≡ Libro Gratis Deliverance From Evil A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials Frances Hill 9781590204702 Books

Deliverance From Evil A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials Frances Hill 9781590204702 Books

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Deliverance From Evil A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials Frances Hill 9781590204702 Books

Suppose you had only vaguely heard of the Salem Witch trials of 1692, had never read or seen THE CRUCIBLE, Arthur Miller's brilliant 1952 play on the subject, or the recent movie made from it -- what would Frances Hill's novel offer then? In its opening sections, you would find a swiftly moving account of the wildfire spread of hysteria among the girls of Salem Village, Massachusetts, intercut with an immediately engaging romance set many miles to the north-east in Wells, Maine. The latter has a particular freshness that I found most welcome, taking me out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of Salem to a more diverse and tolerant society, whose most pressing concern is to protect the colonists from Indian attacks. Their universally admired leader is the pastor, George Burroughs, a man of prodigious strength (though not above using small tricks to exaggerate it). As the book opens, he arrives too late to avert a massacre at nearby York, but rescues a number of survivors -- including Mary Cheever, a nineteen-year-old girl whom he soon marries.

Burroughs is an historical figure, as are all those we encounter in Salem, but Hill has a great deal of latitude in filling him out, and took even more in painting her portrait of Mary, of whom little is known other than the name. The connection between the two stories (a real one) is that Burroughs had been the pastor of Salem about ten years before the novel opens, and still has enemies in the town. When the witchcraft hysteria reaches the point of trials, imprisonment, and executions, there are some in Salem who take advantage of it as a means of settling old scores, and the long arm of Massachusetts law reaches into Maine to arrest the former pastor. Mary and George's best friend, Peter White (the only entirely invented character in the book) follow as soon as they can, and the second half of the novel consists of their attempts to save him. The splendid climactic scene (also recorded in history) is what would turn out to be the last group of hangings before the witch hunt burnt itself out.

But what if you are already familiar with the story (as I am myself, being currently engaged in a production of the Robert Ward opera based on the play)? What does Hill offer then? Most of the familiar characters come back in the Salem sections of the story, though seen from a different viewpoint and often with unexpected twists. But her choice of Burroughs (who is not mentioned by Miller) as protagonist is a refreshing one, and Mary is an engaging creation; once they take over, they lead us onto less familiar ground. Hill has also a real gift for description and for setting a scene; this is splendidly vivid writing. As I noted in her non-fiction A DELUSION OF SATAN, though, she tends to introduce minor characters too rapidly; just because they exist in the historical record does not mean that they will be familiar to the lay reader. And people who already know something of the story may find the latter parts of the novel too drawn out. But for the reader coming upon Salem for the first time, this lively retelling has much to recommend it.


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Deliverance From Evil A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials Frances Hill 9781590204702 Books Reviews

As a follow of the Salem Witch Trials, they have been a stain on America's history. In her work, Hill goes into great detail to capture the worlds of Maine and Massachusetts in that dark time period. Never have I seen so much attention to detail and using all the correct locations the examinations and trials took place. It's as if the trials just happened yesterday and the author is actually seeing the trials and hangings with her own eyes. Never have the characters been described so vividly and realistic. The men of the time period, especially the clergy, judges and even Thomas Putnam himself, really make you wonder who the real villains are in this story. I only wish Ms. Hill would have included in the end the judges reactions when the trials were over. Stoughton had said, "We were in way to have cleared the land of these witches! Thereby the kingdom of Satan has advanced and the Lord have mercy on this country! Who obstructs this justice, I know not!" Judge Hathorne was known to have said his only regret was that he didn't send more accussed witches to the gallows. Those poor imprisoned people were in a no win situation. They were damned if they confessed and damned if they didn't.
"Deliverance from Evil" is held together by author Frances Hill's awesome research into the many stories of America's infamous witch trials in the 17th century. It's possible that the amazing thing for the reader to discover about those infamous days of American history were the huge number of stories to be told - and the level of truly repulsive cruelty and greed among this nation's Political and Christian leaders of the day.

