HANNAH DUSTON'S SISTER

by Sybil Smith

Hannah Duston hacks off the scalps of Indian women and children and is a heroine of colonial Massachusetts. Her sister Elizabeth gives birth to illegitimate twins she says were stillborn, yet she is hanged as a murderess. This story of kidnaping, lust, infanticide, and murder sounds like a true crime novel. The difference is, it happened four hundred years ago. We Americans like to view our history through rose-tinted glasses. We imagine the Puritans dressed in drab homespun, sweeping hearths and harvesting corn. But a close examination of these 'good olde days" reveals our ancestors suffered their share of horror, abuse and pain.

The true story of Hannah Duston and Elizabeth Emerson, written by an author who shares their ancestry, begins with Elizabeth going to her death on Boston Common. Cotton Mather, who later records the details of Hannah's capture by warring Indians, preaches the sermon before her hanging.

Once you begin to read this novel you won't be able to put it down. Smith's search of the archives has revealed tantalizing clues to secrets barely hidden in the frayed cloak of history, and she uses these to weave a gripping story out of the stark facts that remain.

174 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2005

About the author

Sybil Smith's work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Yankee, The Sun, The Seattle Review, Natural Bridge, and New England Review. She received second prize in Phoebe's fiction contest, and has been a finalist in competitions sponsored by Nighttrain, Glimmertrain and The Pushcart Prize. She works as a nurse in Vermont.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me knows I love historically themed novels , especially stories about 17th century New England. This book did not disappoint me. A brief warning-the subject matter is not for the faint hearted, it is the story of Hannah Duston, wife of Thomas and mother of eleven who is captured by a band of Algonquian Indians in Haverhill, MA shortly after birthing her 12th baby. It is also the story of her sister Elizabeth Emerson who was hanged for the supposed infanticide of her twins. The language is frank and the story is disturbing but Sybil Smith did a great job portraying the bravery of both women and the heroism of Hannah in particular. I won't be a spoiler and give way any more of the story, but it is based on Sybil Smith's own Emerson ancestry and I highly recommend this book to anyone interested both in women's issues and Colonial history.

[Linda church · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this book. Elizabeth Emerson’s part of the story is a little rough with sex talk but Hannah’s side with the massacre of Indians is as I have read.

[Bev Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a few grammatical errors throughout this book, but the story was interesting.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a descendant so already knew most of the story. I like how it was a story and not just facts. Must read the authors note at the end as some of the story is speculated.

[Nancy Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous book, written not only by a descendant of Michael Emerson, but read by this descendant of Michael Emerson!
Nancy Curran, Newport, RI