"When women have little power that is not granted to them by men, to be a witch is a very good thing."
And thus the likely origins of witchcraft itself - the exercise of power by women over their own lives, and those of others, when needed, in a world where power has routinely been denied to them. That's also the story herein, in two different eras, in some ways, not so different. Annis, a girl born to wealth and privilege in Gilded-Age New York City, is a descendant of a genuine witch, in this story, Bridget Bishop, who has become something of a folk heroine in recent years for her flouting of Puritanical mores which resulted in her being hanged for witchcraft in seventeenth-century Salem. Annis is unaware of her abilities until she meets a distant relative, herself a descendant of the Salem witch, but the account takes a dark turn with the discovery that Annis's stepmother has designs for her as well.
I had to give this one a five-star rating because, as in the case of the author's first book, I simply couldn't put it down, and read it cover-to-cover, all 400-some-odd pages of it. Her stories are so rich and engaging, the characters so believable and relatable, and the prose so vibrant and descriptive that time flies by without even noticing. The author, in short, just "gets" and can write women, and her novels reflect her deep insight, which is a rare gift. I don't want to give away too many spoilers - I would agree that much of the plot is predictable, as other reviewers have noted - but it's so well-written and engaging that I didn't mind. How the elements played out is far more interesting than the eventual outcome, which is also rare. As in the case of the other book, it's not an altogether happy ending for everyone, which is also realistic: women are often faced with difficult choices which never entirely work out in their complete favor - just about every aspect of their lives demands a sacrifice.
Have requested her other books, and am happily awaiting their arrival. Highly recommended if you enjoy the genre and just thoroughly excellent stories about powerful women discovering their inner strength.
And thus the likely origins of witchcraft itself - the exercise of power by women over their own lives, and those of others, when needed, in a world where power has routinely been denied to them. That's also the story herein, in two different eras, in some ways, not so different. Annis, a girl born to wealth and privilege in Gilded-Age New York City, is a descendant of a genuine witch, in this story, Bridget Bishop, who has become something of a folk heroine in recent years for her flouting of Puritanical mores which resulted in her being hanged for witchcraft in seventeenth-century Salem. Annis is unaware of her abilities until she meets a distant relative, herself a descendant of the Salem witch, but the account takes a dark turn with the discovery that Annis's stepmother has designs for her as well.
I had to give this one a five-star rating because, as in the case of the author's first book, I simply couldn't put it down, and read it cover-to-cover, all 400-some-odd pages of it. Her stories are so rich and engaging, the characters so believable and relatable, and the prose so vibrant and descriptive that time flies by without even noticing. The author, in short, just "gets" and can write women, and her novels reflect her deep insight, which is a rare gift. I don't want to give away too many spoilers - I would agree that much of the plot is predictable, as other reviewers have noted - but it's so well-written and engaging that I didn't mind. How the elements played out is far more interesting than the eventual outcome, which is also rare. As in the case of the other book, it's not an altogether happy ending for everyone, which is also realistic: women are often faced with difficult choices which never entirely work out in their complete favor - just about every aspect of their lives demands a sacrifice.
Have requested her other books, and am happily awaiting their arrival. Highly recommended if you enjoy the genre and just thoroughly excellent stories about powerful women discovering their inner strength.
