WITCH CHILD

Historical fiction at its very best Waterstones Guide to Kids Books Prolific erudite and consistently brilliant breathtaking Guardian Powerful absorbing and unusual The Bookseller An updated edition of this outstanding historical novel in a stunning new package to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its publication When Mary sees her grandmother accused of witchcraft and hanged for the crime she is silently hurried to safety by an unknown woman The woman gives her tools to keep the record of her days paper and ink Mary is taken to a boat in Plymouth and from there sails to the New World where she hopes to make a new life among the pilgrims But old superstitions die hard and soon Mary finds that she like her grandmother is the victim of ignorance and stupidity and once more she faces important choices to ensure her survival With a vividly evoked environment and characters skilfully and patiently drawn this is a powerful literary achievement by Celia Rees that is utterly engrossing from start to finish