This is
one of those novels that I always find myself able to come back to after a bit
of a reading slump. I first read it when I was in high school but still find it
enjoyable now as an adult. This novel is primarily set in 1659 and we follow
Mary who lives with her grandmother in rural England until she is accused of
witchcraft. Fearing for her safety Mary heads for the colonies in the new world
but finds that her problems follow her there, and she may in fact be in more
danger than she was back home.
I always
enjoy this novel and have read it along with it’s sequel “Sorceress” probably
upwards of 5 times, there’s just something about Rees’ writing style which I
really enjoy. She uses language which clearly lets the reader see the character
is in a different time but they are still so relatable and you can really feel
for what Mary is going through.
I feel
that I also need to praise how Rees handles Marys voyage to America, as a lover
of historical fiction I’ve read many descriptions of this journey and often it
can be tedious and repetitive but in this case the author manages to impart the
monotonous nature of the journey while still engaging the reader and allowing
us to see what Marys days look like and how her relationships develop in the
close confines of the ship.
I enjoy
the relationship between Martha and Mary and in some ways I wish that she had
behaved and listened to her more about not straying away from the settlement,
however if that were the case she would not have went on to meet Jay Bird and the
story would not have unfolded in the wonderful way it did.
I know
this book is quite a bit older so I won’t be surprised if many of you have
already read it, if you have did you enjoy it? Feel free to let me know or even
send me a DM on Instagram if you want to discuss it!
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