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Newes from the Dead
WRONGED. HANGED. ALIVE? (AND TRUE!)
Anne can't move a muscle, can't open her eyes, can't scream. She lies immobile in the darkness, unsure if she'd dead, terrified she's buried alive, haunted by her final memory—of being hanged. A maidservant falsely accused of infanticide in 1650 England and sent to the scaffold, Anne Green is trapped with her racing thoughts, her burning need to revisit the events—and the man—that led her to the gallows.
Meanwhile, a shy 18-year-old medical student attends his first dissection and notices something strange as the doctors prepare their tools . . . Did her eyelids just flutter? Could this corpse be alive?
Beautifully written, impossible to put down, and meticulously researched, Newes from the Dead is based on the true story of the real Anne Green, a servant who survived a hanging to awaken on the dissection table. Newes from the Dead concludes with scans of the original 1651 document that recounts this chilling medical phenomenon.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2008
43 people are currently reading
1938 people want to read
About the author
Mary Hooper
159 books289 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
British children's and young adult author Mary Hooper was born in 1944, in Barnes, then in Surrey, nowadays in South West London. She left school at fifteen, and went to work as a window dresser, and then as a secretary. She eventually returned to school, as an adult student, earning a degree in English from Reading University. Hooper began her writing career with short stories, publishing in women's and teen magazines. Her first book, Jodie, was published in 1978. She is married, has two children, and one grandchild, and lives in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.
British children's and young adult author Mary Hooper was born in 1944, in Barnes, then in Surrey, nowadays in South West London. She left school at fifteen, and went to work as a window dresser, and then as a secretary. She eventually returned to school, as an adult student, earning a degree in English from Reading University. Hooper began her writing career with short stories, publishing in women's and teen magazines. Her first book, Jodie, was published in 1978. She is married, has two children, and one grandchild, and lives in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
December 2, 2012
This is kind of an odd little book. It wasn’t very suspenseful to me, because I pretty much knew what was going to happen. In fact, I actually found this book by reading up on Anne Green in Wikipedia.
Mary Hooper did an excellent job of writing the story out. Hooper has an amazing prose which is simple and fast-paced (like every good AU should be) but it’s also nuanced and captures the time period perfectly. Hooper’s characters do not feel like modern people stuck in the past. They are fully fleshed out with all the naiveté and prejudices of the 17th century. I came to feel and understand Anne Green’s horrible experience and was very moved when she had to say goodbye to her family. This is a short little book and there isn’t much to it. I thought it was very well written though. I want to read more books by Mary Hooper.
Mary Hooper did an excellent job of writing the story out. Hooper has an amazing prose which is simple and fast-paced (like every good AU should be) but it’s also nuanced and captures the time period perfectly. Hooper’s characters do not feel like modern people stuck in the past. They are fully fleshed out with all the naiveté and prejudices of the 17th century. I came to feel and understand Anne Green’s horrible experience and was very moved when she had to say goodbye to her family. This is a short little book and there isn’t much to it. I thought it was very well written though. I want to read more books by Mary Hooper.
August 25, 2008
The premise is intriguing - a young woman is hung for infanticide, even though her baby is stillborn. She is put in a coffin and sent to Oxford, where she will be dissected for medical research. However, we soon find she is not really dead.
The story is told in flashbacks, between how she got in her predicament, and her semi-conscious state after being hung. Normally, these kind of setups really move you through the story.
But I found there was somewhat of a lack of suspense. I never feared she'd be cut into, I felt as if I knew what had happened from the get go, and it just felt like not much happened other than the setup.
It is an intriguing take on oft boring (to me) historical fiction.
The story is told in flashbacks, between how she got in her predicament, and her semi-conscious state after being hung. Normally, these kind of setups really move you through the story.
But I found there was somewhat of a lack of suspense. I never feared she'd be cut into, I felt as if I knew what had happened from the get go, and it just felt like not much happened other than the setup.
It is an intriguing take on oft boring (to me) historical fiction.
July 1, 2023
Such an original and interesting concept (although based on recorded historical events)! It didn’t seem “Young Adult” to me at all. Excellent writing. I only wish it was longer.
