The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent

I sometimes pick books with so much promise that end up having so little return. Tis' what happened with this one. One of my favorite periods to read about is early colonial--especially the Salem Witch Trial era, so any book historically placed in that era normally catches my eye, but turned out to be less what what I expected.

The book itself was entertaining--I read it in four or so days. And so, if you're looking for an entertaining read consider The Wolves of Andover. However, I was also looking for an enthralling read--an escape into times past and worlds away, a story that would wrap itself around my mind and force me to engage with it outside of the reading experiences--and this did not deliver. I've had students who've read Kathleen Kent (The Heretics Daughter) and had the same reaction--interesting, entertaining but not moving. The book details the life of Martha Carrier, a colonial "modern" woman, bent on finding her own destiny. She must first endure the servitude of house servant in her cousin, a selfish woman unaware of her lack of grit, as an aid to the upcoming birth. There is a small beauty to the relationship Martha has with her cousins children and this relationship is really the only empathetic relationship for the majority of the book--it's not until the end of the story that we experience the full tale of Thomas Morgan--assassin to King Charles and future husband to Martha--that we begin to care more about these characters.

There is a redeeming moment in the epilogue written in the voice of the author. Ms. Kent is a descendent of Salem Witch Martha Carrier, and this story was inspired by family lore of Martha's own love story and interaction with a man that many believed to be a fugitive hiding in the colonies. I almost wish I had known this reading the book as I might have found it a bit more fascinating--family legacy in storytelling is something I would like to experiment with in my own writing so I appreciate reading these stories in the lives of others (The Help comes to mind).