Susannah Morrow [Mass Market Paperback]

Megan Chance (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Capturing the extraordinary drama of the Salem witch trials, one of the most horrific yet intriguing periods in American history, this novel offers a fascinating psychological insight into the sexual repression that spawned the witch hunts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The infamous Salem witch trials are staged once again in thishistorically accurate yet oddly flat novel. Three characters narratethe tale: 15-year-old Charity Fowler; her father, Lucas; and hermaternal aunt, Susannah Morrow. The novel opens in 1691 as Charity,devastated and increasingly uncertain, struggles to cope with both theloss of her mother in childbirth and the abrupt departure of her firstlove. The easily led teenager seeks solace in a group of manipulativegirls, who insinuate that evil is lurking in their insular,superstitious little town. As Charity loses her grasp on reason,Lucas, a God-fearing man who has tended his family the best he can butis hobbled by his piety, takes the reins of the narrative. Tormentedby his sexual longings and uneasy about his stern treatment of hisdaughters, he commits grievous errors in judgment. The hysteria overthe alleged presence of witches in the village-as documented by thecrazed "fits" of young girls-has paralyzed the community whenSusannah's voice takes over. Her London background and her strength,sensuality and courage inevitably make her a victim of the madness,but her lucid narration carries the reader through the horror ofescalating accusations and unmerited punishment. Chance's clear-eyednarrative doesn't slide into sensationalism, but with the exception ofthe intriguing and well-drawn title character, it adds little to thewell-known story.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Told from the perspective of a victim, her accuser, and the accuser's father, this tale of the Salem witch trials is gripping from its very opening pages. Sixteen-year-old Charity Fowler's mother has just died, and her beautiful Aunt Susannah arrives from England on the same day. Lucas Fowler, Charity's father, is a deeply religious but emotionally distant Puritan who has repressed his own love for his daughter since her birth to focus instead on saving her soul. Charity thus turns to a group of teenage girls in Salem for acceptance. When Aunt Susannah interrupts the girls' visit to a local tavern, she becomes the target of a vicious and tragic sequence of events that eventually lead to her imprisonment as a witch. Most of the supporting characters in this novel are actual historical figures who were involved in the Salem witch trials. Romance writer Chance (The Way Home) has brought believability and immediacy to this dark chapter in American history with a story that can be recommended to a wide spectrum of readers and book discussion groups. Every public library will want to own this.
Kim Rutter, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Reprint edition (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446613231
• ISBN-13: 978-0446613231
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,997,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Charity, Lucas, and Susannah, June 1, 2007

By 

Linda Pagliuco "katknit" (CT, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Susannah Morrow (Mass Market Paperback)

Sometimes I wonder what life must have been like for those living in Salem village in 1692. From the modern standpoint, it can be difficult to accept that these people could have been so easily swept away by what is now viewed as mass hysteria and rampant superstition. To me the value of books like Susannah Morrow is that they examine the impact of such unbelievable episodes on the lives of a few ordinary people. Chance's approach, to tell aspects of the story from the perspective of 3 members of one family, provides insight into how what happened could happen. Charity, the first narrator, has just suffered the loss of her mother and is struggling with grief and her own emerging sexuality. Her conflicts are those of the adolescent. Lucas is also struggling with his wife's death and the allure of his newly arrived sister-in-law, Susannah, who is surrounded by an aura of mystery and who possesses the warmth of spirit that so frightened the Puritans. He is a man who recognizes his own sexual needs but views them as sinful. Finally, Susannah herself, a freer thinker who badly wants to embrace her new family but can't manage to crack that Puritan shell surrounding them.
Loss is the central theme of this novel. Loss of loved ones, loss of one's own spirit, loss of personal and community control, loss of logic and reason and trust. Susannah Morrow helps the modern reader to suspend the 21st century mindset and view life from the perspective of those living in a wild, poorly understood environment both natural and of their own making. This is no historical romance, but a nice piece of historical fiction.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Salem's Best Witch, November 2, 2006

By 

Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Susannah Morrow (Hardcover)

Megan Chance has taken the true incident of the Salem Witch Trials and woven an excellent story around the events. Susannah Morrow is an outstanding piece of historical fiction coupled with suspense as we watch the descent into hell of a village and its occupants.

Susannah arrives in Salem Village on the night her sister, Judith, dies in childbirth. Susannah is a attractive and flambouyant, and possesses a somewhat murky past that definitely includes several lovers and possibily a stage career. Needless to say, she doesn't fit in well with the local villagers, though she decides to stay in Salem in order to take care of her sister's widower and his three daughters. As the story progresses, Charity, the eldest daughter, comes to believe her mother's specter is telling her that Susannah is evil; this idea is only reinforced for Charity when she begins to sense the growing attraction between her father, Lucas, and her aunt. Charity, desperate to fit in, begins hanging around with some girls of questionable character, and when they begin to "see" witches, she allows herself to be led into the madness. We watch in stunned silence as Charity herself begins to accuse innocent women and men, and we see the village collapse upon itself as the rumors and accusations grow wilder.

Chance has taken a dark time in America's early history and made it come alive through her tight writing and her excellent use of overlapping points of view. This book will keep you turning the pages until you reach the end, tired and satisfied. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting View of A Popular Topic, July 2, 2005

By 

Kelly A. fuller "certified book nut" (Pennsville, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Susannah Morrow (Mass Market Paperback)

Although I have read alot of book set during the Salem Witch Trials, this one still stands out to me. Susannah Morrow is a great book, filled with intrigue, seduction, sexual tension, jealousy, and of course accusation. Meghan Chance did a wonderful job giving voices to this characters, based on actual people. This is an all together satisfying book.