Gallows Hill
Thomas Stillbrooke and Patience Woodstock, the two narrators and main characters of this novel, delineate the horrors of the colonial-era Salem witch trials in their interactions with family, friends, and the larger community. Thomas is newly arrived from England. His father died on the ship, leaving the fifteen-year-old an orphan in charge of his younger sister. Though bright, Thomas lacks education and a marketable skill to support them. He is also a Quaker, a sect that the Puritans do not trust.
Patience is the daughter of a fishmonger who does not make an adequate living to support his family. She is a firm Puritan but has serious doubts about the current witch hunts, even though her sister Abigail claims to be afflicted by witches.
As the well-developed plot follows this pair, it reveals much about the religious intolerances, social prejudices, and economic difficulties the early colonists experienced. Ruby’s dialogue is sharp and real, especially capturing the thoughts and feelings of the characters. An example occurs when Thomas and Patience inadvertently confront each other in the same words: “You are a prisoner of your faith.”
One bit of caution: Descriptions about how the suspected witches are treated are strong, perhaps almost too graphic. While Ruby includes an author’s note about historical events and questions relevant to this novel, a more specific bibliography on her research would be appropriate.
