Hour of The Witch by Chris Bohjalian
Product details
Web ID: 17333743Excellent historical fiction
When starting a Chris Bohjalian book, you know from the synopsis a general idea of what the story contains. But you're never prepared for where his stories will take you. Along the way, he leaves so many hidden clues that I find after the fact that I keep coming back for more of his books to try my wits against him again. Set in 1660's Boston, a young wife sues her abusive husband for divorce, something no woman has ever successfully done before, only to be accused of being a witch. Once branded a witch, she must fight for her life. As the story unfolds, this young woman of privilege will become a source of fear and scorn. Bohjalian so skillfully paints Boston during this era that I could see the streets and warehouses and hear the judge's comments as if I were there. But this is no surprise to any Bohjalian fan. I could go on all day about how good his books are, but the best way to find out is to read them for yourself.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Don't Fear the Devil; fear an Abused Wife
Mary Deerfield is a dutiful Puritan wife to an abusive husband. Her parents are wealthier citizens of the small burg of Boston, running an importing business. Mary explains away her various injuries, as generations of abused women have done. Mary and her husband have an indentured servant girl, Catherine, who cannot hide her admiration of Thomas, Mary's husband. Catherine's brother, William, is an indentured servant in a separate household, but is sickly, and Mary tries to help him get well w/ various herbal remedies. Mary's father imports a new product that is all the rage in Europe, the three-tined fork. Of course, the Puritans are terrified of anything new and call them the "Devil's tines." One of the forks is stuck through Mary's left hand; she also finds some buried in her garden... is this witchcraft pointed against her? Or someone else? Mary leaves her husband over her broken hand and moves home to her parents. They hire her a scrivener - lawyers being frowned upon by Puritans - and sues for divorce. This is a rare move in Puritan Boston. Does her Mary win her lawsuit against Thomas? Or will they believe the slanders against her, and rather than grant her divorce, jail and hang her for... witchcraft??? Each chapter is begun by a sworn statement from Mary or a witness in her trial, and that chapter discusses that event, so you can see what slander you are about to meet in the chapter. This really added to the suspense of the story for me, and I honestly couldn't put the book down b/c I had to find out what happened! As I was reading this on my Kindle on vacation, it was difficult to skip ahead to find out, and just had to keep reading! I was really moved by the terror of the Devil and not being Saved by this poor Puritan soul.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved the story
I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought Mary Deerfield's story had so many parallels to the world we live in today.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Highly Recommended
A very timely novel, well written and researched. This story is fiction, but could just as well have been true as it is based on historical events. The plot is captivating, the pace of the story makes the reader want to keep turning pages until 3 AM to finish this book. Unfortunately, the slump that follows the completion of the book makes the reader wish they had savored it more despite the desire to burn through the pages. I greatly enjoyed this book. The only thing I disliked about it was the horrible book hangover it left me with. Highly recommended.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I LOVE this book!
This book was so good. I loved the story and it kept me craving more. I couldn’t put it down. It was intense and the story just kept getting better.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com