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Witch Child Audiobook
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(3.00) - 7,114 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
It is 1659 and Mary Newbury, theyoung granddaughter of a witch, sees her wise and beloved grandmother tortured and hanged as a servant of the Devil. Then a stranger with hauntingly familiar eyes approaches her with an opportunity–safe passage to America. But the difficult ocean voyage only leads her to a community of inflexible, fearful grownups who try to decide for her who and what she will be. Mary must disguise herself as a pious Puritan girl, hiding her true nature, or else face terrible danger once again. Now that the pages of Mary’s journal have come to light, discovered in their centuries-old hiding place between the patches of a quilt, listeners can experience what it was like living in a society where differences were feared and defiance was deadly.
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"This is a particularly compelling example of historical fiction. So compelling, in fact,that I think my students may well ask, "Is this real?" I have to continually explain that good fiction SHOULD convince you that "it" (the characters, the emotions, the storyline) is "real," but sometimes they find that concept confusing. Well, author Celia Rees does a terrific job of making you feel like a historian/anthropologist who has just discovered an amazing find: the diary of a young colonial girl which has been stitched into a quilt. Mary Newbury's story begins in Cromwellian England, and the action begins in the first chapter when Mary's grandmother is hanged for practising witchcraft. Mary is whisked away by a mysterious woman, and then given into the care of some Puritans who are sailing for the New World. Mary's grandmother has been a herbalist and healer, and Mary has learned -- and has need to practise -- some of these healing skills. Before long, though, whispers that she is a witch begin to undermine her tentative place in this new community. Full of wonderful details, beautifully written, and possessing an interesting, consistent narrative voice, this is a story that should appeal to most female readers. Although Rees writes for young adults, this book has the sophistication to appeal to adult readers as well."
— Beth (5 out of 5 stars)
Witch Child Listener Reviews
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" This novel provided an interesting glimpse into the harsher aspects of Puritan life. I found myself sympathizing with the protagonist, Mary, right from the start. "
— Alex, 2/6/2014 -
" 2nd time i have read it and its still as good as the first time. "
— Melissa, 1/25/2014 -
" Very quick read. Recommended for those who like historical fiction. I found this book very easy to read and although it is aimed for teens it did have some adult themes. Interesting and different. "
— Tia, 1/23/2014 -
" An interesting, different and well written book. It's good, and I really liked it. I understood, and felt very close to the characters. But the book is long. A little too long. And if you put it down for a while, you don't feel too eager to pick it up again. "
— Miranda, 1/19/2014 -
" A book that puts modern thoughts of being restricted to shame, you love the main character and thus lose yourself in the possibility of her being cast out or killed. "
— Jessica, 1/17/2014 -
" it is a good book but it is kinda freaky "
— Kitty, 12/14/2013 -
" the story kept me interested for the first few segments then it was just a rollercoaster of my attention twords the details, not a page turner, but not a book i hated, all around it was alright. "
— Andrew, 10/12/2013 -
" So.. slow to start, but good ending. The way the book was written has me interested in how true the story is (based in real life) and if these mary papers exist. Interesting. "
— Keely, 10/23/2012 -
" Excellent story of Mary, fleeing her home as her grandmother is executed for being a witch. She joins a group of Puritans traveling to the new world. It is written from the perspective of Mary's diary entries, which provide a lot of insight into the harness of life, and the prejudices of the time. "
— Jennifer, 7/28/2012 -
" Absolutely LOVE this book and have read it several times. Sure, it's written for young, teen-aged girls, but the story is so compelling and the diary format so engaging that it's very hard to put the book down. And then there's the ending! Such a shocker, such a surprise! Can't recommend it enough! "
— Ryan, 6/19/2012 -
" Loved this, cant wait to read tyhe second one!! "
— Connie, 4/6/2012 -
" I don't know what it is about this book, but I absolutely loved it. Maybe because there are traditional witchcraft roots in this book. "
— Bitter, 3/6/2012 -
" Historical Fiction at it's best. "
— Rebecca, 2/13/2012 -
" Read my review @ readforyourfuture.blogspot.com :) "
— Mechele, 12/8/2011 -
" LOVE this book. You like books with fiction? But also has some real stories in it? Read this book! "
— Marissa, 9/15/2011 -
" After picking this epistolary novel off the shelf at random. I decided to make it a text for my YA reading group. They loved it as much as I did. Fantastically written and gripping right to the end. "
— Hayley, 7/1/2011 -
" Well done - a different twist to the Salem Witch trials history. Looking forward to reading the sequel. Will certainly use in class this year with our history theme. "
— Heather, 6/19/2011 -
" I enjoyed this, although a tad too shallow. I would love an adult read of this type. "
— Marilyn, 6/5/2011 -
" I really did'nt like it at all. It was quite small, and not very well written- although i kinda get what they're trying to do. That sounds too harsh. So i'll stop now. "
— Lydia, 5/23/2011 -
" Started off with an interesting premise but left me unimpressed. "
— V.E., 5/20/2011 -
" Can't remember much of it, but I thought it good enough to buy the sequel. "
— Fons, 5/16/2011 -
" This book was awesome. Makes me hate the Puritan settlers a little bit more, but a very engaging book. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. "
— Nikki, 5/12/2011 -
" I would have given it a highter rating, as I really loved the second half. But, the first half took way too long in getting anywhere. I am definitely going to read the sequel, Scoreress...hopefully it will just pick up with the pace the first one ended with. "
— Margy, 4/24/2011
About Celia Rees
Celia Rees is the author of many books for young readers, including bestsellers Witch Child and Sorceress. Her first book was published in 1993, a thriller for teenagers. She now divides her time between writing, talking to readers in schools and libraries, and teaching creative writing. She gets her inspiration from the world around her: newspaper stories, people she meets, places she visits. Rees lives in Leamington Spa, England, with her husband and teenage daughter.
About Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle is a stage and film actress best known for her starring role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 miniseries Pride and Prejudice. More recently she played the role of Myrtle Logue in the Academy Award–winning film The King's Speech.