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celia_thebookishhufflepuff's review against another edition
4.0
Review 12/29/23
My rating has gone way down on this one since the first time. 3.5 stars (4 for Goodreads) from previously 5 stars.
[b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] takes forever to get started, and once it does, it still doesn't. [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] reads like a Dear America novel but without the characters to get invested in as much, or at all. I think for a second read, this is very predictable and leaves nothing up to interpretation - except the ending.
I will say, knowing a lot more about the witchcraft accusations in the 1600s, I still find this book a lot more detailed than some, especially when looking at motivation of the accusers. [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] paints a picture of conflicting interests and people who have nothing left to lose, except by turning on each other. I enjoyed the really human side of the interactions coming from both sides.
There are some books I can reread and still be shocked again and again by all the turns. This was not the case with [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107]. It doesn't seem to hold up.
I might be curious enough to read [b:Sorceress|300017|Sorceress (Witch Child, #2)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436304792l/300017._SX50_.jpg|1122314], but I don't plan on reading this one again any time soon, or at all.
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Review 5/23/19
I don't know a lot about the 1600s and the various "witch trials" and fear that ran throughout England and the colonies, and what I do know comes from Shakespeare and from [b:The Crucible|17250|The Crucible A Play in Four Acts|Arthur Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547467608l/17250._SX50_.jpg|1426723], both which show all the accusation with no truth to any of it.
But [a:Celia Rees|83085|Celia Rees|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1246470662p2/83085.jpg] turns the known story on its head, where suddenly, witches are real, and they know who they are. The main character, Mary, who has true powers, has escaped persecution in Britain on a Puritan ship headed to the New World, but what she doesn't know is that she will face even worse there.
I loved the character development and the ways that Mary's friends become her family. At first it doesn't seem like there's much in the way of character development, and the voice is kind of hard to read, but by the end you realize that each significant character has actually changed a lot, and people start to question their own values and their devotion to a community that will treat one of their own in this way.
I feel like I learned a lot more about the general contrast between indigenous beliefs and Christianity, and the ways they clashed originally. Living in a modern and very diverse community, and being a nonreligious and spiritually questioning person, I have always found this clash and the fear of Native Americans as witches hard to believe, but [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] clears some of that up in ways that [b:The Crucible|17250|The Crucible A Play in Four Acts|Arthur Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547467608l/17250._SX50_.jpg|1426723] didn't. I understand the fear-mongering and the need to blame someone better after reading this book, and getting the perspective of a girl who actually has the powers she is accused of having.
The story leaves off, literally, in the middle of a sentence. I had forgotten that there was going to be a sequel, but the way [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] ended makes me so anxious to get my hands on [b:Sorceress|300017|Sorceress (Witch Child, #2)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436304792l/300017._SX50_.jpg|1122314] as soon as I can. I know I start so many series that I don't end up continuing for months or years, but I want this to be different. I wish I actually owned the book, but I'll find a way. I will definitely try to read it this summer.
My rating has gone way down on this one since the first time. 3.5 stars (4 for Goodreads) from previously 5 stars.
[b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] takes forever to get started, and once it does, it still doesn't. [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] reads like a Dear America novel but without the characters to get invested in as much, or at all. I think for a second read, this is very predictable and leaves nothing up to interpretation - except the ending.
I will say, knowing a lot more about the witchcraft accusations in the 1600s, I still find this book a lot more detailed than some, especially when looking at motivation of the accusers. [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] paints a picture of conflicting interests and people who have nothing left to lose, except by turning on each other. I enjoyed the really human side of the interactions coming from both sides.
There are some books I can reread and still be shocked again and again by all the turns. This was not the case with [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107]. It doesn't seem to hold up.
I might be curious enough to read [b:Sorceress|300017|Sorceress (Witch Child, #2)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436304792l/300017._SX50_.jpg|1122314], but I don't plan on reading this one again any time soon, or at all.
