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3.5
The First Witch of Boston: A Novel
ByPublisher Description
A gripping and intimate novel based on the true story of Margaret Jones, the first woman to be found guilty of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Massachusetts.A gripping and intimate novel based on the true story of Margaret Jones, the first woman to be found guilty of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1646. Thomas and Margaret Jones arrive from England to build a life in the New World. Though of differing temperaments, cautious Thomas and fiery Margaret, a healer, are bound by a love that has lasted decades. With a child on the way, their new beginning promises only blessings.
But in this austere Puritan community, comely faces hide malicious intent. Wrong moves or words are met with suspicion, and Margaret’s bold and unguarded nature draws scorn. Soon, Margaret is mistrusted as more cunning woman than kind caregiver. And when personal tragedies, religious hysteria, and wariness of the unknown turn most against her, even the devotion Margaret and her husband share is at risk.
Inspired by actual diary entries and court records, The First Witch of BostonThe First Witch of Boston is at once the riveting story of a woman unjustly accused and a love story set amid the political and social turmoil of both Old and New England. Harrowing, and with a deep understanding of the human heart, history is brilliantly imagined.
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1646. Thomas and Margaret Jones arrive from England to build a life in the New World. Though of differing temperaments, cautious Thomas and fiery Margaret, a healer, are bound by a love that has lasted decades. With a child on the way, their new beginning promises only blessings.
But in this austere Puritan community, comely faces hide malicious intent. Wrong moves or words are met with suspicion, and Margaret’s bold and unguarded nature draws scorn. Soon, Margaret is mistrusted as more cunning woman than kind caregiver. And when personal tragedies, religious hysteria, and wariness of the unknown turn most against her, even the devotion Margaret and her husband share is at risk.
Inspired by actual diary entries and court records, The First Witch of BostonThe First Witch of Boston is at once the riveting story of a woman unjustly accused and a love story set amid the political and social turmoil of both Old and New England. Harrowing, and with a deep understanding of the human heart, history is brilliantly imagined.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe First Witch of Boston: A Novel Reviews
3.5
“Andrea Catalano brings Margaret Jones’ story to life with obvious care, and the historical atmosphere is immersive enough that I constantly felt the weight of the fear, suspicion, and religious fervor surrounding her. Knowing this was inspired by a real woman made every injustice hit that much harder.
The strongest part of the novel was easily Margaret herself. She was intelligent, compassionate, and stubborn in the best ways, and watching a woman be punished simply for existing outside the narrow expectations of her society was equal parts heartbreaking and infuriating. I also enjoyed the emotional core of the story and how deeply it explored love and loyalty in impossible circumstances.
That said, the pacing dragged for me in several places. I found myself wanting the story to spend more time building the tension surrounding the accusations and less time lingering in quieter moments. While I appreciated the romance, it occasionally overshadowed the historical elements I was most excited to read about.
Even with those flaws, this was still a compelling piece of historical fiction. It’s a sobering reminder of how easily fear can become persecution and how history has too often punished outspoken women. It may not have completely captivated me, but it’s a thoughtful, emotional read that left me reflecting long after I finished the final page.”
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