Oldies But Goodies
{Put This One on Your TBR List}
Book Review: The
Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
by Karen S. Wiesner
Note that this book is also published under the title The Lost Book of Salem. I was drawn to the cover of this book when it first came out in 2009 (see it below, though the reproduction is washed out). The cover you see below the original is a newer version. The first edition, in tones of brown, doesn't include the girl on it. The original, I feel, is such a beautiful cover and the back cover blurb on the slipcover leaves of the hardcover was equally compelling.
I took a chance and purchased it when it first came out. I was very pleased with the wonderfully written story with deep, complex characters and a thrilling mystery. The main character, college student and daughter of the university president, Connie Goodwin, is working on her doctoral dissertation. She's spending the summer clearing out of her grandmother's cottage so it can be put up for sale. While there, she comes across a parchment including the name of one of her ancestors--Deliverance Dane, an accused witch from 1692. From there, Connie hunts for Deliverance's spell book, The Physick Book, and in the process discovers her own, previously unimagined power. (Incidentally, physick--pronounced fizz-ick--is what medicine was called in those times, usually implying herbal remedies.)
I personally love books that are set within halls of academia and scholarly research. (Favorites of mine include Charlie Lovett's books--which have little or no supernatural elements--and are similar to this, just as fascinating.) This one is intertwined with 17 Century witch trial narrative, another fascination for me. Combined with danger and nail-biting suspense, you really can't go wrong. If you've already read The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane once upon a time, it may be time for a second perusal. In the course of writing this review, I discovered there was a sequel called The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, following Connie's adventures as an expert on America's witchcraft history, which I intend to pick up and possibly review here at a later time.
Next week, I'll review another Oldie But Goodie you might find worth another read, too.
Karen Wiesner is an award-winning,
multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.
Visit her website here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/
and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog
Find out more about her books and see her art
here: http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor
Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/
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