This novel looks back at a pretty dark time in American history, the witch trials of Salem. Kent is actually a 10th generation descendant of Martha Carrier, who was hanged as a witch in 1692, and writes the story of Sarah, Martha's daughter. Sarah is only 9 years old when her mother, brothers and herself are all charged and imprisoned for witchcraft. She very poignantly tells her tale looking back over the many years of her life. It is hard to imagine a time when whole communities could be taken in by something so irrational but the fear and uncertainty brought on by a life that was hard and unpredictable along with the pettiness of man set a strong back drop for the events which took place.I really appreciated this intimate portrayal of the Salem witch trials. Where The Crucible set the stage for the events, the Heretic's Daughter gave detail and made it real for me.
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