Reader response to Witch Child by Celia Rees
Inside cover reads:
"The year is 1659, a time of fear and lies. For Mary Newbury, it is a time of desperation. While she watches, unable to intervene, her wise and beloved grandmother is falsely condemned, tortured, and hanged as a witch. Soon the relentless crowd may turn upon Mary.
When a mysterious stranger offers her a way out--safe passage to America-- she knows she must go. But she doesn't know that the turbulent voyage will bring her to yet another society where differences are feared and defiance is deadly. To survive, Mary pretends to be a pious Puritan girl. But when the witch frenzy begins to tear apart the community, Mary must finally choose between the precarious safety of her disguise and her own true nature."
Response:
Well, not only am I in a great mood, but i'm subbing for the LHS band director as well! kickass! And right now, there is a flute student practicing and i can hear it. It's lovely. Even so, I'm not to thrilled about the book. I expected so much more from the woman who penned Pirates. It's quite similar to The Crucible, but I think that the intended audience has yet to even hear of that play... so I think that it's a great way to get kids into historical fiction. It is also reminiscent of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, but the language isn't as tough. I guess that Rees really upped the ante for me when I read Pirates. Her description and sense of storytelling were SPECTACULAR in that book... Those attributes are present in this book, but they are lacking. There could be so much more. The themes of hypocrisy and survival are certainly present, and I like how she uses imagery to illuminate them. This one wins the Word Nerd Seal of Approval because I think that it's very age appropriate for it's audience (i think girls from 5-10th grade might like it)... it's not too tough or overwhelming. It could use a little work though.
Quotes:
"Their beliefs might be narrow, but in other ways they are generous, openhanded people" (64).
"After the sotrm a great light settled on the mast setting it all aglow, like a great candle, but the flame gave no heat. Not enough to singe a sleeve. St. Elmo's Fire, they called it, and it is rare to see" (75). http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/stelmo.htm
"Fears ebb and flow, surging like the waves beneath us" (77).
"She makes a dash to throw the papers on the fire, but I am quicker. Words have power. These are mine. She has no right to destroy them. I stop her before she reaches the hearth" (224-225).
"According to Exodus 22:18: 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.' According to Leviticus 20:27 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death.' God's Law rules here" (249).
Interesting how it says 3 verses later in Exodus: "You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."
But later in Matt 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-33, and Luke 10:27-37, Jesus tells us the two greatest commandments.
Guess the Puritans weren't paying attention. ah well. we suck at life. Thank God that God's so great! God=Love! YAY!
Inside cover reads:
"The year is 1659, a time of fear and lies. For Mary Newbury, it is a time of desperation. While she watches, unable to intervene, her wise and beloved grandmother is falsely condemned, tortured, and hanged as a witch. Soon the relentless crowd may turn upon Mary.
When a mysterious stranger offers her a way out--safe passage to America-- she knows she must go. But she doesn't know that the turbulent voyage will bring her to yet another society where differences are feared and defiance is deadly. To survive, Mary pretends to be a pious Puritan girl. But when the witch frenzy begins to tear apart the community, Mary must finally choose between the precarious safety of her disguise and her own true nature."
Response:
Well, not only am I in a great mood, but i'm subbing for the LHS band director as well! kickass! And right now, there is a flute student practicing and i can hear it. It's lovely. Even so, I'm not to thrilled about the book. I expected so much more from the woman who penned Pirates. It's quite similar to The Crucible, but I think that the intended audience has yet to even hear of that play... so I think that it's a great way to get kids into historical fiction. It is also reminiscent of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, but the language isn't as tough. I guess that Rees really upped the ante for me when I read Pirates. Her description and sense of storytelling were SPECTACULAR in that book... Those attributes are present in this book, but they are lacking. There could be so much more. The themes of hypocrisy and survival are certainly present, and I like how she uses imagery to illuminate them. This one wins the Word Nerd Seal of Approval because I think that it's very age appropriate for it's audience (i think girls from 5-10th grade might like it)... it's not too tough or overwhelming. It could use a little work though.
Quotes:
"Their beliefs might be narrow, but in other ways they are generous, openhanded people" (64).
"After the sotrm a great light settled on the mast setting it all aglow, like a great candle, but the flame gave no heat. Not enough to singe a sleeve. St. Elmo's Fire, they called it, and it is rare to see" (75). http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/stelmo.htm
"Fears ebb and flow, surging like the waves beneath us" (77).
"She makes a dash to throw the papers on the fire, but I am quicker. Words have power. These are mine. She has no right to destroy them. I stop her before she reaches the hearth" (224-225).
"According to Exodus 22:18: 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.' According to Leviticus 20:27 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death.' God's Law rules here" (249).
Interesting how it says 3 verses later in Exodus: "You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."
But later in Matt 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-33, and Luke 10:27-37, Jesus tells us the two greatest commandments.
Guess the Puritans weren't paying attention. ah well. we suck at life. Thank God that God's so great! God=Love! YAY!
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