REVIEW: The Ruin of All Witches (Malcolm Gaskill)

Book: The Ruin of All Witches

Author: Malcolm Gaskill

Premise: In the frontier town of Springfield in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics, and the community becomes tangled in a web of spite, distrust and denunciation. The finger of suspicion falls on a young couple struggling to make a home and feed their children. 

This book is a non fiction account of a witch trial in New England, predating the trials at Salem. But it didn't just cover the trial. I learnt a lot about who was emigrating to the new world, how the settlements were set up, the politics and religion. A lot of history that helped form the backdrop of this trial.

The trial itself was fascinating, seeing how it snowballed into a whole litany of accusations against one particular couple. The sense of hysteria is infectious and I found I wanted Hugh to be found guilty! I felt so sorry for Mary, who was clearly suffering from a mental disorder, grief and her husband's anger.

Really interesting read.