| The Heretic's Daughter is author Kathleen Kent's first | | | | presented in The Heretic's Daughter, gain traction in |
| novel, and it is a stunning debut. It takes place in and | | | | the community because of the lethal combination of |
| around Salem, Massachusetts during the 1690's, | | | | fear and damnation-based religion. The community, |
| before and during the infamous Salem witch trials. | | | | facing so many challenges to its existence, cannot |
| The narrator's mother, Martha Carrier, is based on | | | | fathom why they are being targeted by God for |
| the real woman of the same name, who was one of | | | | such wrath. Surely there must be some offense, |
| the first woman to be tried and hung in the trials. Ms. | | | | some sin, that they are being punished for? In their |
| Kent is herself a tenth generation descendant of | | | | desperation, they seek out the 'sinners' amongst |
| Martha Carrier. | | | | them, literally demonizing their own neighbors for the |
| Ms. Kent has done her research, and she does a | | | | smallest of offenses. They seek to scapegoat and |
| beautiful job of depicting the harsh realities of life | | | | purge - as so many have done in the name of religion |
| during this time. While the initial Puritan settlers had | | | | throughout history. |
| come to this land to escape persecution, and hoped | | | | From there, the paralysis of fear takes over, with |
| to found a new religious community, they were | | | | each new charge silencing more people within the |
| besieged by plagues, crop failures, and attacks by | | | | community, all seeking to protect their own lives and |
| indigenous tribes. The child mortality rate was so high, | | | | families. Children as young as four are taken into |
| we are told in the first pages, "that some families did | | | | custody - since the 'devil' is behind it all, and can take |
| not name their child until the child was past twelve | | | | over anyone's mind, no one is considered innocent. |
| months and more likely to live. And in many | | | | Quite the contrary, during the trials the defendants |
| households if a baby died, that same baby's name | | | | are most definitely considered guilty until proven |
| would be passed on to the next born. And to the | | | | innocent. And their innocence is in the hands of |
| very next if that babe died as well." | | | | several hysterical, adolescent girls no less (I'll let you |
| This is from the novel's narrator, Sarah Carrier, | | | | read the book to learn more about this.) |
| Martha Carrier's daughter. If Sarah sometimes seems | | | | One of the most touching aspects of the book is |
| distant and unfeeling as she describes horrific events, | | | | how Martha gets Sarah to save herself, helping Sarah |
| it is no wonder, based on the climate in which she | | | | to realize that behind her mother's stern exterior lies |
| was raised. In fact, Sarah's voice and attitude was at | | | | the greatest of maternal loves. While Sarah at first |
| first a put-off to me, making her difficult to relate to | | | | despises her mother's difficult personality, wishing she |
| or feel for. But as the novel progresses, her voice | | | | would just capitulate to others, she comes to realize |
| becomes one of the book's greatest strengths, | | | | her mother's seeming obstinance is actually born of |
| because it provides such a vast contrast to our | | | | tremendous faith and wisdom. This is exactly the |
| emotion-laden, Oprah-fueled times. Sarah helps us to | | | | opposite of what her community elders teach - that |
| see what a stark and difficult existence does to | | | | strict obedience is the foundation for faith. As Sarah |
| people, and as she does mature - through watching | | | | observes, that obedience, along with fear, is what |
| her mother's trial and surviving her own incarceration | | | | allows the madness to continue for so long. |
| - her growth and new-found wisdom is that much | | | | And so The Heretic's Daughter works on at least |
| more evident. | | | | three levels. First, as a gripping historical novel that |
| As the novel begins, Sarah and her family are on | | | | masterfully depicts a certain setting and time period. |
| their way to live with her grandmother, and, | | | | Second, as a personal story of a mother and |
| unbeknown to them, are bringing smallpox with them | | | | adolescent daughter struggling to understand each |
| to their new community. This fact, along with Martha | | | | other. And third, as a cautionary tale about how |
| Carrier's headstrong and outspoken nature, will | | | | religion can be twisted when a society is ruled by |
| ultimately lead to the family becoming a target when | | | | fear. |
| the terrible accusations begin. Those accusations, as | | | | |