I admit it: I have been a big fan of Chris Bohjalian, ever since I read Midwives several years ago. I have given positive reviews to The Guest Room, The Sleepwalker, The Flight Attendant, and The Red Lotus. I consider Mr. Bohjalian one of the most reliable authors I read regularly, and I always look forward to his books…but I admit, my reaction to the description of his latest, The Hour of The Witch, was hesitation — set in the 1600s in Massachusetts, I expected a well-written but probably routine story of a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft, blah blah blah…but I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised (and delighted) by this book.
Mary Deerfield’s family came to Massachusetts from England, and her father established a successful business, importing a wide variety of goods needed by the settlers. As the daughter of a successful businessman, Mary was set up to marry Thomas Deerfield, a widower twice her age. He was definitely happy to have someone to take over running his household, and although he was twice Mary’s age, their marriage appeared to the outside world as a successful one.
Appearances can be deceiving: Thomas was an abusive drunk and, in a classic abusive situation, Mary lied repeatedly about her bruises (clumsiness and accidents, she claimed).
Mary’s father begins importing the latest tool becoming popular in Europe: the fork. I’m not sure why forks are considered the Devil’s instrument, but they can also be weapons, as Mary learns when Thomas stabs Mary’s hand, causing serious damage. She decides that she will escape the abuse and files for divorce. Unfortunately, women could be accused of participating in witchcraft based on they word of one person and appallingly, when the court hears the case, Mary’s possible witchcraft (evidenced by owning a fork) is more serious than Thomas’s abusive behavior.
Despite the appalling attitudes of the patriarchal society, I enjoyed the look at life in 17th century New England (particularly for women) and the fantastic character development. I was surprised by the ending (no spoilers!) but not turned off by it. Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of The Hour of the Witch in exchange for this honest review. 5 stars. What can I say? I’m a sucker for Chris B!! Looking forward to recommending this to my book club.