She chose the Salem Witch Trial era for her setting in INVISIBLE WORLD. Weyn delivers again with rich characters leading adventurous lives.
Elsabeth James has some powers that she isn't altogether sure about. Is she a witch or is she merely a psychic? She isn't certain. But surely having powers can't make you inherently evil, can it? Her father has been experimenting with her powers since she was a young girl. He believes her abilities are explained by science, and he intends to prove it with research and statistics. Her governess, Bronwyn, told her stories about how her grandmother and great grandmother were persecuted for being witches. Bronwyn warns her to be careful, so she doesn't end up in a similar situation.
When a famous scientist offers a research opportunity for Elsabeth and her father, the family sets off on a months long journey from their home in England to America. Elsabeth's journey has several tragic detours until she reaches America. Her life is threatened many times, and she must continually dig deep to find the courage to survive.
I really enjoyed this one! One of the traits I like about Weyn's writing is how she accomplishes so much with few words. It's a "tight" story. She uses just the right amount of words - not too many and not too few. But don't let that fool you; The story still has depth.
The characters come to life brilliantly, as does the setting. As with DISTANT WAVES, this is a story of a particular time in history, but the story becomes so much more. I loved Elsabeth and her relationship with Bronwyn. Plus, you get an idea about people's differing points of view during this time period. We have Elsabeth's scientist father, the Puritans in Salem, as well as the island people and slave owners. Everyone has a different opinion what characteristics prove one is a witch and whether or not a witch is evil. Fascinating!
My review copy is an advance copy from TLA. The book is due out in August. Check it out! This one's great for readers who like historical fiction.
Check out the other books by Suzanne Weyn at her website here.
what is the main setting?
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