The Heretic's Daughter
By Kathleen Kent
Read by Mare Winningham Hachette Audio, (2008)
An Unabridged Recording on 9 CDs
ISBN 10: 1-60024-450-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-60024-450-6
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Angela Evans - October 20, 2008
The Heretic's Daughter is an unforgettable work of historical fiction by Kathleen Kent. The story is set in the late 1600's, with but a brief foray into the year 1752, and it revolves around the life of Sarah Carrier Chapman. Sarah was the daughter of Martha Carrier, one of the unfortunates to be charged with witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. As the story begins it is 1752, Sarah is an old woman who can easily see death on the horizon. Before she dies, Sarah feels the need to unburden herself of a secret that she has been keeping since the dark days of the Salem witch hysteria.
What follows is Sarah's account, written to her granddaughter, of what occurred when she was a young girl and how the events surrounding the trial impacted the rest of her life. Through Sarah's eyes, we see the growing hysteria that enveloped the New England countryside in the late 1600's and how a minor family feud could bubble over into a horrific accusation that could easily spell a family's ruin. In this account, Sarah tells about her life in Andover and the events surrounding her mother being accused of being a witch and what happened after the accusation was leveled. Mostly it is about a lie that Martha asks Sarah to tell, and the devastating effect that it had for her mother and the indelible mark that it left upon the daughter.
The Heretic's Daughter is full of drama and keen insights into New England life in the late 1600's, the beliefs of the Puritans, and how the Salem Witch Trials tainted every aspect of life in Salem and the surrounding communities. This is also a story about a mother's love for her daughter, family bonds, and the anguished decisions that some are forced to make when faced with the unthinkable.
This is a captivating book, both in terms of Kent's well-crafted story and for its insights in the Salem Witch Trials. Interestingly, Martha Carrier was a real person. During the Salem witch hunts she was accused of witchcraft, a charge for which she was found guilty. She was hung as a witch on August 19, 1692. Martha Carrier was also one of Kent's ancestors, which helped to ignite her interest in the Salem Witch Trials and which helped to compel her to write The Heretic's Daughter.
I really enjoyed listening to the audio version book, which was read by the talented actress Mare Winningham. It is obvious that Kent did her research before writing this book. It is also a compelling story, and one which will haunt you long after you have heard it. I hope that this is but the first of many books by Kent as she definitely has the gift of story telling! While this book will delight anyone with an interest in dramatic historic fiction, it is also a must read for anyone with an interest in the Salem Witch Trials as it will give you a unique, albeit fictional, glimpse into what life was like for those touched by the mere suggestion that they might be a witch - and the impact that such an accusation had on their entire families. I unreservedly give this book five stars!
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