Book Review-Witch Child

[Emily Spencer]

Title: Witch Child
Author: Celia Rees
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Yes (Witch Child Series-2 books)

General Overview:
The book is a series of diary entries by fourteen-year-old Mary Nuttall, who is forced to flee her home after her beloved grandmother is tried and executed as a witch. Reimagining herself as Mary Newbury, she travels to America, hoping to find a new start far away from prying eyes. Taken in by the widow Martha, Mary's penchant for herbals and her love for the woods soon lands her under the suspicious eye of the town elders, proving that one can never truly outrun one's past. Complicating matters is her growing friendship with a young Native American boy which only places her in more danger. The Puritans brook no break with austere tradition, and being an enigma among them can only bode ill for the young girl and all those she holds dear. This is her story, told in her voice and her words.

Here is what Goodreads had to say:

The spellbinding diary of a teenage girl who escapes persecution as a witch--only to face new intolerance in a Puritan settlement.

Enter the world of young Mary Newbury, a world where simply being different can cost a person her life. Hidden until now in the pages of her diary, Mary's startling story begins in 1659, the year her beloved grandmother is hanged in the public square as a witch. Mary narrowly escapes a similar fate, only to face intolerance and new danger among the Puritans in the New World. How long can she hide her true identity? Will she ever find a place where her healing powers will not be feared?

My take:
I cannot say enough good things about this book. It brings to life not only the characters with rich detail but also captures perfectly the true essence of living during that particular period of history. The Puritan lifestyle is presented in a 'non-textbook' way which both entertains and educates. I would definitely recommend this one and have plans to read the sequel as soon as possible.

[Prof. Maxim Trevelyan]

It is always hard for me to read books in diary form, but Witch Child is one of the main exceptions. In fact, it is so well written in this form that I for a long time believed that it was a true diary and a true story. Certainly a big plus in my books!

As Emily mentioned, the characters were well-written and easily brought into “life”. Mary as a protagonist was a brilliant character, strong and courageous. I loved her unquenchable spirit, and her unique voice. She was to me an entirely believable character, which is hard to do in a fictional diary.

It was very realistic too, I think. Several times throughout the story, I became so angry at the characters, the events and situation as a whole. Because you know these kind of things really happened at the Salem Witch Trials and innocent women who only wanted to do good, help the community or had too much knowledge were systematically targeted and hurt.

What about bad points? The sequel was pretty meh, from what I remember and I think it tarnishes the story of the first book. This is the case where it would be better if the stories were self-contained in a shared world and not tried so strongly to each other. It connects to the only bad point of the book and that was that the story in Witch Child ends too abruptly and leaves you wanting to learn what became of Mary (which you find out in the sequel, Sorceress).



edit - Septem-bean beans sent! - Tarma