Every once in a while I read a book that is so moving I know it will stay with me for a very long time, if not forever. Having just returned from Boston a month ago the timing was good since my son and I visited cemeteries and other historical places dating back to the 1600's. I felt a connection to the words written on the pages.
From author’s website: Kathleen Kent is a tenth- generation descendant of Martha Carrier. She is also a masterful storyteller, and in her first novel 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.
Synopsis: 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 is also a natural-born storyteller, and in her first novel, 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
Type: Fiction, 332 pages, Trade paperback
Quick Take: Highly Recommend - The Heretic's Daughter is told from the eyes of a young girl and is one families story of despair, love, strength, uncertainty and justice. Sarah is such a little girl, she's only a child yet has so much responsibility and courage. This story is bigger than Sarah though, it’s important to remember the Salem witch trials and the impact they have on our history. It’s a beautifully told story, I promise you will not be able to put the book down.
Source: Library