The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Genre: Fiction

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 371

Rating: 4/5 Crowns

Synopsis: Connie Goodwin should be spending her summer doing research for her Ph.D. dissertation in American History. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she's compelled to help. One day, while exploring the dusty bookshelves in the study, Connie discovers an ancient key, and within the key is a brittle slip of paper with two words written on it: Deliverance Dane.

Along with a handsome steeplejack named Sam, Connie begins to research Deliverance Dane. But even as the pieces fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of long ago, and she fears that she is more tied to Salem's dark past than she could have ever imagined.

Written by an author whose ancestors were accused witches in Salem, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the trials in the 1690s and a modern woman's story of mystery and discovery.

Review: I received this book as an ARC, and quite honestly, I knew nothing about it at first. However, after reading the description of it, I knew right away this is exactly the kind of book that appeals to me. A story woven between the (sort of) present and the past, this book has mystery, suspense, and the plights of women all rolled into one. Who could resist!

The author set this book in 1991 and the late 1600's, which provides a semi-modern view and also a fictionalized version of the Salem Witch Trials in US colonial times. As a life long resident of the Western US, I've always known about the Salem trials, but not a whole lot as we tend to learn about history as it pertains to our region of the country as we're growing up. One thing I love about fiction is the ability to teach while being entertaining, and this book delivers on both fronts. And the setting in 1991, before the internet, makes for a very interesting read as far as Connie's quest to find this elusive book.

In the book, the idea is introduced: what if the witch trials were real? While I do believe that witches are still a metaphor for the unexplained in society, it's a very interesting concept to explore, that to these people, magic really did exist. It's easy to forget that not too long ago, many things were unexplained - science and medicine are relatively new concepts in the scope of humanity. So while to me, the weather is simply something I read about, it really was something magical to these people. Illness, plague, drought - they were all caused by mysterious, unknown sources. And really, that is magic.

Another concept that always appeals to me is the idea of what happens in a society as women gain more power and self awareness. I consider the Salem trials to be a consequence of women evolving in society, and the men reacting in any way they could to regain control. This book firmly keeps the female characters in both self confidence and power, with the men as more outside characters, almost accessories in a sense. In the book, we are supposing that witches are real, and the abilities are passed down to the females of the family. It's not only a powerful method of showing that women have always been more resiliant than men had supposed, but also a nice way to say "Hey sister, you can do it on your own."

To me, the characters were more of a way to drive the plot, but I quite liked them all, and Connie herself reminds me a lot of me. Although I saw a couple of the plot devices coming, the story was very enjoyable and I loved the way it got there. It was suspense without anxiety, my favorite kind. My only complaint is that there wasn't more historical passages, I loved every bit of the sections surrounding the trial. I think this is a very versatile read that can appeal to all kinds of readers, and I encourage everyone to get it from their local bookstore or library. And I, naturally, am keeping my fingers crossed that the author writes a sequel!

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