The Heretic's Daughter

THE HERETIC’S DAUGHTER

By:  Kathleen Kent

FIRST SENTENCE

“The distance by wagon from Billerica to neighboring Andover is but nine miles.”

SUMMARY

From goodreads

Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.
Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution.

REVIEW

This book is historical fiction, but it is very special.  It is based on family stories passed down from the direct ancestors of the author, Kathleen Kent.  She was very brave to face her family’s past and share these stories in her book.  I can picture the stories being told when her family gathered for special occasions over the years.

I went into this book knowing very little about the witch trials in Salem.  I knew that there were people and perhaps families who were accused of being witches, and some of those people were tortured and killed.  I did not know any specific stories though and I had never read any details.  I was surprised by how violent the attacks were upon those accused of being witches and how any ordinary person could end up being accused.

I liked that the book began with a letter written by Sarah to her grand-daughter, Lydia.  From there, the book goes back in time to when Sarah was a young girl and her mother, Martha, was accused of being a witch.  The two did not have a close relationship in the beginning, but once Martha was accused, they grew much closer.  I liked that Sarah realized how strong and proud her mother really was.  Sarah had a very difficult decision to make regarding her own fate, and I felt bad for her.  I can only imagine how scary that must have been.

This is a well-written book with an amazing story, but it was a little on the violent side for me.  Someone a little older would probably not be bothered by that though.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for sending this book to me to review.

RATING

4        Plot

5        Characters

4        Attention Grabbing

3        Girlie Meter

4        Ending

20      TOTAL

5        STARS

Melina