The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

It is that time of year when I really want to read something scary!  I love Halloween, and Fall....  and I try to enjoy as much about the season as I can!

I wanted to find some reading material that seemed appropriate.  Luckily, I found a copy of Kathleen Kent's book, "The Heretic's Daughter", set during the witch trials in Salem!

One thing that popped out to me as I read a description of the book was that one of the book's main character's, convicted and executed Salem witch Martha Carrier, is an ancestor to the author!  That gives this book some significant cred up front.

The story is told from the perspective of Martha's daughter, Sarah, who is growing up in this well known New England area.  She and her family experience a good amount of rejection thanks to family health issues.  She is forced to stay with her aunt and uncle for some time as these issues occur.  She develops a strong bond with a cousin, and her relations and perceptions of each family member evolves as she is moved around.  She develops more of an understanding (and admiration) of her parents, while her psychological guard goes up concerning others.

While she is dealing with living a regular young girl's life, the witch hysteria becomes a major focus for the locals, as Sarah, her mother, and most of the rest of her family find themselves in jail, accused of being witches.

"The Heretic's Daughter" is a very well written book concerning this time and place in history.  MANY modern authors have tried to write about this... with mixed success.  Source material is scarce, and some authors have taken excessive creative liberties.

Kathleen Kent has not done that.  Sure, this is historic fiction, and she has written a story, but I believe she has stuck VERY closely to the known facts.  THIS is exactly what I think probably went down in Salem and the surrounding areas in 1692.  She is making some of this up..... but she has absolutely gotten the tone and the vibe right.

If you have read up on the events, you know that the convicted were likely the most dedicated Puritans of them all.  Even with threat of death, they refused to make a false admission to save their lives.  These were stubborn, disciplined people who would literally rather die than to renounce their status as a faithful believer. 

Again, the author really gets the FEEL of the time right.

The book has a good flow and I was able to read this one over a few days.  It is dark while still being true to the events and it gets my highest possible recommendation.