Books of Late

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

This was my book club's pick this month. The story centers around one young girl's experience during the devastation of the Salem Witch Trials. I've read several other books on the trials but this one seemed to have a pretty distinct viewpoint. It didn't really glory in the gossip, propoganda or drama of the whole experience but instead tried to really show what the experience of living through the torment was like. The story is told years later so there isn't a huge sting of anger, just reflection on what her feelings as a ten year old girl were really like. I liked that it was pretty heartfelt and honest and didn't take itself too incredibly seriously. It's not a weighty historical work but an interesting story and worth reading.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevensen

Pirates, adventure and treachury seemed like good Halloween reading. I have a fabulous illustrated version that my Great Uncle bought me as a child and I read several times. I had never read the original book but decided to give it a try since I so enjoyed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was a fun read but definitely not my favorite of Stevensen's work.