Showing posts with label supernatural thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supernatural thriller. Show all posts

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Lilith

Christine De Melo took a big turn from her usual Italian Renaissance stories to write this novel of Old Salem, Massachusetts. The book features many historical figures such as Increase and Cotton Mather.  All twenty of the Salem citizens who were executed in 1692 are characters.  What makes this historical fiction novel unique is it's supernatural component.

The publisher's summary:

"Lily Healer is a reclusive albino with incredible spiritual power.  Mass hysteria and terror sweeps through her community in the year 1692 when the village children complain of being  tormented by witches.  The arrival of Marcus Wiseman, an intimidating Puritan nicknamed the "Hammer" (Malleus Maleficarum), strikes fear into the hearts of many.  His mission is to help the reverend find those who have signed the Devil's Book.  Lily avoids the fearsome man at all costs until a shocking dream reveals the truth.  Her life changes drastically after that fateful night, for she knows that their destinies are intertwined.  Together, they must combat the Puritanical tyranny threatening Salem Village."

I found this book to be amusing.  While the historical aspects of the book were interesting, I chuckled throughout the book when Lily Healer spiritually battled demons while young girls were screaming about witches controlling them.  SPOILER ALERT!  The demons were inside the real witches in the community - the Puritan ministers!  Instead of the twenty accused Salem residents controlling the girls, it was actually the clergy controlling them.

The world of seventeenth century Salem was well researched by the author.  She made the setting come alive through the characters as they attended the required church services, some attending in fear of the authorities, and keeping a distance from anyone and everyone who might find a reason to make a false accusation against them.  It was interesting to me that most of the citizens knew in their hearts that the accusations were false, yet they did not speak up.  Everyone feared the authorities but it seems to me that if a group of people banded together to stop these trials and executions of their neighbors, they would have been able to stop the terror that gripped their community.

Lilith was an enjoyable read.  I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.