July 18, 2015
Das Buch beruht auf einer wahren Begebenheit, denn Anne Green hat es tatsächlich gegeben. Die 16-jährige wurde im Jahr 1650 zu Unrecht zum Tod durch den Strang verurteilt und sollte danach auch noch seziert werden. Doch als sich die namhaften Mediziner versammelt haben und mit dem ersten Schnitt beginnen wollten, flattern die Augenlider der gerade erst Gehängten.
Erzählt wird die Geschichte aus zwei Perspektiven – zum einen ist es Anne, die in Gedanken noch mal Revue passieren lässt, was eigentlich geschehen ist und wie es zu dem schrecklichen Urteil gekommen ist. Sie tritt als Ich-Erzählerin auf, so dass ich mich sehr gut in sie und ihre Lage hineinversetzen konnte.
Immer wieder gibt es dann aber auch Abschnitte, in denen ein allwissender Erzähler den Medizinern über die Schultern schaut, die sich zunächst nicht schlüssig sind, was sie mit Anne machen sollen – sie sterben lassen oder ihre Lebensgeister wecken. Auch diese Abschnitte fand ich sehr interessant, da sie Einblick in die damals gültigen medizinischen Vorstellungen gegeben haben.
Vor allem aber hat mich Annes Geschichte gefesselt, wie ihr Unrecht getan wird und wie sie verzweifelt versucht, ihren Kopf aus der Schlinge zu ziehen.
Dabei habe ich richtig mit ihr gelitten, weil Anne einfach ein liebenswerter Mensch ist. Von Beginn an habe ich sie ins Herz geschlossen, weil sie grundehrlich ist und niemandem etwas Böses antun könnte. Manches Mal wirkt sie vielleicht ein bisschen naiv, dies aber würde ich sowohl der Zeit als auch ihrer Unerfahrenheit zuordnen.
Und auch die anderen Figuren sind alle sehr gut gezeichnet, klar – es gibt Gute und Böse, und manche sind auch etwas klischeehaft geraten, dennoch aber hat das meine Lesefreude in keinster Weise getrübt. Etwas überzogen fand ich die Nebengeschichte um den Medizin-Studenten Robert, in der geht es nämlich um das Stottern des sympathischen jungen Mannes – diese Geschichte aber hätte das Buch gar nicht gebraucht, um in sich schlüssig zu sein.
Der Schreibstil ist toll und entführt in die Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts. Er ist angenehm zu lesen und vermittelt trotzdem ein historisches Gefühl, denn Mary Hooper schafft es, diese ganz besondere Atmosphäre einzufangen, die sowohl im Seziersaal, als auch in der damaligen Zeit herrschte. Es gibt Beschreibungen, wo sie notwendig sind, aber zu keinem Zeitpunkt werden sie langweilig oder langatmig. Das Buch fesselt von der ersten Seite an und kann diese Spannung auch bis zum Schluss halten.
Mir hat Totenmädchen sehr gut gefallen – und ich würde es nicht nur Kindern und Jugendlichen, sondern auch Erwachsenen empfehlen. Manche Stellen fand ich aber sehr düster und brutal, da sollte man – egal ob als Erwachsener oder als Kind – nicht zu zart besaitet sein. Dafür aber gibt das Buch auch gut recherchierte historische Gegebenheiten wieder.
Mein Fazit
Ein tolles Buch, das auf einer wahren Begebenheit beruht. Spannend von der ersten Seite an, wollte ich unbedingt wissen, wieso die sympathische Protagonistin mir ihren grad mal 16 Jahren zum Tode verurteilt wurde. Der Schreibstil ist wunderbar und schafft eine tolle Atmosphäre, die mich in die Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts entführt hat. Und weil die Geschichte spannend bis zum Schluss gewesen ist, habe ich das Buch in einem Rutsch durchgelesen. Einen halben Stern ziehe ich nur ab, weil ich die Nebengeschichte um den Studenten Robert überflüssig und ich einige Szenen doch sehr brutal fand – da sollte man weder als Kind noch als Erwachsener zart besaitet sein. Ansonsten aber würde ich das Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen – gerade auch für Einsteiger in das Genre „historischer Roman“, denn es ist angenehm zu lesen und die Seitenzahl überschaubar. Ich gebe „Totenmädchen“ 4,5/5 Sternen.
Erzählt wird die Geschichte aus zwei Perspektiven – zum einen ist es Anne, die in Gedanken noch mal Revue passieren lässt, was eigentlich geschehen ist und wie es zu dem schrecklichen Urteil gekommen ist. Sie tritt als Ich-Erzählerin auf, so dass ich mich sehr gut in sie und ihre Lage hineinversetzen konnte.
