The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Kathleen Kent’s introductory novel deals with the life of one family in colonial Massachusetts during the era of the witch trials. The story revolves around the Carrier family, headed by a feared ex-soldier and his fiercely confrontational wife. Their five children are as different as siblings often are, Richard the quick-tempered,  quiet Tom, Andrew who’s wits were ravaged by illness, needy little baby Hannah, and Sarah, the book’s namesake. Sarah takes the most after her mother with her determination to accept nothing less than what is owed, yet isn’t quite ready to acknowledge that fact.

The story opens with Sarah as an old woman, entrusting her secrets to her only progeny kind to her in her old infirmity in a letter. In this first chapter Kent foreshadows more secrets than the scandal of witchcraft, and that perhaps the Carrier family held scars much older than the Salem scandal. After our first introduction, the book changes pace and switches to the past to tell the story of the Carrier family from the oldest daughter, Sarah, at the age in which the events unfolded for her. She deals with a harsh family life she little understands, and the brief respite of a different sort of familial love when she is fostered with her cousin’s family while her own fights off the pox. Yet even as discord is sown among relatives, more is brewing in the isolated village of Salem. Accusations of witchcraft seem to fall on old and young as well as male and female alike. Few are spared from the spiteful accusations.

Though told through the eyes of a ten year old girl, The Heretic’s Daughter effectively balances the maturity and advancement of how a girl of that age would process and understand the world around her. It seemed to join the adolescent recollections of a much older woman with the true feelings a young girl would have. I thought the balance was nicely struck, and the book was enhanced because of it. It brought a very fresh outlook on a story many have heard throughout history classes. I especially learned much of it, growing up in Massachusetts myself, we took field trips to Salem and the other important historical sights. Kent successfully kept this age old drama new by portraying it through the eyes of a child watching her family suffer unjust and cruel punishments for the sake of pacifying a petrified parsonage. I found the narrative to be cohesive and engaging, and felt it had enough nuance and mystery to keep me turning those pages.

Pros: Engaging plot, interesting narrative, mysteries laced throughout. Poignant look at family life in the colonial age.

Cons: Pacing can be slow at times. Some characters lack development.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Another big shout out to the Hatchett Publishing Group for this awesome read. Get it here.