--------------------------------
Review 5/23/19
I don't know a lot about the 1600s and the various "witch trials" and fear that ran throughout England and the colonies, and what I do know comes from Shakespeare and from [b:The Crucible|17250|The Crucible A Play in Four Acts|Arthur Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547467608l/17250._SX50_.jpg|1426723], both which show all the accusation with no truth to any of it.
But [a:Celia Rees|83085|Celia Rees|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1246470662p2/83085.jpg] turns the known story on its head, where suddenly, witches are real, and they know who they are. The main character, Mary, who has true powers, has escaped persecution in Britain on a Puritan ship headed to the New World, but what she doesn't know is that she will face even worse there.
I loved the character development and the ways that Mary's friends become her family. At first it doesn't seem like there's much in the way of character development, and the voice is kind of hard to read, but by the end you realize that each significant character has actually changed a lot, and people start to question their own values and their devotion to a community that will treat one of their own in this way.
I feel like I learned a lot more about the general contrast between indigenous beliefs and Christianity, and the ways they clashed originally. Living in a modern and very diverse community, and being a nonreligious and spiritually questioning person, I have always found this clash and the fear of Native Americans as witches hard to believe, but [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] clears some of that up in ways that [b:The Crucible|17250|The Crucible A Play in Four Acts|Arthur Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547467608l/17250._SX50_.jpg|1426723] didn't. I understand the fear-mongering and the need to blame someone better after reading this book, and getting the perspective of a girl who actually has the powers she is accused of having.
The story leaves off, literally, in the middle of a sentence. I had forgotten that there was going to be a sequel, but the way [b:Witch Child|803120|Witch Child (Witch Child, #1)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630493975l/803120._SX50_.jpg|1347107] ended makes me so anxious to get my hands on [b:Sorceress|300017|Sorceress (Witch Child, #2)|Celia Rees|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436304792l/300017._SX50_.jpg|1122314] as soon as I can. I know I start so many series that I don't end up continuing for months or years, but I want this to be different. I wish I actually owned the book, but I'll find a way. I will definitely try to read it this summer.
dwibble92's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this when I was around 12/13 and absolutely loved it! Rereading it now I still really enjoyed it. It gave what I think is an interesting account of what life would have been like for women back in the 1600’s especially intelligent women. And also an interesting account of what it might have been like to travel to the new world and settle there.
arielzeit's review against another edition
4.0
This would make a really great pairing with THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND, which in some ways it mirrors. The heroine is an unaccompanied girl who travels with Puritans to an American colony and runs afoul of the local customs because she is different. In this case, though, the heroine does have some unconventional beliefs and considers herself a witch; her grandmother was burned as a witch back in England. She is fleeing that fate, which is why she is willing to go as far away as America. Also the writing is very beautiful, very lyrical; I preferred it to THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND partly for that reason and also because the portrayal of the Indians is better and more modern. I also liked the conceit that the pages of the book were found rolled up and stuffed in an old quilt. All in all, a wonderful book.
lindylou59's review against another edition
5.0
Engaging historical fiction set in the 1600s when witch trials scared America.
konnamuori's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
nitaantony's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
WITCH CHILD
Author: Celia Rees
Genre: Historical Fiction - YA
Moods: Informative, Mysterious
Pace: Medium
Published in 2000, It is the first book in a two-part series, followed by Sorceress (2002).
It explores themes of witchcraft, religious persecution, survival, and female autonomy against the backdrop of Puritan society.
Synopsis:
The story begins in 1659 in England, where 14-year-old Mary Newbury witnesses the brutal execution of her grandmother, who has been accused of witchcraft.
Orphaned and alone, Mary is taken in by a mysterious woman who arranges for her to leave England for the New World, where she can escape persecution.
Mary sails to Massachusetts Bay Colony with a group of Puritan settlers, hoping for a fresh start. However, she soon realizes that the rigid and oppressive religious society of the colonies is just as dangerous as the one she fled.