Immer wieder gibt es dann aber auch Abschnitte, in denen ein allwissender Erzähler den Medizinern über die Schultern schaut, die sich zunächst nicht schlüssig sind, was sie mit Anne machen sollen – sie sterben lassen oder ihre Lebensgeister wecken. Auch diese Abschnitte fand ich sehr interessant, da sie Einblick in die damals gültigen medizinischen Vorstellungen gegeben haben.
Vor allem aber hat mich Annes Geschichte gefesselt, wie ihr Unrecht getan wird und wie sie verzweifelt versucht, ihren Kopf aus der Schlinge zu ziehen.
Dabei habe ich richtig mit ihr gelitten, weil Anne einfach ein liebenswerter Mensch ist. Von Beginn an habe ich sie ins Herz geschlossen, weil sie grundehrlich ist und niemandem etwas Böses antun könnte. Manches Mal wirkt sie vielleicht ein bisschen naiv, dies aber würde ich sowohl der Zeit als auch ihrer Unerfahrenheit zuordnen.
Und auch die anderen Figuren sind alle sehr gut gezeichnet, klar – es gibt Gute und Böse, und manche sind auch etwas klischeehaft geraten, dennoch aber hat das meine Lesefreude in keinster Weise getrübt. Etwas überzogen fand ich die Nebengeschichte um den Medizin-Studenten Robert, in der geht es nämlich um das Stottern des sympathischen jungen Mannes – diese Geschichte aber hätte das Buch gar nicht gebraucht, um in sich schlüssig zu sein.
Der Schreibstil ist toll und entführt in die Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts. Er ist angenehm zu lesen und vermittelt trotzdem ein historisches Gefühl, denn Mary Hooper schafft es, diese ganz besondere Atmosphäre einzufangen, die sowohl im Seziersaal, als auch in der damaligen Zeit herrschte. Es gibt Beschreibungen, wo sie notwendig sind, aber zu keinem Zeitpunkt werden sie langweilig oder langatmig. Das Buch fesselt von der ersten Seite an und kann diese Spannung auch bis zum Schluss halten.
Mir hat Totenmädchen sehr gut gefallen – und ich würde es nicht nur Kindern und Jugendlichen, sondern auch Erwachsenen empfehlen. Manche Stellen fand ich aber sehr düster und brutal, da sollte man – egal ob als Erwachsener oder als Kind – nicht zu zart besaitet sein. Dafür aber gibt das Buch auch gut recherchierte historische Gegebenheiten wieder.
Mein Fazit
Ein tolles Buch, das auf einer wahren Begebenheit beruht. Spannend von der ersten Seite an, wollte ich unbedingt wissen, wieso die sympathische Protagonistin mir ihren grad mal 16 Jahren zum Tode verurteilt wurde. Der Schreibstil ist wunderbar und schafft eine tolle Atmosphäre, die mich in die Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts entführt hat. Und weil die Geschichte spannend bis zum Schluss gewesen ist, habe ich das Buch in einem Rutsch durchgelesen. Einen halben Stern ziehe ich nur ab, weil ich die Nebengeschichte um den Studenten Robert überflüssig und ich einige Szenen doch sehr brutal fand – da sollte man weder als Kind noch als Erwachsener zart besaitet sein. Ansonsten aber würde ich das Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen – gerade auch für Einsteiger in das Genre „historischer Roman“, denn es ist angenehm zu lesen und die Seitenzahl überschaubar. Ich gebe „Totenmädchen“ 4,5/5 Sternen.
February 1, 2024
A quick check tells me Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper was published in 2008, added to my virtual TBR pile back in 2016, and it has taken me until now to finally get around to requesting it from the library. Thankfully books wait for us no matter how many years it takes, and the premise that caught my attention in 2016 still appeals today.
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper is based on the true story of Anne Green who was hanged for committing the crime of infanticide, and later woke up on the dissecting table at Oxford University.
In 1650, and aged 22, Anne had been concealing her unwanted pregnancy when she went into labour early and gave birth in the privy to a stillborn baby. Anne hastily concealed the body, not wanting to lose her position as a domestic servant. The baby's body was later discovered, and after accusing Sir Thomas's grandson, Master Geoffrey of being the father, Sir Read abused his position as Justice of the Peace and ensured Anne was charged with murder - infanticide - and sentenced to hang.
