Sarah Good was a poor, homeless woman who lived in Salem Village in the late 17th century. She was known for her eccentric behavior, which often included talking to herself and behaving erratically. Due to her social status and strange behavior, many people in the village viewed her with suspicion and mistrust. In 1692, Salem Village was plagued by a wave of witchcraft hysteria. Several young girls in the village began experiencing fits and claiming to be possessed by witches. This set off a chain reaction of accusations, as the girls pointed fingers at various members of the community, including Sarah Good.
One other notable thing that I love is the flowery language. You don’t have just clouds in the evening, we get a description of the pink glimmer of the clouds passing in the sunset between night and day. Chocola doesn’t simply use rose petals for her magic potion, it’s nine sweet pink heart shaped rose petals. This is consistent through the series and gives it a lot of personality and it’s not something I’m used to seeing in a manga. A lot of the descriptions are related to food too which makes me crave for sweets… The initially dumbass Chocola also gets some depth when we see that her thoughts have similar ornate descriptions of the scenery.
I love how supportive they remain of each other, they always defend their friend when someone speaks ill of them, even Vanilla when she turns to the Ogres and resents Chocola. She also has great character development and grows from an impatient brat to a more mature witch, and the growth of her magic skills is very believable too.
This set off a chain reaction of accusations, as the girls pointed fingers at various members of the community, including Sarah Good. Sarah Good, along with two other women, Sarah Osborne and Tituba, were the first to be accused of witchcraft. However, Good's reputation as a social outcast made her an easy target for accusations.
Closing thoughts on Sugar Sugar Rune
Especially after so many repetitive magical girl stories I really appreciate how the story bothers to do different things. It starts with a “heart of the week” kind of structure where the heroines face magical and mundane issues in the human world, but towards the end we spend more and more time in the magic world and the plot turns to a fantasy adventure. Adults moving the politics in the background also makes it feel like the main girls aren’t the only thing that exists in this universe. The story flounders a bit towards the end (jumping to school drama after an epic adventure in the magical world sometimes feels jarring, my Hated Trope “Forgotten Childhood Friends” appears, the politics turns to just some random senate guys being greedy, Vanilla fixes everything during a timeskip) but on the whole the manga is still enjoyable.
In addition to the fun setting there’s also the unique mechanisms with how the magic works. The heroines compete on who will collect most crystallised emotions from the human world. This doesn’t work just by shooting a magic beam at people and instead they must manipulate their target to have the desired emotion. Which leads to good character development when the girls must learn how to be charismatic enough for tons of boys to have a crush on them. The heart crystals are also used as currency and energy source so they feel more like a part of the world and not just a random collectible that’s relevant in the one scene the characters get it.
The greatest thing is still the characters, or especially Chocola. I love how assertive and confident she is, and not in the “still reasonably cute and well-behaved for a girl” style. Truly one of the best magical girls out there, it’s very clear why she’s so popular in the story (or it takes a while in the human world). She also has great character development and grows from an impatient brat to a more mature witch, and the growth of her magic skills is very believable too. Vanilla is good too, she has the “shy girls gets confidence” plot but it’s well executed. It’s a shame though that her character arc sort of ends in the middle of the story when she turns good again and doesn’t have much to do after that.
Chocola and Vanilla’s relationship does a great job at exploring what a friendship between such different girls can be instead of just stopping at them being BFFs. Chocola is a great friend in that she is always ready to defend Vanilla, but also completely fails to see that not everyone can keep up with her and that she can be somewhat of a spotlight hog (would love to see more protagonists like this). And Vanilla is the nice amicable girl who is secretly bitter towards her more confident friend. Still their relationship doesn’t turn into angsty drama about how the whole friendship was a lie or something, and everything can be resolved with communication. I love how supportive they remain of each other, they always defend their friend when someone speaks ill of them, even Vanilla when she turns to the Ogres and resents Chocola.
