Breck Baumann's Reviews > The Witches: Salem, 1692

The nightmarish and—in almost all circumstances—ridiculous superstitions that were carried over from the Old World to the colony of Massachusetts are brilliantly discussed in historian Stacy Schiff’s retelling of the Salem Witch Trials. By using a multitude of late-seventeenth century primary source materials from the innocent, guilty, accusers, defendants, clergymen, and townspeople alike, Schiff’s narrative travels in the shape of a figure eight. Indeed, the text flows evenly and agreeably, where supposedly irrefutable accusations and alleged devil-worshiping activities are both acknowledged and countermanded, complete with factual evidence and skeptical reasoning.

From the opening pages, Schiff gives the reader a full-fledged background of the steps leading up to the eventual hangings and executions of fourteen women, five men, and two unfortunate dogs—all of whom are caught up in the conspiracies and superstitions of the age. What at first is perceived as an eerie historical topic instead becomes that of a thrilling mystery, with Schiff's chronicle being a fun and provocative take on how a small quiet town can have drastic long-term effects on an entire nation’s history through sheer ignorance, imagination, and lies. Schiff does a phenomenal job in describing the emotions, livelihoods, personalities, and religious leanings of each of the separate characters in her narrative—including such famous names as Samuel Sewall, Cotton and Increase Mather—as well as the more audaciously outspoken accusers and sound-minded skeptics during the ordeal:

Even before that trip, Brattle had chafed at New England provincialism. He tended to believe simple solutions the best ones, a novel idea in Boston; in many ways he seemed to have parachuted into 1692 from another century altogether. As much as he today makes his compatriots sound like an extinct species engaging in a medieval rite, he was no rabble-rouser. It was Brattle who prefaced his remarks with the caveat that he preferred to bite off his fingertips than cast aspersions on authority. He did not however believe men to be infallible. When they erred, it was essential to speak up.

Further on, Schiff extensively captures each and every one of the accusations, lies, consequences, and proceedings that played a crucial role in the trials of the alleged "witches" and their eventual sentencings—equally giving due credit to both primary and secondary resources used throughout her research. Her writing is highly appealing and full of the type of excitement and fearful drama necessary for a work of history on wickedness and dark tidings in Colonial America. The reader will come away with new insight and a comparative (albeit, negative) outlook of the Mather clan; a family whom historians were overly-favorable to for centuries. The book itself comes packed full of further study and sections outside of the main story: with a helpful 'Cast of Characters' and a map of Massachusetts Bay featured in the opening pages, as well as over twenty-five unique illustrations—each accompanied with a short, yet detailed description.

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