Witch Child

By: Celia Rees

Narrated by: Jennifer Ehle

Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

It is 1659 and Mary Newbury, theyoung granddaughter of a witch, sees her wise and beloved grandmother tortured and hanged as a servant of the Devil. Then a stranger with hauntingly familiar eyes approaches her with an opportunity - safe passage to America. But the difficult ocean voyage only leads her to a community of inflexible, fearful grownups who try to decide for her who and what she will be. Mary must disguise herself as a pious Puritan girl, hiding her true nature, or else face terrible danger once again.

Now that the pages of Mary’s journal have come to light, discovered in their centuries-old hiding place between the patches of a quilt, listeners can experience what it was like living in a society where differences were feared and defiance was deadly.

©2002 Cynthia Rees (P)2009 Listening Library

Good listen

Short and sweet. Great performance throughout. Unexpected ending on my part. Better than I recall from reading in highschool

Loved it

The book was really incredible. Everything was mesmerizing and hypnotizing down to the narrators voice. Perfect nighttime book I just wish it was longer.

Good book, rich feel

I enjoyed the picture painted by the narration, I am from New England so can really relate to witches being persecuted......interesting read.

Witch Child

I loved the book, the history of Mary and others like her need to be remembered...What a terrible time in American history for Women....

History Comes to Life with Real Magic near Salem

A story of the narrow minded. Bless her for keeping a diary, I wonder how much of it is true. It's a beautiful thing to imagine how harmonious Indians where with the land. Varied culture has been greatly lost with the advent of pop culture, mainstream media, and corporations. The world is similar inside any border these days, this story gives you insight into a different time. Sad to think that people would give up so much to cross oceans for freedom only to find a worse kind of stifling terror because of childish boredom. This is a story of history; one girl-turned women's loss and struggle in the early dawn of the Salem witch trials. The diary implies much and ends abruptly. It also gives the idea that she has an engrained deeper magic in her blood.

You will have many musings while listening, or at least I did. I wonder how many buildings and settlements to this day desecrate Indian burial sites or other kinds of holy lands. We all can be close minded, even me, this story will definitely give you something to chew on regardless of your beliefs. Christian or otherwise - the true moral here is of truth, tolerance, fortitude, and suffering. The injustice of meddlers and bored seekers of false justice. I wonder what happened next?

Great narrator. Random music. Excellent book.

Not my favorite listen but well done from start to finish. I listened to the whole thing in one sitting.

This is a great book!

If you could sum up Witch Child in three words, what would they be?

Suspenseful,engaging,fabulous!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mary, she is such a powerful and sympathetic character.

What about Jennifer Ehle’s performance did you like?

Jennnifer Ehle brought this story to life and gave voice to Mary in such an amazing way. I read this book years ago and recommend it to my middle school students, but it was much better to listen to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire story is powerful.

Any additional comments?

I hope the sequel is done as well.

Great read

I loved this story! I will definitely read it again. The story plot was really good and kept menon the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what happens next.

A fantastic story!

One of my favorite books! I love listening to it over and over, especially while I drive.

A Glimpse Into the New World

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would if they enjoy history surrounding the Puritans and witch trials. The book was very captivating and kept me enthralled! The author wrote the book in a journal format which added a special spin on the story. It gave the story a different voice and captured a glimpse inside another's world.

What other book might you compare Witch Child to and why?

It has somewhat of the essence of "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare because the content and setting is similar.

Which character – as performed by Jennifer Ehle – was your favorite?

Jennifer Ehle did an amazing job on capturing the personality of the characters through her voice! Even with the men, she was able to use her voice range and tone to embody the characters. My favorite was the main character, Mary, because she was a free thinker and free spirit. She was a relate able character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did feel angry with the little girls who were accusing her of witchcraft and "making" them bend to her will. I thought the townspeople were brainwashed as if they were stuck in a cult mindset and it made me frustrated that people in the 1600s were so fanatical in Christianity that they hung or burned people for having natural gifts and talents.

Great read...fantastic narrator!

I was hooked on this book from the first few lines. The narrator is a perfect fit for the story. Very much enjoyed!