'Infanticide is a cruel law which only applies to the lower classes,' Wilton continued. 'When was one of the aristocracy last hanged for such a crime? Can you tell me that?' Page 160
Life is often stranger than fiction, and Mary Hooper does a splendid job of taking us into the mind of Anne Green before the pregnancy, during the birth, her subsequent arrest, time in prison and right up to her hanging. The reader is even privy to Anne's thoughts as she waivers between life and death.
In bringing this true story to life, the author also gives us a look at the confusion and uncertainty when scholars preparing to dissect Anne's body in the name of science, notice her eye flicker and are able to detect a faint pulse. She was sentenced to hang, so is her revival a sign from God of her innocence? Or should justice prevail and the sentence carried out a second time?
When considering how best to 'help restore her to the world' a number of remedies are discussed, including:
'Cut pigeons in half and apply them to her feet?' Norreys suggested, but this being a method regarded as rather old-fashioned, all three doctors shook their heads. A powdered burned swallow and the dripping from a roast swan evoked similar responses. Page 183
The remedies discussed were amusing and Hooper confidently brings 17th century England to life. Here a character remarks on the fact it's so cold in Oxford that they can't make notes in the theatre room because the ink is frozen in the bottle.
"There's such a hard frost that the Thames has frozen over and hucksters' tents have been erected on it. The ice was so solid that a coach and six was driven right across it without so much as a creak being heard!" Page 45
I don't know why, but the fact that the Thames river regularly froze over - more than 20 times between 1400 and 1831 - is a favourite history factoid of mine and I love when it pops up in whatever I'm reading. The river was wider and slower then and artworks depicting the Frost Fairs really ignite the imagination.
Having recently finished reading The Murder of Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes, I couldn't fail to notice the similarity between the protagonist's plight in this book with that of Harriet Monckton; also a true story. It would seem the lack of agency for young women with unwanted pregnancies in 1650 wasn't much improved for Harriet two centuries later in 1843.
Fortunately for Anne, she was eventually given a pardon and went on to marry and have 3 children before dying 9 years after her execution.
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper is a young adult novel and a quick read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction.
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper is based on the true story of Anne Green who was hanged for committing the crime of infanticide, and later woke up on the dissecting table at Oxford University.
In 1650, and aged 22, Anne had been concealing her unwanted pregnancy when she went into labour early and gave birth in the privy to a stillborn baby. Anne hastily concealed the body, not wanting to lose her position as a domestic servant. The baby's body was later discovered, and after accusing Sir Thomas's grandson, Master Geoffrey of being the father, Sir Read abused his position as Justice of the Peace and ensured Anne was charged with murder - infanticide - and sentenced to hang.
'Infanticide is a cruel law which only applies to the lower classes,' Wilton continued. 'When was one of the aristocracy last hanged for such a crime? Can you tell me that?' Page 160
Life is often stranger than fiction, and Mary Hooper does a splendid job of taking us into the mind of Anne Green before the pregnancy, during the birth, her subsequent arrest, time in prison and right up to her hanging. The reader is even privy to Anne's thoughts as she waivers between life and death.
In bringing this true story to life, the author also gives us a look at the confusion and uncertainty when scholars preparing to dissect Anne's body in the name of science, notice her eye flicker and are able to detect a faint pulse. She was sentenced to hang, so is her revival a sign from God of her innocence? Or should justice prevail and the sentence carried out a second time?
When considering how best to 'help restore her to the world' a number of remedies are discussed, including:
'Cut pigeons in half and apply them to her feet?' Norreys suggested, but this being a method regarded as rather old-fashioned, all three doctors shook their heads. A powdered burned swallow and the dripping from a roast swan evoked similar responses. Page 183
The remedies discussed were amusing and Hooper confidently brings 17th century England to life. Here a character remarks on the fact it's so cold in Oxford that they can't make notes in the theatre room because the ink is frozen in the bottle.
"There's such a hard frost that the Thames has frozen over and hucksters' tents have been erected on it. The ice was so solid that a coach and six was driven right across it without so much as a creak being heard!" Page 45
I don't know why, but the fact that the Thames river regularly froze over - more than 20 times between 1400 and 1831 - is a favourite history factoid of mine and I love when it pops up in whatever I'm reading. The river was wider and slower then and artworks depicting the Frost Fairs really ignite the imagination.
