Tricia Nelson

Great book. What did I know about 1670's Massachusetts? Not much. But I feel like I got a good glimpse into the Puritan society in power there and the conflicts with the Native Americans during that time. I got pulled into the story, was appalled by the history included in the pages, and was rooting for the main character. I read this because I am part of a book club and this was the latest choice, and while I wouldn't have picked it up, I'm so glad it was chosen. The story is well-written and tells so much history without making it boring or hard to read. I inhaled this book over 36 hours - that's how good it is. Reading it during the same week as the racial tensions in our country explode felt strangely connected. We have a history in our country of treating non-white people horribly, and it's something that I know I didn't leave school being acutely aware of. This author treated this story with care and insight and it's a well-done book. I would recommend!

I was thrown when I began reading this book, because I had read that it was a funny story. I didn't find it funny, and that felt like it kept interrupting me while I read, thinking “Why do people think this is funny”? Now that I've finished, I'm very glad I read it. The story of hope and redemption and the impact that we have on each other's lives is worth reading. We read this for book club, and there is a lot to unpack here and discuss.

Last year I learned about Auden's Five Verdicts when you are evaluating a book. When I finished this for book club, I immediately thought that one of those verdicts would apply here: I can see that this is good, but I don't like it. This book challenged me. It is more than just a story, a story that is so improbable that I was forced to look for the message in it. (worth noting that I love book club for exactly this reason - I read and try to finish books I would otherwise not pick up or possibly finish). This author is clearly a gifted writer. This book is very very well written. I just had a hard time reading it. I wonder if it is because we are in such an uncertain and dark time with Coronavirus quarantines and concerns and over 60,000 dead Americans in a short time that this was hard to read. I've found myself searching for fluffy, easy, hopeful books over the past month. Having said that, I feel like this book is so good at describing a person who just wants to pull the covers over their head and come out when things are better. If the author is trying to paint a picture of a time before social media and smartphones had taken over our society, of a person so privileged they forget the meaning and value in things and other people, then I think she succeeded. A harsh light is shone on the characters and displays the real people they are, “worts and all” as the saying goes. There are certainly no filters and no public faces elaborated on here. I will likely read more from this author, but probably not until the reality around me looks a bit brighter.