Wonderful YA novel told in verse. I couldn't stand Stephanie Hemphill's last book, so I'm amazed I even gave this a go, but it was gripping, and so well done. Her last book, Yours, Sylvia, was an attempt at a YA verse novel in the first person, in Sylvia Plath's voice- who the heck has the nerve to do that? And, of course, it was agony for a Plath fan to read this imitation of an inimitable voice. Here, though, Hemphill rotates narraration among the 7 girls at the heart of the Salem witch trials of 1692, and examines the shifting alliances and motivations that led to teenage girls suddenly having the power of life and death over much of Massachusetts. From 17 year old servant Mercy Lewis to 12 year old priviliged Ann Putnam, the girls' voices rang true, and the stark language of Hemphill's poetry fit in beautifully with the dark and bloody story. This was really fantastic.
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