The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent (Book Review by Deb Smouse)
The Heretic’s Daughter
by Kathleen Kent
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Martha Carrier was hanged as witch during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, but the time leading up to the trials and Martha’s hanging are told in meticulous detail from the eyes of her daughter, Sarah. At the beginning of the story, we find the Carrier family attempting to outrun smallpox by moving from Billerica to Andover, but it is not in time as one of the sons has already taken ill. Sarah and her little sister are sent to live with family members in a home very different from theirs: one that is loving and cheerful instead of somber and critical. As time progresses, we see the seeds that bloom to make Martha seem to be a witch: in addition to the smallpox, it is believed she bewitched a fire so that it blew onto someone else’s lands and that her sharp words caused livestock to sicken and die. The Carriers are hardworking people and Martha is simply a woman, who unlike women are supposed to be, is willing to speak up for the rights of women and children. Sarah learns that her mother isn’t cold and uncaring and will sacrifice herself to keep her children safe.
Author Kathleen Kent is actually a tenth-generation decedent of Martha Carrier and weaves a heartfelt take from the eyes of Martha’s daughter, combining facts from history, family legends, meticulous research and fertile imagination. The Heretic’s Daughter chronicles not just the hysteria of the witch trials, but the story of a family learning that they truly love each other, even if the discovery is too late.
I really loved this book. The suppression of women and the persecution of people simply because they don’t fit the norm are themes that speak across the ages.
Visit The Heretic’s Daughter Website or to find out more about the facts behind the book, catch the Video on YouTube. Kathleen Kent was a Guest Poster on the All Things Girl Blog as well.
Deb Smouse is the Editor in Chief for All Things Girl. She just edged into her 40’s and has discovered no matter the age, she still loves books. She reads between 4 to 8 novels a month, depending on how much flight time she has…. Find out more about Deb on our about page
