Chris Bohjalian’s Hour of the Witch is a gripping historical thriller set in 1662 Puritan New England, where religious zeal and societal norms create a tense backdrop for a woman’s fight for justice and autonomy. The story follows Mary Deerfield, a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage, who dares to seek a divorce—a radical choice that sets her on a path fraught with suspicion, danger, and accusations of witchcraft.

Bohjalian’s prose is vivid and evocative, capturing the oppressive atmosphere of Puritan Boston and the fragile position of women within it. Through meticulous historical detail and layered characterization, Mary emerges as a powerful protagonist, torn between her faith, societal expectations, and her fierce desire for freedom. The story masterfully balances tension and suspense, with each twist deepening the mystery and highlighting the paranoia of the time.

The pacing is steady, blending courtroom drama, suspense, and moments of introspection that reveal Mary’s resilience and courage. Bohjalian’s nuanced exploration of themes like justice, abuse, and religious hypocrisy resonates deeply, making this both an engaging thriller and a profound commentary on the power structures of early America.

Overall, Hour of the Witch is a compelling and thought-provoking novel, blending historical intrigue with a story of defiance and survival. Special thanks to NetGalley and to Doubleday Books for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review!

Lol, FINALLY read this literally years later and dang, I wish I hadn't. This is the sloggiest slog to ever slog and just feels so very very strongly that it was written by a man. I guess Bohjalian did research enough on precolonial America, but it doesn't feel like he did much at all about domestic violence.

This book is what I love about Chris's writing everything is unique and different and if you think you'll have it figured out.. nope you don't. I really enjoyed this book. I love books about the time where it was common from women to be accused as witches . This one was a fresh take on that

Title: Hour of the Witch
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Genre: Historical Thriller
Format: hardback library book
Series: NA
Star Rating: 4.5 stars

tw: abusive relationship, child death, sickness, animal death, use of word Indian, corporal punishment, death, blood, misogyny (a lot of it), vomit, assault, infidelity, use of word savage, poisoning

A special thank you goes to Doubleday and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.

I’m just going to come right out and say it. This was a fantastic book! I was hooked from the first couple of pages. Everything about this book was so good from the main character, to the plot, to the dialogue, which honestly was my favorite part of the book. I found I took my time with this book because I was so enthralled with the book and had no idea where it was going to go. I would say I wanted to live in this book but I was not made for living in 1600s America. I would have not survived at all.

One of my favorite things about this book was the dialogue, as I mentioned above. It truly felt like I was reading a diary from the 1600s and surprisingly, I was able to understand everything. I was worried when I first read the dialogue that I wasn’t going to be able to understand anyone. But that wasn’t a problem at all. Even when Mary was thinking or describing things, she still kept in the dialogue of her time. It shows me that the author spent time researching to make sure things were as historically accurate as possible.

Mary was a fantastic main character. I was rooting for her through it all. Even when she made poor decisions for herself, I found myself still cheering her on and forgiving her for what she did. It pains me so much to read about what she was going through. The society she lived in truly was made to constantly oppress women and it made me sick. She was just a poor woman trying to escape an abusive husband. I was so awed by her courage, to try and fight the system. Mary will be up there as one of my favorite historical fiction main characters.

Overall, this was a fantastic book. I never knew where the book was going to go. Every single page stressed me out. There was always an underlying tension and dread that permeated through the book and I was living for it. But there was also a feeling of hope, a small glimmer of hope for Mary. I wished for her happy ending so badly. As you can tell, I highly recommend this book!

Unfortunately this historical fiction book was not for me. I think if suffered from too much detail and leading up in the beginning and I could never really get into it. I usually devour books about this time period but did not enjoy this one.

When starting a Chris Bohjalian book, you know from the synopsis a general idea of what the story contains. But you're never prepared for where his stories will take you. Along the way, he leaves so many hidden clues that I find after the fact that I keep coming back for more of his books to try my wits against him again.
Set in 1660's Boston, a young wife sues her abusive husband for divorce, something no woman has ever successfully done before, only to be accused of being a witch. Once branded a witch, she must fight for her life. As the story unfolds, this young woman of privilege will become a source of fear and scorn. Bohjalian so skillfully paints Boston during this era that I could see the streets and warehouses and hear the judge's comments as if I were there. But this is no surprise to any Bohjalian fan.
I could go on all day about how good his books are, but the best way to find out is to read them for yourself.

I didn't NOT like this book, I was just wondering when the action was going to happen. I felt sorry for the main character. I felt like she got the raw end of the deal and I wanted her husband to pay for what he did. I have complex feelings about the characters of this book, and I could really write a psychological evaluation on everyone, but alas I am not qualified.

An abusive marriage, a woman fighting to stay alive despite accusations, and a society centered around faith.

When events can't be explained it's easy to accuse women of being a witch. Through a series of events one woman will defy the odds in her quest to survive society, family, and her community.

If you are a fan of colonial america, suspense, and a journey to uncover the truth in a world where sometimes your word could sentence you to death.

