27 January, 2017

REVIEW: THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine Howe

Title: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
Author: Katherine Howe
Series: -
Genres: Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Witches
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Release: 2009
Source: Audiobook
Pages: 371

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BLURB:
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.
 


Well it is no secret that I love witches and books about witchcraft so yet another witchy book my way!


THE WORLD: So opposite to what I expected there isn't really much of magic in this book. Actually the world we are invited into is pretty much like ours with corrupted professors and unjust crazy people. It is more about history rather than witches because other than that tiny bit we don't really get to see much of witchcraft. And even that bit is a little bit unoriginal and not beautiful as one would expect. Oh well, at least we got these flashbacks to Salem trials so that is always a good things.

CHARACTERS: Our main character is Connie who is a history PhD student. Actually I do not know how it is in states but whole PhD process was so messed up. I am a scientist so I am not sure how it goes in history exactly but I know for sure that you do not study for four years all books that are out there and then have this huge oral exam where you are either allowed or not allowed to write your short thesis. I mean honestly this sounds like no PhD I have ever heard of. But yeah let's ignore this nonsense for a bit. I must admit when it comes to Connie she is dead boring and most naive PhD student I have ever come upon. I mean she is supposed to be this super smart girl who everybody looks up to but when she is set out to find this Deliverance Dane and all she is so stupid and has no common sense what so ever. You would expect years of Harvard taught her at least something but nope, not in this book. So yeah needless to say I did not like Connie. Her love interest was also boring but the worst was this crazy history Harvard professor who just went all evil. I mean such a predictable plot and such terrible development. I felt like I was watching cheap TV movie or something.

LOVE: So of course what woman without a man. I am so sick of this nonsense like the woman cannot be successful and happy unless she has a hotie besides her. Booooooo.

PLUS: There were some flashbacks back to Salem trials and people that lives post witch burnings, I really liked that part.

MINUS: As I mentioned even this book is supposed to be about witches I hesitate to call it really witch book There was just no actual magic or witchcraft or whatever you want to call it.

OVERALL: Was really not happy with this book. It was okayish I guess if you ignore the main flaws but all in all don't really recommend it much. Only if you are a hardcore witch fan like me who is set to read everything witchy out there.

What do you guys think about THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE?