There are many dark stains in our American history, things that cannot be taken back or pushed under a rug no matter how much we wish they could be. From the first time I read The Crucible in school the Salem Witch Trials have haunted me. I could not understand why so many people would turn on innocent people, accuse them of things they did not do, and kill them. It wasn't until many years later that those that died because of these accusations were acquitted of all the charges against them, but it was too late.
I have read several of Heather B. Moore's books and was intrigued to find out that she is the 10th great granddaughter of one such accused woman. Susannah North Martin was her name. Condemn Me Not is her story.
Knowing what I know about the Salem Witch Trials, I was instantly intrigued. The author did a wonderful job of weaving the story of the 70-year-old condemned woman wasting away in a abominable jail cell, surrounded by others who are accused of the same crime, and awaiting trail and the 25-year-old spinster Susannah meeting and falling love with the man next door.
My emotions felt like they were on a rollercoaster as the book went on and you knew Susannah was getting closer to her trial. Your heart breaks as she tells about the other women and the humiliation they endured during the trials. The examinations, the inhumane living conditions, and why? The only thing I can say from the research that I have done myself is that it was all fueled by fear and hatred and is a sad time in our American history.
As many of you know, Susannah Martin was one of four women hung for the crime of witchcraft on July 19, 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The way the author wrote the final breaths that Susannah Martin took made me catch my own breath. It was beautifully heartbreaking.
"I decided not to focus so much on the accusations and the trail proceedings, because I felt those did not need to be duplicated. Instead, I focused on the life and loves of Susannah North Martin."
Out of all the books that I have read by Heather B. Moore I believe this one is my favorite. You can feel the kinship that she shares with this woman and it is fascinating. I highly recommend this book!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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