Book Review: "The Hour of the Witch" by Chris Bohjalian
“The Hour of the Witch”
Synopsis: A young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive novel of historical suspense from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.
Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue, and in England she might have had many suitors. But here in the New World, amid this community of saints, Mary is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man as cruel as he is powerful. When Thomas, prone to drunken rage, drives a three-tined fork into the back of Mary's hand, she resolves that she must divorce him to save her life. But in a world where every neighbor is watching for signs of the devil, a woman like Mary--a woman who harbors secret desires and finds it difficult to tolerate the brazen hypocrisy of so many men in the colony--soon becomes herself the object of suspicion and rumor. When tainted objects are discovered buried in Mary's garden, when a boy she has treated with herbs and simples dies, and when their servant girl runs screaming in fright from her home, Mary must fight to not only escape her marriage, but also the gallows. A twisting, tightly plotted novel of historical suspense from one of our greatest storytellers, Hour of the Witch is a timely and terrifying story of socially sanctioned brutality and the original American witch hunt.
Rating (out of 5): 4.25
Review: I am a major Christopher Bohjalian Stan, having read and loved all of his books. He is a master at building and sustaining a suspenseful plot, while still writing thoughtful and carefully researched books. While most of his books wouldn’t fit the historical fiction genre, this is a fascinating departure and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Puritans were fully crazy, I just have to say it. It’s an interpretation of religion that highlights the darkest parts of American culture: morally absolutist, misogynistic, and hypocritical. There is a reason why so many novels about this time period are so popular. Well, also witches.
Mary Deerfield is trapped in a marriage to a dangerous and powerful miller, whose violence against her is escalating. When she seeks a divorce, her parents are supportive, but soon whispers surround her, accusing her of witchcraft. Her divorce is denied and she is sent back to live with her husband.
Mary’s servant turns against her, as well as many of her acquaintances, and she’s left not knowing whom she can trust, or how long she will be able to stay alive at her husband’s hands. Viewed as a witch, all of her behavior is seen through the lens of evil and possession. The suspense as she races against time to prevent hanging for her supposed crimes is palpable, and the ending is very satisfying.
Mary’s strong personality and fiery temperament draw ire in the 1600s, but her facing punishment for being a formidable woman resonates still. While women’s lives have improved significantly in the intervening 400 years, this book reminds us that a narrow and proscribed view of how women should behave is always detrimental.
TL;DR: A suspenseful and well-written novel about a woman’s escape from a dangerous marriage, and the forces that conspire against her. A fast and exciting read by one of my favorite authors.
If you liked this, try:
“The Flight Attendant” by Chris Bohjalian (Bookshop | Kindle)
“A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness (Bookshop | Kindle)
“Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters (Bookshop | Kindle)
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