Conversion
by Katherine Howe
Did you know that Danvers, Massachusetts is the village once
known as Salem Village? Salem Village,
the site of the Salem witch trials and executions, was renamed Danvers in 1757.
For all of the witchy history, there is very little that
seems supernatural in this story until very late in the book. Until then, it is
a young adult historical fiction told from the perspective of Colleen, a senior
student at the Catholic St. Joan’s school. Interspersed are chapters told from
the perspective of Ann Putnam, about ten years after the Salem witch trials, as
she confesses to a preacher her part in creating the hysteria by falsely
accusing women, caught up in the mania.
I found some parallels between the historical story line and
the modern story line, but not as many as I would have liked to see. I think it
would have been stronger if she tied the two together a bit more.
It’s an intriguing read. Some of the characterization was
good, but some of Colleen’s friends, and her classmates, were a bit one
dimensional. The history is the strong point, definitely. For all that happens
and how it draws you along, it’s a bit of a slow book. There were some scenes
that could have been eliminated to tighten up the pace.
Over all, I enjoyed this book, particularly the dramatized
audio reading, but I would say I have liked the other books by this author
more. If you’re going to start with something by this author, I would head
straight for The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane or the YA The Appearance of
Annie Van Sinderen.
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