In Focus

This month’s book for book club was Hour of the Witch, a bestselling historical fiction novel by Chris Bohjalian. Set in Puritan Boston in 1662, the story follows 24-year-old Mary Deerfield and the abuse she suffers at the hands of her husband, Thomas.

After the abuse reaches the point of Thomas stabbing Mary in the hand with a three-tined fork, she seeks a divorce. However, the court refuses to grant it. It is an irritating reminder of the patriarchal society of the time, when women had few options and were often expected to simply accept their husbands’ behavior.

Life in Puritan Boston revolved around the church. If the church did not approve of you, you could be excommunicated or viewed as evil or even a witch. Simply having an opinion or expressing an independent thought could draw suspicion. Associating with someone who was considered an outcast could also put you at risk. Intelligence and independence were not always viewed favorably in women, either.

Mary eventually falls in love with another man. Still trapped in her terrible marriage, she considers poisoning Thomas but changes her mind at the last moment. Instead, she and her lover make plans to escape to Jamaica. Their plan fails when Thomas has Mary arrested and accused of witchcraft.

Throughout the story, Mary keeps finding buried forks and pagan symbols around her home. She tries to figure out who is responsible, not realizing that Thomas has planted the items as part of his plan to have her accused of witchcraft.

At her trial, Mary is unfairly found guilty and sentenced to hang the following morning. However, she is eventually freed with the help of Thomas’ daughter and a mutual friend.

The ending was quite satisfying and brought the story to a good conclusion.

Overall, Hour of the Witch was a good mystery to read and try to solve. My biggest complaint was the old-fashioned language. While it was true to the time period, I found it somewhat annoying to read at times. But still, it was an interesting historical mystery and a good book to start off the spooky season.