so well done, it's hard to believe it is Kent's first novel. She tells a great story, weaving fact and fiction seamlessly. She does a fantastic job of illustrating life in the late 1600s-the chores, the customs, the hardships, as well as the ignorance and fear that ran rampant at this time. The scenes of the trials made me furious and the description of the jails made me cringe. Kent also took much care in the development of her main character, Sarah. I felt her fear, pain and sorrow, but I also saw her grow as a character. Historical fiction fans should be pleased with this story, and I hope we see more from this author.

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