Wicked Girls: a Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill
Through gripping verse, the story of the Salem Witch Trials is told from the point of view of several of the accusers themselves. A fictionalized account, the book captures the lies and hysteria of Salem in 1692, embracing the theory that the girls were deliberately telling lies. There is Ann Putnam, Jr. who leads the group of girls despite the fact she is 12 and others in the group are 17. She is the daughter of a prominent man in Salem. Her servant, Mercy Lewis, is also an accuser. Beautiful and tempting to many, she finds a haven in accusing others of witchcraft. Ann’s cousin, Margaret Walcott, is a girl in love and struggling to hold onto the boy. Her beloved will not stand for the accusations, so she is torn between her friends and her heart. These three girls form the center of the novel, each making accusations for different reasons, each lie leading to another, until nineteen people are killed in the name of piety.
Hemphill’s poems are beautifully constructed, they lend depth to the book at the same time they manage to move the story forward. Each girl has a distinct personality and perspective that comes through in the poems. The author weaves symbolism of the time into the poems, always making sure that these are girls of that period who have the concerns and sensibilities of that time. Yet at the same time, modern girls will understand the aches of love, the power of lies, and the group dynamics that are inherent here.
Hemphill tells the story from the girls’ points of view, allowing readers to see into their thought patterns and what drove them to do it. This perspective makes the book particularly gripping and powerful. She also frames the poems with the seasons, capturing each turn of the season in a poem. Each of these separate poems that is not one from a girl’s view has a decorative corner on the page, marking them as separate. It is a subtle and important touch.
This is a powerful book that speaks to a horrific time in Salem and is told in verse that illuminates all. Appropriate for ages 13-15.
Reviewed from library copy.
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Waking Brain Cells 