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fictionista3's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
scorpi07's review
3.0
3.5 Stars.
Not the book about the Salem Witch trials that I read as a kid, but definitely an appropriate read for a child and a good introduction to this bit of American history.
Not the book about the Salem Witch trials that I read as a kid, but definitely an appropriate read for a child and a good introduction to this bit of American history.
kelly_tyler's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Informative, well researched. I would have liked to know more background of the other accused witches, but I realize this is a book for adolescents and more characters may have cluttered the book for young readers.
cass_keeps_reading's review
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
clairewords's review
5.0
I read this for two reasons, one I've been wanting to read Ann Petry for a while, [b:The Street|44087805|The Street|Ann Petry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575588033l/44087805._SY75_.jpg|968007] and [b:The Narrows|52623328|The Narrows|Ann Petry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584926447l/52623328._SY75_.jpg|1311202] were republished in 2020, so I'm looking forward to reading them, but the main reason I chose this title is because I'm an avid reader of [a:Maryse Condé|93912|Maryse Condé|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1220159791p2/93912.jpg], who wrote [b:I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem|89526|I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem|Maryse Condé|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567697640l/89526._SY75_.jpg|86405] having been inspired by Ann Petry's book.
I've read nothing about the witch trials before, though I'd heard of them, but I'm glad that this was my introduction, to see this little segment of American history, through the eyes of an innocent black slave, Tituba and her husband John.
As the book opens and Tituba and John are in the kitchen of the Barbados home they live in, the scene is so evocative, you can't imagine how their lives are going to change so abruptly, having been so stable for so long - but then the harsh reality of them being commodities, sold like jewels, to pay a debt, their lives irrevocably changed, within 24 hours they are on a ship heading for the Bay Colony of Boston.
Petry's descriptions of the environment are so evocative, the contrast so great, from the warmth of the island to the damp, unwelcoming cold climate of Massachusetts.
Tituba is a wonderful character, depicted with compassion and understanding, put in a situation where young people are drawn towards her but unable to overcome their own inner hurts, exaggerate and invent scenarios, combining imagination and superstition creating drama that spirals out of control into very real consequences for those accused of "witching", until the farce that it is, becomes all too clear, though not without lives having been lost.
I've read nothing about the witch trials before, though I'd heard of them, but I'm glad that this was my introduction, to see this little segment of American history, through the eyes of an innocent black slave, Tituba and her husband John.
As the book opens and Tituba and John are in the kitchen of the Barbados home they live in, the scene is so evocative, you can't imagine how their lives are going to change so abruptly, having been so stable for so long - but then the harsh reality of them being commodities, sold like jewels, to pay a debt, their lives irrevocably changed, within 24 hours they are on a ship heading for the Bay Colony of Boston.
Petry's descriptions of the environment are so evocative, the contrast so great, from the warmth of the island to the damp, unwelcoming cold climate of Massachusetts.
Tituba is a wonderful character, depicted with compassion and understanding, put in a situation where young people are drawn towards her but unable to overcome their own inner hurts, exaggerate and invent scenarios, combining imagination and superstition creating drama that spirals out of control into very real consequences for those accused of "witching", until the farce that it is, becomes all too clear, though not without lives having been lost.
thistle_and_verse's review
3.0
I had some difficulty getting into this story just because I knew a little about Tituba already and that a lot of bad things happen to her. Tituba was portrayed pretty consistently and relatably. Petry gives readers a good sense of how precarious Tituba's life was as an enslaved woman in Salem. I would have liked Petry to flesh out Tituba's relationship with her husband. Understandably, her relationships with her charges dominate the story, but I would have liked to see more of her life outside of the work she was forced to do. Ending was bittersweet.
somechelsea's review
5.0
I went through an intense Salem Witch Trials phase, and I always thought this was a really good handling of the events. I haven't read it in years, but I always thought [a:Ann Petry|106861|Ann Petry|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1276608800p2/106861.jpg] had done a very good job of explaining what happened, and making the people involved people rather than historical figures. I've always thought it would have been an interesting basis for teaching a class on the subject.
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