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cwbillings's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
carriesouthard's review
3.0
I don't generally read non fiction books but this caught my eye. It was difficult for me to follow in some parts, which was the reason for my 3 stars, but pretty interesting.
blaineduncan's review against another edition
2.0
Alas, I wanted to like this book. And it starts out great: well written, well imagined, well done. But there's no narrative structure here. It zooms around like a witch on a broom; it makes no clear path, but spends too much time in the sky. I was never sure of any timeline, but now I want to read a straightforward, truthful, well-documented account of what happened in Salem. I'll dig around and find one as this wasn't it.
I didn't finish it, but I gave it the extra star because it was good. If I could've plowed through, maybe it would've held rewards promised in the critical praise. I honestly wish someone could point out the really great sections, and I'd just read those. I may try to skim for them.
I didn't finish it, but I gave it the extra star because it was good. If I could've plowed through, maybe it would've held rewards promised in the critical praise. I honestly wish someone could point out the really great sections, and I'd just read those. I may try to skim for them.
victoriafrost1991's review
I am at page 206 and find Stacy Schiff's version of the Salem Witch trials long, turbulent and extremely dry.
I do agree that those women, children and men who were affected directly, or indirectly, by these trials should have some voice to something that is almost 500 years old and not fall under the "Salem Witch Trials of 1692" event(s) and be forgotten.
I remember learning of the Salem witch trials in school and going when living in Boston and always loved learning of the town and its history. I have also read Schiff's novel of Cleopatra and enjoyed it. Yet, this book turns me off. If it were written in a different manner with those who were accused or something, then maybe it would be more enjoyable.
I do agree that those women, children and men who were affected directly, or indirectly, by these trials should have some voice to something that is almost 500 years old and not fall under the "Salem Witch Trials of 1692" event(s) and be forgotten.
I remember learning of the Salem witch trials in school and going when living in Boston and always loved learning of the town and its history. I have also read Schiff's novel of Cleopatra and enjoyed it. Yet, this book turns me off. If it were written in a different manner with those who were accused or something, then maybe it would be more enjoyable.
rremmel's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
The things I didn’t like about this book were 1) describing Cotton Mather as “brilliant;” just because someone wrote a lot doesn’t make him brilliant, and the book highlights just how sniveling and toadying he actually was, so how is that description accurate? And 2) giving credence at the end toward Freud’s description of and theory about “hysteria.” Why would you use the proper psychological term for that phenomenon one time and then immediately revert to calling it hysteria again? Hysteria is a sexist term and Freud was a coke-addled idiot. Just call it conversion disorder.
Other than those admittedly very very petty complaints, the book was great. As most of the other reviews note, it’s quite dense. And yes, the narrative would have benefited greatly from some actual analysis, rather than a simple regurgitation of facts. But it’s not academic literature (as far as I know the author is not an academic at all), it’s clearly for popular consumption, so maybe that’s fine. I thought it was better than a lot of other people on here did.
Other than those admittedly very very petty complaints, the book was great. As most of the other reviews note, it’s quite dense. And yes, the narrative would have benefited greatly from some actual analysis, rather than a simple regurgitation of facts. But it’s not academic literature (as far as I know the author is not an academic at all), it’s clearly for popular consumption, so maybe that’s fine. I thought it was better than a lot of other people on here did.
giro_revuescope's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This was an excellent book on a topic that is often overshadowed by its modern cultural osmosis. I appreciated that the narrative addressed the issues of limited sources and did not spend too much time adding in assumptions to fill the gaps; the awareness that some things just cannot be known at this point from the available materials is important.
It also gives an excellent portrayal of Puritan life, especially how it would have felt to exist as a woman or other minority in that society. (Bad! It would have been bad!!)
It also gives an excellent portrayal of Puritan life, especially how it would have felt to exist as a woman or other minority in that society. (Bad! It would have been bad!!)