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.

Mary lives Boston during a time when the world was new. In the 1600s, everyone was on the lookout for the devil in disguise. Mary has found it in her husband when he drives a fork through her hand, and she vows to divorce him. But when mysterious events begin happening, she is not only trying to get away from him but the gallows as well.

I am astounded at how thought provoking, yet interesting this story was. The book shows the stereotypes people face when witch hunts were on the rise. The fear, the madness that ensued, was all perfectly captured in this book. I especially loved that the author gave Mary the voice to want a divorce, when that wasn't commonplace at the time.

The book did have its pacing issues where it wasn't consistent and caused the story to drag. The dialogue was also off for me, and didn't feel realistic, for current times or the 1600s.

I was excited to read this because it was about a Puritan witch trial. However, they’re were many scenes that made me very uncomfortable. I felt for Mary and hated how much hardships she had to endure. Thus, I found it hard to keep going as every horrible moment let happening to her and it seemed like things would not get better. Still, Mary is a strong heroine. I recommend this for fans The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Heretic’s Daughter, and Tituba!

Wow ! What a book. Great historical content, with a compelling story. Could be tied to the #metoo movement of this generation. Features a strong woman and how she fights her circumstances. Great book for discussion.

A very timely novel, well written and researched. This story is fiction, but could just as well have been true as it is based on historical events. The plot is captivating, the pace of the story makes the reader want to keep turning pages until 3 AM to finish this book. Unfortunately, the slump that follows the completion of the book makes the reader wish they had savored it more despite the desire to burn through the pages.

I greatly enjoyed this book. The only thing I disliked about it was the horrible book hangover it left me with. Highly recommended.

Boston in 1662 was a scary time for women. I have always found myself fascinated by this time period and this book did not leave me dissapointed. I feel like the author, Chris Bohjalian has a way about him to write not only historical but add that thriller context to it.