Hour of the Witch is a novel written by Chris Bohjalian. The story is set in 17th century Boston, during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. It follows the life of Mary Deerfield, a young Puritan woman who finds herself accused of witchcraft. Mary is trapped in an abusive marriage with her husband Thomas. Throughout the novel, she faces various challenges and hardships. When she decides to seek a divorce from Thomas, she becomes the center of attention in the small puritanical community.
With less than 70 pages left of the book at this point, this part has us thinking “Go! Get out! Run!” From the beginning, our hopes have been high that Mary leaves Thomas, and in the end, our wish is granted. After enduring a trial for witchcraft, Mary is sentenced to being hanged and has one more night in jail. In the middle of the night, Peregrine and Rebeckah, Mary’s best friend, break her out to help her get on the boat with Henry, who she was previously almost accused of adultery with. On their way, they run into a drunk Thomas. After a tension-filled encounter, Mary and Peregrine kill Thomas with a dagger and leave him to be discovered. We learn that all along Peregrine was the one planting the forks, and had tried to poison Thomas, knowing her father was a monster.
Mary s friendship with Constance makes it easy for people to believe that Mary is a servant of the Dark Lord because of the rumors associated with Constance. Mary s friendship with Constance makes it easy for people to believe that Mary is a servant of the Dark Lord because of the rumors associated with Constance.
When she decides to seek a divorce from Thomas, she becomes the center of attention in the small puritanical community. As the witch trials take place, Mary finds herself accused of witchcraft as a means to punish her for defying the traditional gender roles and the male-dominated society she lives in. She must now fight to prove her innocence and survive the hysteria of the times.
Hour of the Witch
A young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive historical thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.
Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four years old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue, and in England she might have had many suitors. But here in the New World, amid this community of saints, Mary is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man as cruel as he is powerful. When Thomas, prone to drunken rage, drives a three-tined fork into the back of Mary's hand, she resolves that she must divorce him to save her life. But in a world where every neighbor is watching for signs of the devil, a woman like Mary--a woman who harbors secret desires and finds it difficult to tolerate the brazen hypocrisy of so many men in the colony--soon finds herself the object of suspicion and rumor. When tainted objects are discovered buried in Mary's garden, when a boy she has treated with herbs and simples dies, and when their servant girl runs screaming in fright from her home, Mary must fight to not only escape her marriage, but also the gallows. A twisting, tightly plotted thriller from one of our greatest storytellers, Hour of the Witch is a timely and terrifying novel of socially sanctioned brutality and the original American witch hunt.
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Genres Historical FictionFictionHistoricalWitchesThrillerMysteryAudiobook
406 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2021
Book details & editions Loading interface. Loading interface.About the author
Chris Bohjalian 41 books 11.5k followersChris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 books. His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies and an Emmy-nominated TV series.
Look for his next novel on March 19, 2024: THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS. (Yes, you can preorder it as a hardcover, eBook, or on audio wherever you buy books.)
The paperback of THE LIONESS went on sale this summer. It is already in development for a limited TV series from e One and Marsh Entertainment. A luxurious African safari turns deadly for a Hollywood star and her entourage in this riveting historical thriller, about which the New York Times wrote in its spring preview, "Bohjalian steers this runaway Land Rover of a story into some wildly entertaining territory." The Boston Globe wrote, "Bohjalian, one of our finest storytellers, weaves his spellbinding magic."
Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist all gave it starred reviews.
His 2021 novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, is a tale of historical suspense set in 1662 Boston, a story of the first divorce in North America for domestic violence -- and a subsequent witch trial. Diana Gabaldon in her review in the Washington Post called it "historical fiction at its best." Danielle Trussoni in the New York Times called it "harrowing."
His 2020 novel, “The Red Lotus,” is a twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes on a rural road in Vietnam and his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor trained to ask questions, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they met, and is also in development for a TV series. In the New York Times, Sarah Lyall called it, “Terrific. . .[an] elegant noose of a plot. . .Bohjalian is a pleasure to read. He writes muscular, clear, propulsive sentences. . .As suspenseful as it is, The Red Lotus is also unexpectedly moving — about friendship, about the connections between people and, most of all, about the love of parents for children and of children for parents. Bohjalian is a writer with a big heart and deep compassion for his characters.”
His 2018 novel, “The Flight Attendant,” debuted as a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and National Indiebound Bestseller. It is now HBO Max TV series, starring Kaley Cuoco. Season two landed in April 2022.
He is also a playwright and screenwriter. He has a new play, "The Club," arriving at the George Street Playhouse in February 2024,
His other plays include his adaptation of his novel, "Midwives," and "Wingspan," (originally called "Grounded").
His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.
His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for The Sandcastle Girls, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for The Night Strangers; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for The Sandcastle Girls; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Trans-Sister Radio; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His novel, Midwives,was a number one New York Times bestseller, a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and a New England Booksellers Association Discovery pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.
Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst C
The themes in Hour of the Witch are universal: A young woman seeks to escape her husband's abuse and also the patriarchal culture that allows such abuse to persist. By demanding to be released from her marriage, Mary faces judgement that victims of violence from intimate partners still experience today. What makes this novel remarkable and compulsively readable is Bohjalian’s uncanny ability to capture the Puritan perspective. Mary’s manner of thinking is heavily informed by her religion and also by superstition; ultimately, she must break away from those structures in order to survive.
Hour of the Witch explores themes of sexism, religious fanaticism, and the power dynamics within a society. It also delves into the limitations and restraints imposed on women during that time period. Chris Bohjalian's writing style is engaging and immersive, allowing readers to experience the fear and turmoil that Mary faces. The novel also provides historical insights into the Salem Witch Trials, shedding light on the societal tensions and beliefs that fueled the hysteria. Overall, Hour of the Witch is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that combines historical fiction with a captivating story. It tackles complex issues and offers a perspective on an infamous period in history, making it a must-read for fans of historical fiction and those interested in the Salem Witch Trials..
Reviews for "Unraveling the Historical Context of 'Hour of the Witch"
1. - Emily - 1 star - "Hour of the Witch was a major disappointment. I had high hopes for this novel as I am a fan of historical fiction, but the story and characters fell flat for me. The protagonist, Mary, lacked depth and I couldn't connect with her struggles at all. The plot was predictable and lacked any real suspense or excitement. Overall, I found the book to be dull and unengaging, and I wouldn't recommend it to others."
2. - John - 2 stars - "I was really looking forward to reading Hour of the Witch, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The pacing of the story was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest in the plot multiple times. The historical backdrop of the Salem witch trials should have made for a captivating read, but it felt underutilized and lacking in detail. The characters were also forgettable and lacked depth. Ultimately, I found this novel to be a missed opportunity and not worth the time investment."
3. - Sarah - 2.5 stars - "Hour of the Witch had its moments, but overall, it was a mediocre read. The premise of a woman accused of witchcraft in 17th-century New England intrigued me, but the execution fell short. The writing style felt rather flat, and I struggled to stay engaged with the story. While the historical aspects were interesting, the characters lacked development, and the romance felt forced and unnecessary. Overall, it was an average read that failed to leave a lasting impression."
4. - Mark - 1.5 stars - "I found Hour of the Witch to be quite disappointing and struggled to finish it. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked depth and originality. The characters felt one-dimensional, and I couldn't invest in their journeys. Additionally, the dialogue was often clunky and unnatural, making it difficult to immerse myself in the story. While the historical setting was interesting, the execution was lackluster. I wouldn't recommend this book to those looking for a captivating and well-crafted historical fiction novel."