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Silence Marsh appreciates her life. She is a Puritan woman from a loving family who marries the town constable. She has questions now and then about the harsh Separatist doctrine of her church but quickly shuts down such thoughts. However, after a series of tragic events take many of her loved ones from her, Silence lashes out in her grief during a church meeting. Calls of blasphemy soon have Silence on trial in front of the leering magistrate Fellows. Her sentence includes a day of torture and humiliation, and Silence must remain silent for a year.
Her father is also burdened with heavy monetary debt as well as the shame the town pours on the family. Silence initially feels chastised and guilty over the cost to her family, but as time passes, she grows more defiant. She also begins receiving medical care from a Boston doctor who finds the entire drama cruel and outdated. Twenty years removed from the Salem witch trials, Silence will once again be brought under the harsh scrutiny of the church when an abused girl speaks up.
Tracey has written an engaging historical drama about loss and redemption in the shadow of the early American church. The germ of the story originated from researching her own family tree and learning about a relative named Silence. Tracey has clearly done extensive research and has the professional ability to weave the details deftly into the narrative, transporting the reader into the world her characters inhabit. Silence is a great character, and the focus on her inner thoughts during her imposed silence really helps the reader understand her motivations and the growth of her character. This is an enjoyable read and easy to recommend to anyone interested in strong characters in this fascinating period of American history.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review