Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Witch Child by Celia Rees

Witch Child was a fascinating look at the Salem witch Trials from the perspective of a girl named Mary. When her grandmother is killed by witch hunters in England, Mary must flee the country or risk the same fate. On the boat to America, she meets up with a community of puritans, which take her in like family. When they arrive, America is not what they imagined it to be. Half the puritans families are dead, and those who remain have turned into total jerks that are constantly plotting their sisters and brothers downfall. In brutal New England, rumors fly and Mary is slowly alienated. What will happen to her? Find out in Witch Child.

This book was really interesting. I have always been enthralled by the Salem witch trials, and this fresh new perspective was both scary and extremely believable. Throughout the book, I could never tell whether the book was fiction or non-fiction, and that also added to the intrigue. The author lingers on details and descriptions of the surroundings and situations and this makes the whole book seem real. Some of these descriptions really added to plot, but some, like the uneventful sail across the ocean were a bit tedious. There were some funny parts on the boat, but it was unnecessarily long. All in all, I liked Witch Child, it is a good read and would make a good resource for people who are trying to understand the culture of the 17th century.

It wasn't inappropriate, but the nature of the book may offend religious parents

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH USA