Title: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
Author: Katherine Howe
Publisher: Voice
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
From the inside flap:
A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history-the Salem witch trials.
Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie’s grandmother’s abandoned home near Salem, she can’t refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest–to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.
As the pieces of Deliverance’s harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem’s dark past then she could have ever imagined.
Written with astonishing conviction and grace, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the witch trials of the 1690s and a modern woman’s story of mystery, intrigue, and revelation.
My mother brought The Physick Book of Deliverence Dane home from the library for me, thinking I would like it, and I’ll admit, I was a bit trepidatious. I love historical fiction, and anything to do with witches and other fantastical elements, but I’m not a big fan of American history, and I’ve read a good deal of bad historical fiction recently, so I was wary, especially since the title seemed to be trying to hard with the “Physick” part. Fortunately, however, when I actually started reading it (out of desperation, as a ploy to get away from familial obligations!), I got hooked and couldn’t put it down until I finished!
As with many historical fiction novels these days (or at least the ones I have finished!), The Physick Book of Deliverence Dane switches back and forth between modern day and the historical time period being investigated. While I like this in certain circumstances (like The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and the rest of that series), I didn’t feel like it particularly added anything that special to this particular book. Also, the author kept switching between time periods, from one generation to the next, and then back to the first generation, so it was sometimes annoying and unclear as to what the purpose was. [small spoiler alert!] I feel that since Connie was already having visions, perhaps the author could have worked in the pertinent information in that way rather than resorting to the “Interludes” (as she calls them). [/end tiny spoiler]
But, enough of that. As a student, particularly as a student contemplating graduate school, this book really spoke to me and my love of scholarship. Don’t worry, it’s not too heavy on that “boring” stuff, but I noticed it because I like that sort of thing. Connie as a character was, for the most part, well drawn. I didn’t feel any particular connection with her specifically, but rather with the story and the writing. Take that as you will.
There are certainly fantasy elements of the story (it is about witches after all!), but I think that even if you don’t like fantasy, you would still be able to enjoy this book, since the magic simply works in the context of the story. I really loved the author’s explanation of the witches power, while still working in a comparison to the more prevalent views on that period in history.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Physick Book of Deliverence Dane and wouldn’t mind picking it up again at a later date or recommending to a friend, as I am doing now with you. Happy reading!
