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A review by bookslucyreads
The Daughters of Salem: How we sent our children to their deaths: Part 1 by Thomas Gilbert
4.0
This is a work of fiction based on real events of the Salem Witch Trials. I admit I don't know much about the Witch Trials but it does interest me.
The authors desire is "to show how a society in crisis often turns to scapegoats to explain its suffering, and how "normal" members of a community can be gradually driven to accept the unacceptable". I have to say that the book sets this up really well and I can already see how society is beginning to accept the unacceptable. This is a book that shows humanity at its worst while also showing that there is still a light there even in darkness.
The take follows Abigail Hobbs who is a young woman when the story begins. I say woman as she has had her first bleed. Which is really when bad things begin in the town. Abigail fears men as they look at her in lust. She also meets the man in black who is in fact an Indian but to the people of the town he is the devil. The book is in Abigail's point of view and I really enjoyed how we see the town and its people through her. Salem is a town where it's hard to keep secrets. The church is at the centre and there's also a tavern.
Abigail has a best friend named Elisabeth who is the reverends daughter. She and Abigail go off on adventures and Abigail introduces her to the mani in black. They dance and have fun together and the reverend doesn't know. They tell Tituba who is the reverends Indian slave and she goes with them to translate. The reverend has the power and influence in Salem. The reverend and his sermons seem comical to me as a reader today but I can also see why it scared people.
The horrible actions that have and will happen isn't because of witchcraft but of normal things that happen. We learn that the reverend has money problems, Indians attack, there is a famine, mistrust of outsiders and wolves attack. Mistrust takes hold of Salem and the circumstances make it so "normal" people want a scapegoat. I really enjoyed how the story built up and I cannot wait to see the next part.
I really liked the graphics in this. They were simple and yet managed to be creepy. It was a great effect and they helped show how the story unfolded.
The authors desire is "to show how a society in crisis often turns to scapegoats to explain its suffering, and how "normal" members of a community can be gradually driven to accept the unacceptable". I have to say that the book sets this up really well and I can already see how society is beginning to accept the unacceptable. This is a book that shows humanity at its worst while also showing that there is still a light there even in darkness.
The take follows Abigail Hobbs who is a young woman when the story begins. I say woman as she has had her first bleed. Which is really when bad things begin in the town. Abigail fears men as they look at her in lust. She also meets the man in black who is in fact an Indian but to the people of the town he is the devil. The book is in Abigail's point of view and I really enjoyed how we see the town and its people through her. Salem is a town where it's hard to keep secrets. The church is at the centre and there's also a tavern.
Abigail has a best friend named Elisabeth who is the reverends daughter. She and Abigail go off on adventures and Abigail introduces her to the mani in black. They dance and have fun together and the reverend doesn't know. They tell Tituba who is the reverends Indian slave and she goes with them to translate. The reverend has the power and influence in Salem. The reverend and his sermons seem comical to me as a reader today but I can also see why it scared people.
The horrible actions that have and will happen isn't because of witchcraft but of normal things that happen. We learn that the reverend has money problems, Indians attack, there is a famine, mistrust of outsiders and wolves attack. Mistrust takes hold of Salem and the circumstances make it so "normal" people want a scapegoat. I really enjoyed how the story built up and I cannot wait to see the next part.
I really liked the graphics in this. They were simple and yet managed to be creepy. It was a great effect and they helped show how the story unfolded.