Mary Deerfield is married to a man who hides his cruelty from the community and takes it out on her when they are alone. When he impales her hand she decides she can't take it any longer and leaves his house for her parents and files for divorce. But this is Boston in 1662 and women do not have a voice and witches are seen in every woman that tries to speak. Mary tries to use her voice and intelligence but will it be enough to save her.

I really wanted to love Hour of the Witch. The time period and the subject matter are some of my favorites. But, this book just isn't for me.

There are many good things about it. The story itself is stellar, and I'd love to keep reading. The characters are rich and believable. I can't get past the language.

I love that the author is so dedicated to keeping the language with the time period of the story, but it makes it too hard for me to read. While I love this type of language, trying to read an entire book in this voice drags me away from the story and I can't focus as well as I'd like.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF, but I hope to be able to finish one day.

I've never read anything by the author, but I was very intrigued by the premise.

A young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage.

Mary was a very intriguing character considering the time period. I was so sure that she was from another time period. The fact that she could and did advocate for herself when she was being abused by her husband and even went so far as to petition for a divorce. I was shocked.

I think my biggest problem with this book was kind of the length. It felt like Bohjalian stretched out parts of the plot that didn't need to be-- for instance Mary's search for companionship outside of her marriage. She was trying desperately to get out of her loveless, abusive marriage. I just can't see her letting herself get stuck in a situation that would cause issues with her divorce petition. I understand she might have wanted to find other voices to make her feel better about herself. But again the approach was a little too modern for a 17th century wife.

So while the plot was very interesting and I know it was based on a true story, I questioned some of it.

Thank you for the ARC.

So disappointed. Bohjalian's book are typically very good from the first sentence. This one, was jagged, disjointed and difficult to enjoy.

As someone who just toured Boston and Salem, I felt like this was the perfect book right now for me (not to mention, Halloween is a few weeks away!). The most impressive aspect of this novel is Bohjalian's ability to recreate the time period and setting with such historical accuracy. What made me even more of a fan is his effectiveness in recreating the true hysteria and stifling misogyny that existed back then (traces of which are still felt very much to this day).

"Hour of the Witch" tells the story of Mary Deerfield, a young woman who is struggling to survive her marriage to a violent, abusive man. After a particularly horrible event, Mary decides she can no longer live in this nightmare and decides to pursue a divorce. Well, this being 1662, you can imagine this is not an idea that is widely accepted or supported by her Bostonian neighbors. It's no surprise that Mary's strength, independence, and intelligence are immediately labeled as dangerous - thus, she must be a witch!

There were parts of the book that dragged a little for me, but that's pretty much the only aspect that prevented this from being a 5-star read for me. Otherwise, I was completely attached to Mary and her future and found myself feeling physically repulsed by both her husband and pretty much every other man who decided to judge and malign her. Not an easy read by any means, but one that is so historically spot-on and at times oddly relevant for today's culture.

Bonjalian is an author who I will always be curious about! I found his writing to be a bit dense, but the research He puts into his stories isImpressive.

This book was perfect for spooky season. One of the better stories I've set during this time period. I

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure how I felt about this book to be honest. I found the speaking style annoying (I know that’s how they spoke then but it was just irksome). I think there was a little too much time spent on her masturbation problem too.

Don't know if it's because it is October, or because I've always been fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials, or even because I have enjoyed so many of Chirs Bohjaian's novels, but I was super excited to read this book. This is an interesting take on the 17th century's fascination with witches, as it begins with a Puritan woman seeking a divorce from her cruel husband (learned a bit here!) that then devolves into accusations of witchcraft. Honestly, this was a "I need to do laundry, but I can't put this down" read for me that focuses on two trials, but also includes many details of Puritan life and expectations (especially related to women). Loved this and highly recommend to others with interest in this topic. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

This was written in a way that was a little difficult to get into. The language was hard to understand. The concept of the Puritan witch trials os intriguing to me.

First 50% is slow going but its oh so good! It you like realistic historical accounts of witches this is the book for you! Its basically a more realistic version of the Salem series which I loved as well!

This book was a wonderful history lesson. I mean that in the best possible way. A little different angle on the witch trials that took place in the 1600s. I adored the cleverness of the main character.

4.5 stars. Read and listened to audio. First I am in awe of the time and dedication to write a book in old English. It’s a talented author who takes the time to create a story and bring it to life in language so uncommon and with setting and characters I could reach out and touch.
Mary Deerfield's life was difficult and misunderstood. Her husband cruel and it's as if he is looking for a reason to leave her. The life of anyone, especially a woman in 1662, was hard. A woman had no voice, no standing, and was the property of her husband.
When she realizes she must leave her husband things seem to go very wrong, and soon she is on trial as a witch and she has little support. While she is guilty of looking at another man, and wanting a better life, little more is evil about Mary.
Cheers again for another Bohjalian book, I love his diversity and ability to write such in depth stories.