Having recently finished reading The Murder of Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes, I couldn't fail to notice the similarity between the protagonist's plight in this book with that of Harriet Monckton; also a true story. It would seem the lack of agency for young women with unwanted pregnancies in 1650 wasn't much improved for Harriet two centuries later in 1843.
Fortunately for Anne, she was eventually given a pardon and went on to marry and have 3 children before dying 9 years after her execution.
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper is a young adult novel and a quick read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction.
January 25, 2009
Based on real historical events, this is the story of a scullery maid named Anne Greene, who was placed on trial for infanticide in 1650 England. According to the Author's Note, this was a common charge at the time for women who gave birth to stillborns or newborns that suffered crib death. The circumstances presented in the trial are more challenging due to the fact that she was involved with the grandson of the estate owner.
What makes Anne's tale even more interesting is that after she was "hung by the neck until she be dead," her body was turned over to assist with medical training at New College at Oxford University. It was there that people realized that she might possibly be alive, and all attempts are made to resurrect her.
The story is told in alternating chapters as Anne relates what happened to the readers during her coma and a young, stuttering doctor named Robert Matthews in training shares the experience of those working to save an at Oxford University.
I actually found the tale of Anne to be really interesting. It is a great example of the differences in status between the social castes of Britain during the Cromwell Era. Anne finds herself in trouble because of the whims of her employers. She loses not just her virtue, which leads to pregnancy, but also the love of her life as she must turn away a fellow landbound peasant because of her new status. I was fully enthralled by her chapters, reading with ease.
As for Robert's chapters, I felt totally bogged down by that aspect of the story. It is not that it wasn't interesting to experience the medical techniques used, everything from bleeding to the application of turpentine to warm the body, but those chapters seemed to move SOOOOOOO slowly. I think the book would have been SO much better with just Anne as a protagonist/narrator. It really is her story to tell, and I just didn't feel the need for the constant breaks to another perspective.
The final section of the book, which follows an interesting Author's Note that tells how Hooper learned of Anne's tale and the real historical events and people involved, is made up of a historical pamphlet that was produced to share Anne's experiences and tale shortly after the events in the book.
What makes Anne's tale even more interesting is that after she was "hung by the neck until she be dead," her body was turned over to assist with medical training at New College at Oxford University. It was there that people realized that she might possibly be alive, and all attempts are made to resurrect her.
The story is told in alternating chapters as Anne relates what happened to the readers during her coma and a young, stuttering doctor named Robert Matthews in training shares the experience of those working to save an at Oxford University.
I actually found the tale of Anne to be really interesting. It is a great example of the differences in status between the social castes of Britain during the Cromwell Era. Anne finds herself in trouble because of the whims of her employers. She loses not just her virtue, which leads to pregnancy, but also the love of her life as she must turn away a fellow landbound peasant because of her new status. I was fully enthralled by her chapters, reading with ease.
As for Robert's chapters, I felt totally bogged down by that aspect of the story. It is not that it wasn't interesting to experience the medical techniques used, everything from bleeding to the application of turpentine to warm the body, but those chapters seemed to move SOOOOOOO slowly. I think the book would have been SO much better with just Anne as a protagonist/narrator. It really is her story to tell, and I just didn't feel the need for the constant breaks to another perspective.
The final section of the book, which follows an interesting Author's Note that tells how Hooper learned of Anne's tale and the real historical events and people involved, is made up of a historical pamphlet that was produced to share Anne's experiences and tale shortly after the events in the book.
October 17, 2014
A truly gripping read: I must say I was rather surprised when I read it. It most certainly offered up more than you would expect – something that every review prior to mine has managed to explain perfectly.
Written in a beautiful way, the book itself is a real eye-opener filled with the emotions needed to keep you gripped from the start until the end. It really has you thinking as you work your way through the book, thoughts of what life must have been like back then. Dealing with a difficult topic, it isn’t written in a way which leaves you turning away instead the approach used is truly wonderful. Honestly, the book is well worth a read whether you’re a fan of this kind of book or whether this is merely the kind of book you dabble in.
Written in a beautiful way, the book itself is a real eye-opener filled with the emotions needed to keep you gripped from the start until the end. It really has you thinking as you work your way through the book, thoughts of what life must have been like back then. Dealing with a difficult topic, it isn’t written in a way which leaves you turning away instead the approach used is truly wonderful. Honestly, the book is well worth a read whether you’re a fan of this kind of book or whether this is merely the kind of book you dabble in.
February 12, 2013
The image of Anne Green as a legend of death-defiance and medical mystery is itself intriguing, but that is not enough to make Newes from the Dead as provocative as its subject. The writing is typical of a mediocre YA novel - bland and not particularly well executed. After a few chapters I was ready to skim the novel and simply read the reprints of the historical notes and reprints at the back of the book. The novel is a valiant idea, but lacks the substance needed to make it worth reading.
September 4, 2023
Based on the true story of Anne Green, a young servant who was seduced by her employer's grandson and ending up pregnant finds herself accused of infanticide, subsequently found guilty and hanged but miraculously ( hope I spelled that right) survives. This was really a fascinating read for me. I really get into books based on true accounts because it just fuels more of my imagination to think about what the atmosphere was like during this period of when and where these events took place and also to imagine what the person may have experienced. This book did not read like young adult genre but a well written account of Anne's harrowing and truly wondrous experience.
June 7, 2010
From the back of the book...
It is 1650 and a baby lies dead before it even drew breath. A young servant girl, terrified and alone, is accused of its murder and sent to the gallows. Protesting her innocence in the chill air of a December morning, Anne Green is hanged. Moments later her lifeless body is lifted down from the scaffold and carried to the College of Physicians for brutal dissection.
But as Anne’s corpse lies on the table and the doctors assemble, a strange rattle is heard in her throat.
Could she still be alive?
This historical novel is based on a true story, which made it all the more interesting for me. While Newes from the Dead is actually a book aimed at teenagers/young adults, I wouldn't let that put older readers off. After all, it's been a long time since I was a teenager, but I found this to be a great read.
The story starts with Anne's thoughts as she wakes to a senseless darkness where she begins to wonder if she's in Purgatory or, God forbid, buried alive! Here she begins to tell us of awful things that have led her there, of her life at the big house where she worked and how she came to be sent to the gallows to hang. The next chapter is set in a room in Oxford, where a corpse lays resting, waiting to be dissected. Then the following chapter takes us back to Anne and her story. While the book bats back and forth between Anne telling us her story and the room in Oxford, it has been done in a way that is actually easy to follow.
I loved the way this book was written. While Anne was telling me her story, I could almost hear that frightened girl from the 17th century speaking the words.
We meet a number of characters and get to know them, some of whom are quite like-able, while others are not so much! We meet Robert, a scholar of New College in Oxford, who takes quite an interest in the corpse laid before him, wondering, almost worrying about her. We learn of Master Geoffrey and his unwanted advances, and of his grandfather Sir Thomas who will go to any length to protect his family.
This book is descriptive and imaginative, and I feel that you learn about what life was like back then (it was certainly nowhere as easy at life is for us these days). Mary Hooper has taken an event in history and made it into an interesting story in which we get to know the fateful Anne Green.
At the end of the book in a chapter titled "Author's Notes", Mary Hooper tells us how she came across the story of Anne Green and what was fact in the story and what she's made-up from imagination and research. This, again, adds to the whole story.
I hadn't noticed that this was a book for teenagers/young adults when I first spotted it in a book shop, but having read the back of the book I didn't care whether it was aimed at me or not. I simply had to read it! I'm glad to have read this book and I think it would make an interesting read for anyone from teenagers in school to the blissfully retired. I'd have enjoyed reading this in school (get it on the syllabus, if it's not already there!) and I certainly enjoyed reading it now as I'm touching 30.
Highly recommended!
It is 1650 and a baby lies dead before it even drew breath. A young servant girl, terrified and alone, is accused of its murder and sent to the gallows. Protesting her innocence in the chill air of a December morning, Anne Green is hanged. Moments later her lifeless body is lifted down from the scaffold and carried to the College of Physicians for brutal dissection.
But as Anne’s corpse lies on the table and the doctors assemble, a strange rattle is heard in her throat.
Could she still be alive?
This historical novel is based on a true story, which made it all the more interesting for me. While Newes from the Dead is actually a book aimed at teenagers/young adults, I wouldn't let that put older readers off. After all, it's been a long time since I was a teenager, but I found this to be a great read.
