The First Witch of BostonThe First Witch of Boston
What it's about
In 1648, Margaret Jones, a midwife and healer in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is accused of witchcraft by her Puritan neighbors. Based on the true story of the first person executed for witchcraft in Boston, the novel tells of her life, her family and the fear and suspicion that destroyed her.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a moving historical novel.
You'll love it if you liked
Weyward
The Frozen River
A Resistance of WitchesGood to know
It ends in tragedy.
By the numbers
- Readers37 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller18 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
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Quick answers
Is The First Witch of Boston worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 57.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The First Witch of Boston about?
In 1648, Margaret Jones, a midwife and healer in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is accused of witchcraft by her Puritan neighbors. Based on the true story of the first person executed for witchcraft in Boston, the novel tells of her life, her family and the fear and suspicion that destroyed her.
How long does it take to read The First Witch of Boston?
About 8 hours (326 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The First Witch of Boston?
If you liked it, try Weyward by Emilia Hart, The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon or A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan.