When Light Breaks Through: A Salem Witch Trials Story
This is the story of Ann Putnam, one of a group of girls who claimed to be bewitched in or around Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. As the story begins, Ann is a young girl who helps her mother take care of their home and family. However, she then gets swept up in a conspiracy led by a group of her friends which leads to the death of many women (and men) who are maliciously accused of being witches. As Ann’s life progresses, she looks back with regret on her actions. This is also the story of Reverend Joseph Green and his attempts at reuniting Salem, gaining redemption for Ann and others, and restoring the spirit of the town. He eventually begins looking into what really happened in Salem.
This novel is both captivating and horrifying, as it tells how a group of girls were able to manipulate whole communities into a rage that resulted in destitution and death for innocent people. The author does a great job of expressing Ann’s bewilderment as a child’s prank turns into real adult legal proceedings with very serious consequences. Ann’s helplessness and inability to stop what she had started are also expertly conveyed. When Joseph Green comes into the story, several years have passed, and he is tasked with trying to mend the breach between the families of those who had been killed and the families of the accusers. His efforts to uncover the truth of what happened are fascinating. Many have heard of the Witch Trials, but this unique novel also walks the reader through the aftermath and the many years of healing required to get past this event. Anyone who is interested in the history of the Salem witch trials and especially what happened afterwards will enjoy this fictionalized retelling.