The story starts with Anne's thoughts as she wakes to a senseless darkness where she begins to wonder if she's in Purgatory or, God forbid, buried alive! Here she begins to tell us of awful things that have led her there, of her life at the big house where she worked and how she came to be sent to the gallows to hang. The next chapter is set in a room in Oxford, where a corpse lays resting, waiting to be dissected. Then the following chapter takes us back to Anne and her story. While the book bats back and forth between Anne telling us her story and the room in Oxford, it has been done in a way that is actually easy to follow.
I loved the way this book was written. While Anne was telling me her story, I could almost hear that frightened girl from the 17th century speaking the words.
We meet a number of characters and get to know them, some of whom are quite like-able, while others are not so much! We meet Robert, a scholar of New College in Oxford, who takes quite an interest in the corpse laid before him, wondering, almost worrying about her. We learn of Master Geoffrey and his unwanted advances, and of his grandfather Sir Thomas who will go to any length to protect his family.
This book is descriptive and imaginative, and I feel that you learn about what life was like back then (it was certainly nowhere as easy at life is for us these days). Mary Hooper has taken an event in history and made it into an interesting story in which we get to know the fateful Anne Green.
At the end of the book in a chapter titled "Author's Notes", Mary Hooper tells us how she came across the story of Anne Green and what was fact in the story and what she's made-up from imagination and research. This, again, adds to the whole story.
I hadn't noticed that this was a book for teenagers/young adults when I first spotted it in a book shop, but having read the back of the book I didn't care whether it was aimed at me or not. I simply had to read it! I'm glad to have read this book and I think it would make an interesting read for anyone from teenagers in school to the blissfully retired. I'd have enjoyed reading this in school (get it on the syllabus, if it's not already there!) and I certainly enjoyed reading it now as I'm touching 30.
Highly recommended!
October 15, 2010
I loved that this is based on the factual story of Anne Greene who at About 22 years of age found herself pregnant after having false promises made to her by the grandson of the master of the house she was a servant at.
Anne was convicted of infanticide after giving birth to a child that she swore never drew a breath and by written a count of mid wife that examined the child, stated it could never have been a viable birth being only 9 inches in length and not well formed...Anne was sentenced anyway by a court of law (which at the time was made up of landed gentry who easily sided with the master of the house who besmirched Anne as a whore and loose woman as to take the blame from his grandson.) to hang from the neck until dead. Which was what had happened.
She was hanged, and even the accounts tell of family members hanging from her legs and lifting and jerking her body downward as to hasten her death, as well as pounding her about the chest. She hung for 3o minutes it's said and a doctor finding no heartbeat or pulse pronounced her dead. Her corpse was given to a group of medical doctors for dissection...
I'll leave it all off here as it's not a long read but one that produced much emotion from me. I went into this story knowing not much of the outcome (which I think made for a more exciting read for me) found myself feeling sad for Anne Greene as she is one of many many young naive servant girls long ago, in homes who may have found themselves having been taken advantage of by the masters and or sons of in the home with or without consent... No support from others in the home as this story went, (not being of record however) that she was treated poorly and unfairly by the other servants and no one would believe her story or back her word as I'm sure they would have been afraid for their own positions in the house if they were shown to support the "wench" who accused the masters grandson.
I listened to this in audio form and once again found the narrators, two for this story, Rosalind Landor and Michael Page, excellent. They did a wonderful job bringing alive the voices of Anne, the servants and doctors...etc. Each taking a chapter as the story went back and forth from Annes POV to the others. Stories like this fascinate me in general and this being taken from the genuine account of the time was written well by author, Mary Hooper.
This is labeled as a young adult historical fiction but definitely not lacking for adults. Perhaps if it wasn't based on fact I would find it lacking and feel it could have been, should have been built upon. However the fact that it IS based on an actual event in history I think the author did a fine job of getting the facts in and sticking to what the norms would be at the time adding just enough of a back story.
Anne was convicted of infanticide after giving birth to a child that she swore never drew a breath and by written a count of mid wife that examined the child, stated it could never have been a viable birth being only 9 inches in length and not well formed...Anne was sentenced anyway by a court of law (which at the time was made up of landed gentry who easily sided with the master of the house who besmirched Anne as a whore and loose woman as to take the blame from his grandson.) to hang from the neck until dead. Which was what had happened.
