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Fans of Physick will find this sequel equally engaging, with answers to outstanding questions and some familiar characters. However, it's not necessary to have read the previous book or even be interested in witchcraft to appreciate the history of early America that scholar Howe brings to life. [See Prepub Alert, 12/6/18.]
Expect this title to hold crossover appeal for adult fans of suspense, such as Megan Abbott's The Fever, as well as those who enjoyed Howe's previous works.
Recent titles such as Lois Martin's The History of Witchcraft (2010) provide an accessible, albeit brief, overview of a well-covered phenomenon. The antiquated writing style of some of the original documents in Howe's collection is challenging, however, this superbly edited and annotated work provides in-depth material for those interested in the origins of witchcraft persecution in America.
Where Howe successfully mingled the occult world of Salem's past with the present day in Deliverance Dane, the new novel may disappoint readers who found the first book spellbinding. Reading more as historical fiction with bits of mysticism thrown in, this release should satisfy undiscriminating historical fiction readers, specifically those interested in the early 20th century. Recommended for fans of Tracy Chevalier and Diana Gabaldon.