The Last Witch of Dogtown

by Francis Blessington

The Last Witch of Dogtown is a rollicking historical novel that takes place in the now-abandoned settlement at the center of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Blessington skillfully weaves together the historic characters of Gloucester's earliest residents with the imaginary character of an unsuccessful clergyman. This is a fantastic story that shows a different side of early American colonial life. We find that not all early New Englanders were Puritans. Blessington, a Ph.D. in English literature, gives his characters a coarse and quaint language, and places them in incredible moral and economic dilemmas. Their struggles and actions make for fine reading.

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2001

About the author

Francis Blessington’s major area is John Milton and seventeenth-century English literature. He has written two books on Milton that have become standard: Paradise Lost and the Classical Epic (Routledge) and Paradise Lost: Ideal and Tragic Epic (A Student’s Companion to the Poem) (Twayne). Currently, he is writing a book on Milton’s use of witchcraft in Paradise Lost. He also teaches Greek and Roman literature and the Bible, emphasizing their relevance to the modern world. Also a poet and fiction writer, Professor Blessington teaches courses in creative writing.

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am biased because the author was my creative writing professor in undergrad and I feel I owe a lot of my confidence as a writer to his teachings and support. That said, I really did enjoy this text. I'm not usually a fan of stories that involve supernatural elements, but in this case there was a good balance between otherwordly influences and true human emotion. I was eager to keep reading and learn the fate of the town, and who doesn't love a good suspense story? I would recommend this book to anyone that's willing to enter a new world with fresh eyes and go on a journey they didn't know they wanted to take.

[Pamela Mansfield-loomis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different perspective written in the voice of a Dogtown resident experimenting with witchcraft and giving into the reputation of the community. Fine writing that is somewhat indulgent as the story isn’t as key as the myriad of small adventures and encounters. I bought this because Dogtown has rich local lure, and when I learned of it upon the death of its author, and found it was out of print so I bought the only one I could find. Published by an old friend who owned a printing company I dealt with for many years. Quite a literary achievement but I can see this would not be a choice for many readers.