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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
This was so boring until the final chapters but I stuck it out because I love witchy shit
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is incredibly well-written but so hard to read. It's depressing and all too familiar as someone who was persecuted for persuing a divorce while in a fundamentalist cult. Ultimately there was a satisfying ending, but it took so long to get there and it was so short, I can't say the read was worth it for me.
Boston. 1662. What is a girl to do when her abusive husband is threatening to kill her and her servant girl thinks she’s a witch?
This is exactly the predicament Mary Deerfield finds herself in. I love a strong female character with the perfect amount of defiance. I feel the rating for this book is low because some may like the negative light shed on religion. If you feel the Salem Witch trials were a good idea, maybe avoid this one.
This is exactly the predicament Mary Deerfield finds herself in. I love a strong female character with the perfect amount of defiance. I feel the rating for this book is low because some may like the negative light shed on religion. If you feel the Salem Witch trials were a good idea, maybe avoid this one.
It’s hard to highly rate a book when I don’t like the main character. Obviously knowing all about Salem witch trials etc, it’s easy to read it and think Mary is an idiot for acting and saying the things she’s done. I genuinely liked the twist at the end, but didn’t care for the epilogue. It also took about halfway through the book to get invested.
This is a well written fictional account of a young woman’s experience living in a Puritan society in Boston in 1662. (This is years prior to the Salem witch trials which occurred between 1692 and 1693.) This novel is a grave reminder of the evils that can result from the absolute dominance of men over women. In 2024 this is still a relevant topic.
My only criticism is that there is no mention of the forks being cleaned after Mary digs them up. How is it that she did not get tetanus or at least an infection from the attack on her hand?
In 1662 Boston, Puritan Mary Deerfield is the young wife of much older Thomas Deerfield whose first wife is deceased. Although she wishes for a child, she has not been blessed with that gift in spite of allowing Thomas to physically abuse her at his will. He also bullies her emotionally with his harsh words and leaves bruises on her face although she lies to prevent anyone from learning of his true nature towards her. When Mary discovers forks (a utensil new to New England which have been named devil’s tines) buried in the garden in front of their home, she digs them up, but reburies them later, hoping to out whomever planted them. Unfortunately, she is discovered by their indentured servant in the middle of the task, giving rise to rumors that she is an agent of the devil. When Thomas learns of this, he severely wounds Mary’s hand with one of the forks. This is the final straw for Mary. Fearing for her life she flees to her parents’ home and petitions the court for divorce. Unfortunately, during this time period women have few rights.
My only criticism is that there is no mention of the forks being cleaned after Mary digs them up. How is it that she did not get tetanus or at least an infection from the attack on her hand?
In 1662 Boston, Puritan Mary Deerfield is the young wife of much older Thomas Deerfield whose first wife is deceased. Although she wishes for a child, she has not been blessed with that gift in spite of allowing Thomas to physically abuse her at his will. He also bullies her emotionally with his harsh words and leaves bruises on her face although she lies to prevent anyone from learning of his true nature towards her. When Mary discovers forks (a utensil new to New England which have been named devil’s tines) buried in the garden in front of their home, she digs them up, but reburies them later, hoping to out whomever planted them. Unfortunately, she is discovered by their indentured servant in the middle of the task, giving rise to rumors that she is an agent of the devil. When Thomas learns of this, he severely wounds Mary’s hand with one of the forks. This is the final straw for Mary. Fearing for her life she flees to her parents’ home and petitions the court for divorce. Unfortunately, during this time period women have few rights.