The novel concludes on an ambiguous note, leaving Mary’s fate uncertain, prompting readers to seek answers in the sequel, Sorceress.
Important Themes Covered:
1)Witchcraft and Persecution
The novel delves into the hysteria surrounding witch hunts in the 17th century.
It portrays the paranoia and fear-driven accusations that led to the deaths of many innocent women.
Mary’s story reflects the real-life injustices faced by those accused of witchcraft, drawing parallels to the infamous Salem Witch Trials.
2)Religious Intolerance and Hypocrisy
The Puritan society in the novel is depicted as rigid and unforgiving, governed by strict moral codes and an obsession with sin.
Rees highlights the hypocrisy within religious institutions, as those who claim to follow Christian values are often the first to judge, condemn, and persecute others.
3)Nature and Spirituality
Mary’s bond with nature and her healing abilities contrast with the rigid religious beliefs of the Puritans.
The novel suggests that true spirituality is found in harmony with the natural world rather than in blind adherence to dogma.
Observations:
Writing style and format:
The novel is written in a diary format, giving readers an intimate look into Mary’s thoughts and emotions.
This first-person narrative makes the story immersive and personal, allowing readers to connect deeply with Mary’s struggles.
Historical accuracy:
Rees extensively researched the 17th-century Puritan world, drawing on real historical events and figures.
The novel’s depiction of witch trials and the superstitions of the time is well-grounded in history.
Strengths:
- Vivid historical setting with rich details.
- Thought-provoking themes relevant to both historical and modern contexts.
Weakness:
- Ambiguous ending
- The diary format, while immersive, limits the perspectives of other characters.
While the ending may feel unresolved, it has set the stage for an equally intriguing sequel. Will definitely read the second part to know Mary's journey further.
My Rating: 3.5/5
mariald's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
biblioseph's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyable, played to exactly what I wanted to read. An awesome girl unappreciated for her raw and terrifying power. And the cover is simple but awesome. She's a witch as her mother is, and the cool aspect of them versus the puritan world they live in... AND the entries were found stitched into a quilt? I think I need to re-read this one last time before I pass it along.
thunk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookbound's review against another edition
3.0
SPOILER ALERT
Witch Child follows the life of Mary, whose grandmother is deemed a witch and dies at the hands of those who 'test' her, leaving her to fend for herself. Mary is then taken by another individual, in what seems to be a pre-arranged transaction, cleaned up and sent to puritans due to make the journey to the new world - America.
Mary's story is one wielded together from the pages of a journal sewn into a quilt uncovered more than 300 years later when the quilt was carefully taken apart for cleaning.
The story is riveting, telling of a time when it was perceived that witch-craft was everywhere, that witches were dangerous, encroaching on society and casting dark magic and bad omens over 'good folk'. It is fascinating to read of any bad luck being deemed the work of a witch, from a bad crop to illnesses, and to see some use witchcraft as a method of dealing with those who may be an obstruction to them in some way.
Mary's life was interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it, the only disappointing element being that the story ends without knowing what ever became of Mary.
Witch Child follows the life of Mary, whose grandmother is deemed a witch and dies at the hands of those who 'test' her, leaving her to fend for herself. Mary is then taken by another individual, in what seems to be a pre-arranged transaction, cleaned up and sent to puritans due to make the journey to the new world - America.
Mary's story is one wielded together from the pages of a journal sewn into a quilt uncovered more than 300 years later when the quilt was carefully taken apart for cleaning.
The story is riveting, telling of a time when it was perceived that witch-craft was everywhere, that witches were dangerous, encroaching on society and casting dark magic and bad omens over 'good folk'. It is fascinating to read of any bad luck being deemed the work of a witch, from a bad crop to illnesses, and to see some use witchcraft as a method of dealing with those who may be an obstruction to them in some way.
Mary's life was interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it, the only disappointing element being that the story ends without knowing what ever became of Mary.