HISTORICAL
FICTION
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FICTION
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Debbie
Wiley
Book Reviews |
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An American family Bible dating to 1859 A.D.
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1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually
identified as being Mary Walcott
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A
steeplejack at work on a chimney (believed to be Fry’s) in central
Bristol, England.
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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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The Physick Book of Deliverance
Dane
by Katherine Howe
Connie
Goodwin believes the pressure will be off of her once she completes her
oral exams. Instead, she finds herself torn between her mother and her
graduate advisor, both wanting very different things from her. Her
often flighty mother wants her to clean and pack up her grandmother’s
house so that it can be sold while her graduate advisor is putting
pressure on her to uncover a primary source for her dissertation.
Meanwhile, Connie is distracted by a handsome young steeplejack and a
name she finds in an old family Bible. Connie’s quest is going to lead
her straight back into the Salem Witch Trials and the story of
Deliverance Dane.
THE PHYSICK BOOK OF
DELIVERANCE DANE shifts seamlessly back and forth
between the year 1991 and the time surrounding the Salem Witch Trials.
Katherine Howe does a magnificent job at weaving in a bit of suspense
to both time periods while also fully developing these two very
distinct worlds with a whole plethora of supporting characters. I have
to admit, it was hard not to skip ahead to the historical parts as the
mystery behind Deliverance Dane intrigued me. However, this is not to
say that the contemporary aspects were not entertaining as they
provided a structure in which the tension and mystery of Deliverance
Dane’s identity and place in history could be unveiled.
THE PHYSICK BOOK OF
DELIVERANCE DANE has mystical element that
gradually infuses the tale. As Connie learns about her own family
history, some truths are revealed that are not what the very bookish
woman is expecting. This contrast between the supernatural and the
academic accentuates the very nature of the Salem Witch Trials and the
implications of the trials on Connie’s own life.
Relationships are integral to making THE
PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE
DANE stand out as more than just another Salem Witch Trial
story,
however. Katherine Howe shows family continuity and healing as we see
the relationship between Connie and her mother change, just as in the
past Deliverance Dane and her daughter came to their own resolutions.
Family relationships and secrets can be some of the hardest to resolve,
especially ones that come with a cost, whether intentional or not.
Katherine Howe shows the beauty of family love that can emerge even in
the midst of a nightmarish scenario. Bravo to Katherine Howe for such
an insightful and entertaining tale!
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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