Claustrophobic, atmospheric, suffocating. Chris Bohjalian has written a knockout historical fiction story with Hour of the Witch. This is...Salem-ish. It's more about being an outsider in a small community. About being a woman, not just a wife. About believing in yourself, not just in God or the Devil.

This book is...a perfect look at being a woman in the 1600's....and frankly...being a woman now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have to admit, I'm slightly obsessed with the history of witches in America, and this book did not disappoint. It is historical fiction, but I could see it being a story that happened over and over again during the 1600s in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Compelling while also remaining historically logical, I couldn't put this one down.

Mary Deerfield is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, and often falls to his very violent and cruel hand. She attempts to divorce him, which is almost unheard of at this time, but accusations of witchcraft and their furtive and possibly vengeful servant girl create a much more complicated scenario for Mary.

A page turner in every way, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

I don't know as though I can think of another author who has the range of Chris Bohjalian. No two of his novels are the same. As a result of his range, I can tell you that haven't elected to read all of his books, because the story lines do not all appeal to me, and I am totally good with that. I even stopped reading one of the books my book club chose because it wasn't for me. That being said, one of his books is one of my husband's favorites, and I first learned of the Armenian Genocide from another of his works that I loved (ok, I don't love genocide, but you get what I mean). This new work is another in a long line of excellent novels on diverse topics. It is definitely a slow burn, and the postscript at the end of every chapter doesn't do anything to hide where things are headed. Despite the span of centuries, the plot has many similarities to more recent times, although people don't often seem to write these days of people who come close to the edge of terrible crimes and step back from them. Even though we should expect it, the scenes is the 'courtroom' where we hear unsupported aspersions cast on her, are chilling. This is an absorbing story of a brave young woman.

Did not finish at 35%. I don't know if it was the old-fashioned language or slow moving plot, but I could not become engaged with this book or its characters. I'm not sure why this novel is being marketed as a thriller. If you enjoy historical fiction that is more about the setting than the plot, you might enjoy this book, it's just not for me.

Really interesting fictional account of a life as a woman during the Puritan times. Mary is a young woman with a mean husband who is not afraid to use physical reminders of his power over her. Mary is brave and more out-spoken than most women during that time, and files for divorce - a nearly unheard of activity in that time. Three-tine forks are found buried by Mary's door - are they just forks or are they the devil's sign? Mary works through the divorce proceedings and eventually finds herself accused of witchcraft - an accusation that often leads to a death sentence.
The book is very well researched and enlightening about life during this time.

After looking over other reviews, I think I am the only one who really did not like this book, which was so disappointing to me as I used to love all the books by this author. Lately? Not so much, but this was one I really did not like.

Set in the era of the Salem witch hunts, we have a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and in fact, speaks too much of it by far in front of the judges who disagree with her and hold it against her. As an attorney, I was appalled at the behavior of her at witness and felt she should have been restrained by the scrivener who represents her. On top of that, i did not like the treatment of attorneys as scum. Maybe it was true back then, but I didn't like it in the now.

There was not one character I liked. The abusive husband, the maid, the town gossip all took the top spots of those I didn't like, but even the outspoken wife, the men she encouraged, the clergy, the daughter in law were all not likeable for most of the book. In fact, the two "heathen" children of the excommunicated exiles were the only two I liked.

I do not condone abusiveness and really didn't like the descriptive parts where hubby was trying to "save her soul" and thought it was not necessary. In fact, the whole book was a turn off.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

"How do you know she's a witch?" The oft-quoted line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail that serves to highlight the utter non-sensical logic of the witch hunts of yore, kept echoing in my head as I read Bohjalian's latest novel. Set in Boston in the 1630's, it tells the tale of Mary, an abused young woman who simply seeks a divorce from her cruel husband. But it's not quite that simple for the puritans, whose piety and superstitions cause them to see the devil in just about everything - from the way she speaks to the utensils she uses to eat. The original form of 'gaslighting,' the men of (and women) of Boston are so steadfast in their beliefs that they have Mary even doubting herself and whether she is in fact, possessed by Satan.

