In England, Mary’s grandmother is persecuted for being a witch. A mysterious woman gives Mary the opportunity of a lifetime to go to the colonies. However, while there many “witches” are hung and accused. Mary tries to survive without her true nature being discovered.

The Salem Witch trials are very fascinating and this book makes them even more interesting from telling the story from the point of view of a girl. The diary entries also help the characterization of Mary. It would be a good read for a class to talk about themes and about the history.

After her grandmother is tortured and murdered as a witch, Mary Newbury escapes England disguised as a Pilgrim headed for the New World. She finds that her new companions can be just as rigid in their rules and narrow-mindedness, and she must watch herself and hide her abilities as best she can.
Written as a series of diary entries found in later years, this YA novel does a good job of giving a sense of urgency to the story; I found myself rooting for Mary from the first page and worrying for her safety in nearly every page thereafter. It also showcases the ridiculous amount of danger the simple fact of being a woman could place you in and the insanely various forms that danger could take, from childbirth to accusations of witchcraft for appearing to be too smart or too independent for your gender.

This is a great story about how witch hysteria affects a young girl's life. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the sequel.

I had to read this one for school too.
But it was so wonderful that I read it to early.
So I picked up another book. :)

Still I loved the story, the witchcraft and the mysterious stuff in this book. :)

I really wanted to like this. But it was boring.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was slow to start but after about 100 pages, it really picks up. The ending still has me in a state of shock and I want to find out if it's based on a real story or if it's all fake. If you're interested in a good 'Salem witch' story, this one is sure to please.

beautifully written and well thought out