Review: The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Publication date: September 3rd, 2008

Pages: 332

Spice: N/A

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 descendant of Martha Carrier. 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.

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Story:

When you read a story based off the Salem Witch Trials you know that it will be rooted in tragedy to some extent. What I didn't expect was that the descendant of a true victim of the trials would write a story based off her own family's history. While the story is mostly fiction there are some true facts to this story that has me desperate to learn more. I love that the author decided to take her own family's experiences with the trials and turned it into a beautiful work of historical fiction that had me captivated. Of course, with the subject matter being so devastating and tragic it was slightly difficult to read knowing there would be no happy ending to be found. I had just gotten done reading Slewfoot earlier which also touched on the trials. If I hadn't read that beforehand I may have been more invested in this story but it was a little too much tragedy all at once. There were moments the story dragged on and the heaviness of the despair weighed far too heavy. 

Character(s):

• Sarah - I feel like Sarah was a child stuck in flux throughout the entirety of the story. She was sent away during the plague epidemic to live with her aunt and uncle where she believed she was finally getting the chance to be something more than her meager upbringing with her parents and brothers. Alongside her infant sister she learns how to harness some of her independence only for it to be taken away from her once more when she is forced back to her parents and siblings side. During this time the witch trials are starting to heat up and Sarah seems to act the same as anyone would when families started to be destroyed by accusations: "at least it's not me." Until its not her but her mother who faces prosecution for witchcraft. Watching Sarah realize the depravity of humanity through her mother's trials and her own confinement and accusations we watch Sarah grow in the face of the worst of humanity. I felt great empathy for her.

Writing:

I feel like the writing was well done overall. There was not too much detail but just enough to set the scene. The characters were fully developed and approachably authentic but with having a little bite to them to keep them unique. The language style was what I would expect from someone writing from such a time in history.

Overall:

I thought the book was good but I wish there had been a little more to it. It was heartbreaking and the characters were nice but at the same time they were pretty one-dimensional. I didn't form a bond to the characters except that they were victims of a terrible time in history. I wanted to become more invested in Sarah's life but I struggled a bit. I liked that it was a little autobiographical but that was really where my infatuation with the book ended.