I was enthralled by Hour of the Witch, frustrated with the Puritan attitudes and superstitions but nonetheless enthralled with Mary's story. Bohjalian's writing, as always, is spellbinding and he manages to capture the time period, the language, and the setting without overwriting it. I picked it up, and didn't put it down until I was done.

Fascinating historical fiction set in 1600s Boston, focusing on the plight of a woman trapped in an abusive marriage and just what she risks by speaking out and demanding justice.

What a great novel.
I have read most of Bohjalian's novels and next to Midwives, this is the best.
It was written about a fascinating time in 17th century America that was dominated by strict religious beliefs. If women did not behave or honor their husbands, they were accused of witchcraft.
There were great characters and twists and the ending was so perfect.
It will be released the first week in May. Loved every page!

Count this as another successful notch in Chris Bohjalian's belt. This novel of historical suspense was so interesting, filled with details about 1662 New England, and went places that I never expected it to. As a Massachusetts native, I've always held a fascination for the Puritans, as well as Salem and the witch trials, and I learned so much from this. The details and the claustrophobic atmosphere added to the tension that kept increasing with each chapter, and the culmination was completely unexpected. I have great admiration for Mary and the other strong-willed women that we read about here. Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the advance digital copy!

Another great book from Chris Bohjalian. Dark and suspensful and full of history from an awful time. I loved reading about the witch trials.

Chilling and propulsive, this historical thriller throws you into 1662 Boston, where accusations fly and “it was always possible that the Devil was present.” Desperate to escape her abusive husband, Mary Deerfield seeks divorce—but it’s a precarious time to be an independent woman. As mysterious events swirl around Mary, she realizes she’ll need to fight for more than a separation from her spouse. She needs to fight for her life. I didn’t think I cared about the Puritans, but this was atmospheric and riveting, all the way through the exceptional ending. Despite their religious reputation, the Puritans were brutal; this requires a few content warnings.

4.5 stars

I love reading about the witch trials that took place in Puritan times and thought this was a great historical fiction that incorporated just that.

Mary Deerfield is a devout woman, both to her husband and her faith, but one can only take so much abuse. Her husband, Thomas, is a cruel man and uses his words and hands to hurt his second wife, but when he stabs her hand with a three-tined fork, Mary finally decides enough is enough and petitions for divorce. The only problem is there are no witnesses to the abuse, and rumors have spread that she may be dabbling in witchcraft.

This story was definitely a suspenseful thriller, and I couldn’t wait to finish it. Though the dialogue was accurate for the time period, it didn’t slow me down, and by the end of the story I was very happy with how everything turned out.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction and anything/everything involving witches, then this is definitely the book for you!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3561862995

Dark, brooding tale of young wife, with an alcoholic and abusive older husband, who finds herself isolated in a harsh community while seeking a divorce. The historical setting reminds us that women of the late 1600’s had few rights and least among them was to live without fear. Hoping for a divorce, the protagonist learns the true cost of saying her truth out loud, she will be ostracized and labeled a witch. This book is best when the dialog is overlooked; it’s just too gimmicky, although I’m sure the author was seeking authenticity. The writing is gorgeous when left to narration. HOUR OF THE WITCH is a fascinating counter point to the present #metoo climate. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I have always been obsessed with researching and reading about The Salem Witch Trails so I was beyond excited to see one of my favorite authors write a book around witch’s I was like yes!!! Chris Bohjalian tells the tale of a woman Mary Deerfield. She was stuck in a bad marriage and when she tried to leave an investigation of witchcraft began!
Everytime I begin a book by Chris Bohjalian I always tell myself slowwwwww down! But his writing is amazing, the stories are always unique and I am instantly immersed into the book!

4.75 stars rounded up. This was a really good read. If you're at all interested in the Salem Witch Trials, you'll for sure want to pick this book up. It follows a young woman who gets swept up in the accusations. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley! I loved it!

I have always been fascinated by the early New England settlers fascination with witchcraft. In Bohjalian's newest novel, he brings to life the story of Mary Deerfield, a young woman with a mind that Puritan Boston was not ready for. Mary's relationship with her much older husband was difficult and abusive and Mary's attempt to obtain a divorce led to an investigation of witchcraft. The descriptions were rich, the plot moved fast and I found myself racing to finish this book. I definitely recommend it!