One other notable thing that I love is the flowery language. You don’t have just clouds in the evening, we get a description of the pink glimmer of the clouds passing in the sunset between night and day. Chocola doesn’t simply use rose petals for her magic potion, it’s nine sweet pink heart shaped rose petals. This is consistent through the series and gives it a lot of personality and it’s not something I’m used to seeing in a manga. A lot of the descriptions are related to food too which makes me crave for sweets… The initially dumbass Chocola also gets some depth when we see that her thoughts have similar ornate descriptions of the scenery.
The art is so beautiful as well, I love the memorable style and the backgrounds give the story a fairytale-like feel. The background characters also have very detailed designs, and even the men get fabulous outfits. Speaking of outfits, Sugar Sugar Rune has some of the best magical outfits ever and rivaled only by CLAMP in how fun and creative they are (CLAMP wins by sheer volume but I like the faces of the SSR characters way more)
- theautismarcana понравилось это
Chocola and Vanilla’s relationship does a great job at exploring what a friendship between such different girls can be instead of just stopping at them being BFFs. Chocola is a great friend in that she is always ready to defend Vanilla, but also completely fails to see that not everyone can keep up with her and that she can be somewhat of a spotlight hog (would love to see more protagonists like this). And Vanilla is the nice amicable girl who is secretly bitter towards her more confident friend. Still their relationship doesn’t turn into angsty drama about how the whole friendship was a lie or something, and everything can be resolved with communication. I love how supportive they remain of each other, they always defend their friend when someone speaks ill of them, even Vanilla when she turns to the Ogres and resents Chocola.
She was seen as an outsider and someone who did not fit into the tight-knit community of Salem Village. Good was arrested and brought to trial, where she vehemently denied the charges of witchcraft. However, her defense was weakened by her own erratic behavior, which many saw as further evidence of her guilt. Despite her protests of innocence, she was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to death. The execution of Sarah Good, along with the others accused of witchcraft, marked a dark period in American history known as the Salem Witch Trials. This hysteria, fueled by fear and superstition, resulted in the loss of innocent lives and shattered communities. The case of Sarah Good highlights the dangers of mass hysteria and the devastating consequences it can have on individuals. It serves as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking, individual rights, and the need for evidence-based justice. Overall, Sarah Good's story is a tragic one, showcasing the destructive power of fear and prejudice. Her status as a social outcast made her an easy target for accusations, and her eventual execution is a stark reminder of the dangers of mob mentality and the erosion of justice..
Reviews for "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria: A Tale of Innocence Lost"
1. John - 1/5 - I found "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria" to be extremely boring and monotonous. The story failed to capture my interest, and I struggled to make it through the entire book. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them on any level. Additionally, the plot was predictable and lacked any exciting or unexpected twists. Overall, I was disappointed with this novel and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - 2/5 - While "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria" had an intriguing concept, I found the execution to be lacking. The writing style was dull and uninspiring, making it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The pacing was slow, and the plot dragged on without any real sense of urgency. The characters felt underdeveloped and lacked complexity, which made it challenging for me to invest in their journeys. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations and left me feeling disappointed.
3. Jessica - 2/5 - I was highly disappointed with "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria." The book lacked any real substance and failed to captivate me. The plot felt disjointed and lacked cohesion, with various subplots introduced but never fully explored or resolved. Moreover, the characters were forgettable, and their actions often felt forced and unbelievable. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this novel, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling and well-written story.
4. Robert - 3/5 - "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria" had promising potential, but it fell short in execution. The concept was fascinating, but the pacing was uneven, with slow sections that made it difficult to stay engaged. The characters were somewhat interesting, but they lacked depth and development. While the book had its moments, overall, I was left wanting more depth and substance from the story. Despite its flaws, it may still appeal to readers with a strong interest in witchcraft and historical fiction.
5. Elizabeth - 2/5 - Unfortunately, "Sarah Good and the Witchcraft Hysteria" did not meet my expectations. The narrative was disjointed and confusing, making it difficult to follow the storyline. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, which hindered my ability to connect with the characters. Additionally, the pacing was off, with slow moments that felt unnecessary and dragged the story down. Overall, I found this book to be a lackluster read that failed to engage me or leave a lasting impression.