Reader’s Den

Reader's Den: "The Heretic's Daughter" Week Two

Welcome to week two of this month’s Reader’s Den! The Heretic’s Daughter is Kathleen Kent’s first novel based on the Salem Witch Trials. While Kent did an extensive amount of research, the story is very close to her heart as she is a “tenth-generation descendant” of the main character, Martha Carrier. Her family was very proud of their ancestor's role in this tragic moment in history.

“I grew up hearing stories about Martha Carrier and the fact that she was the only woman that directly confronted her accusers and the judges. My grandmother took almost gleeful pride that Martha was so outspoken and contentious. She always used to say Martha Carrier was not a witch, just a ferocious woman.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

Click here to watch a video of Kathleen Kent discussing her fascinating family story and why she wrote the novel. Stop by next week as we begin our discussion of The Heretic’s Daughter!

Comments

Patron-generated content represents the views and interpretations of the patron, not necessarily those of The New York Public Library. For more information see NYPL's Website Terms and Conditions.

The Salem witch trials will

The Salem witch trials will always be a fascinating topic, I can't wait to read this book.

I read this book for a book

I read this book for a book discussion last year, and I really enjoyed reading it. And when I went to look for more historical fiction novels that take place during the time of the Salem Witch Trials, I didn't find too many. Of course the most well known fictional account of this time period is "The Crucible," but I really think that Kathleen Kent did an excellent job with creating the atmosphere of this time period. I really hope that you will enjoy the book as much as I did, Mark!