A review by zinelib
How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

hopeful informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

Set in Salem Mass and written by a descendant of Cotton Mather about a descendant of Cotton Mather, this YA mystery/thriller is full of witchy goodness (and badness). Samantha Mather has moved with her stepmother Vivan to Salem because her father has been in a coma for some time, and I guess they couldn't afford to stay in NYC? That part isn't wholly explained to my memory, but for Sam, it doesn't really matter. She didn't have friends in New York, and she isn't winning any popularity in Salem, either. The other kids descended from Puritan times snub her because her ancestor was a dick to their ancestors, who were probably all monsters of piety, if they look too closely.

Sam does find herself getting along with the boy next door, Jaxon, and has a friends-to-enemies thing with another dude. Despite being a story about people who believed strongly in good vs. evil, Hang a Witch believes in forgiveness. Lol, now I'm thinking about the witch trials as the ultimate cancel culture!