"Deliverance from Evil" is held together as a novel by the story of its protagonist, George Burroughs, a character of epic heroic proportions (i.e., a deeply religious minister, highly intelligent, physically powerful, thoughtful, humane, and caring, etc. etc.) and his no less loving and faithful wife. Early on in the book, Burroughs is arrested and imprisoned as a witch - more, he is one who leads and infects others with devil worship - based upon the false testimony of pre-pubescent girls. From that point on, the story involves Burrough's horrid prison conditions and his wife Mary's continual attempt, abetted by a very few loyal friends, to defend Burroughs in order to have him released from prison. Against that backdrop, the reader is witness to the mass hysteria of the times and even more hypocrisy of those religious and government leaders whose motives are often personal gain and power. Fear -that is the constant fear of bystanders to be dragged into the maelstrom of witchcraft and its consequences imprisonment, torture, hanging and/or burned at the stake - seems to be the primary emotion of the time. For these many reasons, Burrough's closest friends will not dare to defend his innocence or allude to his life of good and courageous deeds for the commonwealth.

"Deliverance from Evil" also peels away the layers of the contemporary political and religious stock in trade - bribery and blackmail. Seen from the Burrough's family perspective, Puritanical America is rife with bribery whether to gain access to a prisoner, to provide adequate food and clothing against severe winter weather, or simple visitation. Only bribing guards or ministers or judges could seem to guarantee the life of person's indicted.

The level of cruelty, and the apparent sadistic enjoyment of punishment in prisons is likewise introduced as matter of fact in the protracted imprisonment of George Burroughs and others charged with witchcraft.

As well as the awesome scholarship of author Hill, the nail biting struggle of Mary Burroughs and her attempts to see her innocent husband freed is the sword hanging over the head of this powerless woman. The entire book clings to the hope that this innocent man will be released as time and time again friends fail the courage to present the evidence of his essential goodness or join the ranks of those who want to see him hanged. The degree of defection of former friends, relatives, college classmates is no less discouraging for the amount of fear the power of witch tribunals enjoyed. In all, the reader clings to every word of every chapter in this cliffhanger of a novel.

Finally, the reader closes this book with a richer understanding of Puritan America and its religious and political leaders, and a keen sense of the struggle for freedom in Early American history. . .
I think the author does a very good job in creating this fictional account, and uses some people who really lived at the time to help her create the story's characters. I think the well crafted tale gave me a better taste of what it must have been like to have lived through this infamous time in America's history, some sense of the motivations of the accusers, and how it must have been experienced by the innocent, but so ignorantly accused.
Suppose you had only vaguely heard of the Salem Witch trials of 1692, had never read or seen THE CRUCIBLE, Arthur Miller's brilliant 1952 play on the subject, or the recent movie made from it -- what would Frances Hill's novel offer then? In its opening sections, you would find a swiftly moving account of the wildfire spread of hysteria among the girls of Salem Village, Massachusetts, intercut with an immediately engaging romance set many miles to the north-east in Wells, Maine. The latter has a particular freshness that I found most welcome, taking me out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of Salem to a more diverse and tolerant society, whose most pressing concern is to protect the colonists from Indian attacks. Their universally admired leader is the pastor, George Burroughs, a man of prodigious strength (though not above using small tricks to exaggerate it). As the book opens, he arrives too late to avert a massacre at nearby York, but rescues a number of survivors -- including Mary Cheever, a nineteen-year-old girl whom he soon marries.

Burroughs is an historical figure, as are all those we encounter in Salem, but Hill has a great deal of latitude in filling him out, and took even more in painting her portrait of Mary, of whom little is known other than the name. The connection between the two stories (a real one) is that Burroughs had been the pastor of Salem about ten years before the novel opens, and still has enemies in the town. When the witchcraft hysteria reaches the point of trials, imprisonment, and executions, there are some in Salem who take advantage of it as a means of settling old scores, and the long arm of Massachusetts law reaches into Maine to arrest the former pastor. Mary and George's best friend, Peter White (the only entirely invented character in the book) follow as soon as they can, and the second half of the novel consists of their attempts to save him. The splendid climactic scene (also recorded in history) is what would turn out to be the last group of hangings before the witch hunt burnt itself out.

But what if you are already familiar with the story (as I am myself, being currently engaged in a production of the Robert Ward opera based on the play)? What does Hill offer then? Most of the familiar characters come back in the Salem sections of the story, though seen from a different viewpoint and often with unexpected twists. But her choice of Burroughs (who is not mentioned by Miller) as protagonist is a refreshing one, and Mary is an engaging creation; once they take over, they lead us onto less familiar ground. Hill has also a real gift for description and for setting a scene; this is splendidly vivid writing. As I noted in her non-fiction A DELUSION OF SATAN, though, she tends to introduce minor characters too rapidly; just because they exist in the historical record does not mean that they will be familiar to the lay reader. And people who already know something of the story may find the latter parts of the novel too drawn out. But for the reader coming upon Salem for the first time, this lively retelling has much to recommend it.