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian is a classic tale of the witch hysteria that took over the American colonies in the 17th century. The main character/witch on trial is Mary. She is a devoted Christian and wife. As with all of the 17th century witch trials none of these things were taken into consideration at her trial.

Mary is from a wealthy family in the British colonies in America. She travelled from London to the colonies with her mother and father to begin a new, more devout life in the new world. She is married off young, to a widower that is old enough to be her father and becomes step-mother to a daughter that is her own age. Unfortunately for Mary, her husband becomes abusive when he has too much drink, which leads in an off handed way to her witch trial.

I enjoyed this tale. It reads a lot like other books on the same subject with one poor soul being accused of witchcraft with no real proof or a way to prove their innocence. Witch hysteria was truly a sad time in our budding country and really illustrates how the mob mentality can take over any situation and matters can turn deadly very quickly. A reader cannot help but love and sympathize for Mary. She speaks her mind in a world that was ruled by men. She knows that they aren't really going to listen to her so she just goes ahead and says what's on her mind, which provides some good comic relief in the story to help breakup the seriousness of the subject. Hour of the Witch is a good book to help readers appreciate how far America has come in four hundred years.

Mary is married to an older man who is verbally and physically abusive and she is unable to get pregnant. She is not allowed to make any choices for herself or seek anything that might bring her happiness. Even worse- she's in 1662 Boston. So now she also has to worry about being accused of being a witch also.
I knew some of the history of this setting and time period but this book really portrayed the extreme Puritan beliefs of their society and how incredibly tricky it was to be a woman then. I thought this would be a little more of a thriller than it was but it was definitely tense and surprising timely. Mary has to use her cunning to try to escape her situation but her community and it's beliefs just have no place for a woman to have a voice at all and when she tries, she is labeled a witch.
I enjoyed this book as a historical fiction thriller. Can we please have more books in this niche category?? I have read and enjoyed a few other books by Bohjalian and now need to add his entire backlist to my TBR.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Chris Bohjalian’s new book, Hour of the Witch, is proof to me that even a beloved author sometimes writes a book that feels like a dud. Your mileage may vary, but despite having elements I usually love, this book just didn’t do it for me. I love journeying back in time—here we go to 1662-3 Boston. And yes, I love a good witch story. Unfortunately, this book felt stilted and depressing to me.

Our main character is the generally Godly wife, Mary Deerfield. She’s just 24 and married her much-older widower husband, Thomas, at 19. He is a successful businessman, but also a drinker. And particularly when drunk, he’s nasty and both emotionally and physically abusive. Mary is desperate for relief, possibly even escape from his clutches.

So, she asks the magistrates for a divorce from Thomas, on the grounds of cruelty. Her father is an even more successful businessman and, along with her mother, supports Mary’s desire. As the story progresses, the witch accusations bubble just under the surface. The family tries to keep Mary from being accused of witchcraft.

Considering that in 17th century Boston a woman willing to speak truth to power was considered possessed by the Devil, this is no small task. Despite the specter of spells and witchcraft, the reality is that Mary literally has no power in the face of these men, especially her husband who abuses her. Imagining what a woman’s life was like back then is nothing short of deeply depressing.

My conclusions
Mary’s Boston was a world of emotional suppression. Women expressing their feelings risked being branded a witch. Even being overly happy held the possible accusation of being less than devout. And reading page after well-written page utterly exhausted me. It also made connection with the characters harder.

Mary is from a devout family and there’s a lot of preaching and sermonizing in this book. Nearly every character follows the Puritan beliefs of extreme devotion to their religious beliefs. But still, the men are excused from accusations of bad behavior when then gamble, drink excessively, and beat their wives. The misogyny runs rampant. And all I pray now is that I never time travel to this time period, for I’d surely be burned at the stake for speaking my mind (among other things).

However, if a journey to this world appeals to you, perhaps Mary will inspire and enlighten you. She’s persistent and willing to sacrifice all to escape this nasty husband. Sadly, women today still fight these battles. Just with fewer accusations of witchcraft.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to NetGalley, Chris Bohjalian, and Doubleday Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for this honest review. Anticipated publication date is May 4, 2021.