I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem no spoilers

[Jalilah]

I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem is the adult novel winner of your September 15-November 14 Witchy themed group read.
In this thread you can share your initial impressions but please no spoilers!

[Margaret]

I put this one on hold. It probably won't be too long before it comes in.

[Annette]

I ordered a paperback copy. My library didn’t have it.

[Emily]

I just bought this last month and haven't read it yet, so pleased this is going ahead!

[Leah]

I put in my library request and it looks like I'm first in line, which, I hope, means it'll only be a couple weeks till it's in.

[Jalilah]

My library doesn't have it, so actually going to buy this one! It should be in next week.

[Margaret]

My hold arrived, and I plan to start reading this tonight. I also picked up several witchy picture books for my daughter, so it's going to be a witchy week here!

[Annette]

My book is here! I’ll start it tomorrow.

[Emily]

Great! I'll try to start today too.

[Margaret]

I hope to finish it tonight, though it might be tomorrow night. I like it so far. Another character pops up from classic literature that I wasn't expecting.

Content warning for rape and sexual assault.

[Emily]

I ended up delaying starting, as I decided to read The Crucible first. So I should be fully up to date on all the references.

[Margaret]

Emily wrote: "I ended up delaying starting, as I decided to read The Crucible first. So I should be fully up to date on all the references."

That's an excellent idea. I think I read the play and watched the movie enough that I'm catching most of the references, but I'm sure I'm missing some.

[Annette]

I didn’t know about the connection but I have gotten The Crucible from the library. I will be reading after everyone else as usual :)

[Margaret]

It actually isn't based on The Crucible. It's based on the Salem Witch trials. My edition has an interview with the author at the end, and she says she watched a theatrical version of The Crucible once in her early college years and never read the play afterward. However, most of my knowledge of the Salem witch trials comes from The Crucible, so being familiar with the book helped me place characters. It's not required at all.

Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter does make a significant appearance.

[Emily]

I'm going to have a bit of a Salem-themed fall, I think. I also have a hold on We Ride Upon Sticks at the library.

[Margaret]

Emily wrote: "I'm going to have a bit of a Salem-themed fall, I think. I also have a hold on We Ride Upon Sticks at the library."

Oh, thanks for sharing that! I've checked it out from the library! It's a "skip in line" checkout.

I think I've mentioned this before, but next week I'm putting together a list of witchy books to read this fall for a website, so I've been read all the recent-ish witch books I can find.

Continuing the Salem theme, I can't recommend The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow highly enough. It's one of my favorite books of the year. It's not out until October though.

[Margaret]

Oh, and Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman primarily takes place in Salem! Also out in October.

[Katy]

Margaret wrote: "...Continuing the Salem theme, I can't recommend The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow highly enough. It's one of my favorite books of the year. It's not out until October though..."

It on my wish list. So glad to know that it is good.

[Emily]

Thanks for those!

[Jalilah]

Yay! I have my copy! I will start after I finish what I am reading now.
Probably next week.

[Susan]

My library has it, and I'll be able to set up a drive-by curbside pickup fairly soon!

[Margaret]

I've moved over to the spoiler thread, since I've finished. :)

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "It actually isn't based on The Crucible. It's based on the Salem Witch trials. My edition has an interview with the author at the end, and she says she watched a theatrical version of The Crucible ..."

I haven't read the Crucible. Do you think there is anything I'll miss in this novel by not having read it?

[Emily]

I've now read The Crucible but not Tituba, so no idea. :-D

But The Crucible was a great read anyway, and since it's a play you can read it in an evening.

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "It actually isn't based on The Crucible. It's based on the Salem Witch trials. My edition has an interview with the author at the end, and she says she watched a theatrical version..."

Not at all! Since she didn't actually base it on The Crucible, you won't miss anything.

[Susan]

Boo. I can't pick up my copy until Oct. 1! (It's curbside pickup at our libraries these days.)

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Not at all! Since she didn't actually base it on The Crucible, you won't miss anything"

Good to know! I do remember reading about the Salem witch trials.
I am liking this book, but not loving in part because I absolutely can't stand the pilgrims! We spent so much time learning about them in history class in grade school and they were glorified. Then in first year college I had an professor from Africa where I finally found out about how twisted and awful they actually were. Actually I am not even sure if I want to read The Witch at Blackbird Pond now!
I am halfway through so I will be joining the spoiler thread soon!

[Margaret]

Yeah, Puritans are super problematic! "Let us flee from religious persecution and go to America, where we can be the persecutors." Okay...

But I still find that time period fascinating!