Fiction
Hyperion
June 9, 2009
Paperback
384
Forced to set aside her Ph.D. research in order to help the settling of her late grandmother's abandoned home, Connie Goodwin discovers a hidden key among her grandmother's possessions that is linked to a darker chapter in Salem Witch Trial history. 250,000 first printing.
Witchcraft
I loved the concept of a spellbook being uncovered in modern times with flashbacks to the Salem Witch trials of 1692. There is intrigue. Add a little bit of a thriller that other more sinister people want the book and you’ve got a cracker of a plot and an adventure story. Finally, add a great main character that you can trust to deliver the story, and surely a winner.
The problem is that the character, Connie, and the logic she applies doesn’t match the supposed intelligence and qualifications she has from Harvard. She’s a bit dumb – actually she’s frustratingly dumb. It was also difficult to develop any empathy for Connie, which should have been a given, considering she should have been dealing with a personal historical weight on her shoulders.
There is an interesting link, however, through the 2 time periods not only to add intrigue to the narrative but on another level to suggest what constrained social thinking between 1692 and nowadays, is completely different from a spiritual, social, moral and legal perspective.
There are lots of plot holes and it lacked passion. It’s a bit difficult when as a reader you’re urging the author to do things to the story to make it more believable and entertaining, and they don’t happen.
It’s difficult to heartily recommend this book as I would rate it 2.5 stars.