She was hanged, and even the accounts tell of family members hanging from her legs and lifting and jerking her body downward as to hasten her death, as well as pounding her about the chest. She hung for 3o minutes it's said and a doctor finding no heartbeat or pulse pronounced her dead. Her corpse was given to a group of medical doctors for dissection...
I'll leave it all off here as it's not a long read but one that produced much emotion from me. I went into this story knowing not much of the outcome (which I think made for a more exciting read for me) found myself feeling sad for Anne Greene as she is one of many many young naive servant girls long ago, in homes who may have found themselves having been taken advantage of by the masters and or sons of in the home with or without consent... No support from others in the home as this story went, (not being of record however) that she was treated poorly and unfairly by the other servants and no one would believe her story or back her word as I'm sure they would have been afraid for their own positions in the house if they were shown to support the "wench" who accused the masters grandson.
I listened to this in audio form and once again found the narrators, two for this story, Rosalind Landor and Michael Page, excellent. They did a wonderful job bringing alive the voices of Anne, the servants and doctors...etc. Each taking a chapter as the story went back and forth from Annes POV to the others. Stories like this fascinate me in general and this being taken from the genuine account of the time was written well by author, Mary Hooper.
This is labeled as a young adult historical fiction but definitely not lacking for adults. Perhaps if it wasn't based on fact I would find it lacking and feel it could have been, should have been built upon. However the fact that it IS based on an actual event in history I think the author did a fine job of getting the facts in and sticking to what the norms would be at the time adding just enough of a back story.
March 16, 2013
Newes from the Dead Book Review #2
By: Doja Qaraqe
When I first saw Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper, I’ll admit, I judged it by its cover. I expected this novel to be a horrifying tale that will blow my socks off. Instead, I read a gruesome, foul and suspenseful book that kept me at the edge of my seat. Newes from the Dead is about a girl named Anne Green (main character) who finds herself in darkness, unable to move, blink her eyes or scream. Immobile, Anne is haunted by her final memory of being hanged and the last words she muttered before she found herself in this darkness, “And may God convey me swiftly to paradise.” Anne Green charged with the murder of her baby – infanticide was claimed by the university medical department (at court) to be dissected for further medical understanding as the time was 1650 and not much was known about human anatomy. Just second before the first incision was to be made something strange happened, did Anne’s eyelids just flutter? Newes from the Dead is a great, mind twisting book written in two stories intertwined. Mary Hooper writes one story in first person of Anne and the second story as limited omniscient of Robert, the scholar who notices Anne’s eye movement. This novel portrays feelings of many genres. I would shelf this book as horror, mystery, fiction and historical. Because this book takes places in England around 1650, Mary Hooper’s dialogue and word choice fits perfectly with the time period. I have never read so many odd yet powerful words at one time. In my opinion, this book was written beautifully and captures the morbid and ominous feeling of Anne Green’s real story (as this story is based on a true one) through its theme which I think is that innocence will always be revealed. Newes from the Dead is a monstrous story that I would recommend to all readers as there is a mixture of everything in there.
By: Doja Qaraqe
When I first saw Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper, I’ll admit, I judged it by its cover. I expected this novel to be a horrifying tale that will blow my socks off. Instead, I read a gruesome, foul and suspenseful book that kept me at the edge of my seat. Newes from the Dead is about a girl named Anne Green (main character) who finds herself in darkness, unable to move, blink her eyes or scream. Immobile, Anne is haunted by her final memory of being hanged and the last words she muttered before she found herself in this darkness, “And may God convey me swiftly to paradise.” Anne Green charged with the murder of her baby – infanticide was claimed by the university medical department (at court) to be dissected for further medical understanding as the time was 1650 and not much was known about human anatomy. Just second before the first incision was to be made something strange happened, did Anne’s eyelids just flutter? Newes from the Dead is a great, mind twisting book written in two stories intertwined. Mary Hooper writes one story in first person of Anne and the second story as limited omniscient of Robert, the scholar who notices Anne’s eye movement. This novel portrays feelings of many genres. I would shelf this book as horror, mystery, fiction and historical. Because this book takes places in England around 1650, Mary Hooper’s dialogue and word choice fits perfectly with the time period. I have never read so many odd yet powerful words at one time. In my opinion, this book was written beautifully and captures the morbid and ominous feeling of Anne Green’s real story (as this story is based on a true one) through its theme which I think is that innocence will always be revealed. Newes from the Dead is a monstrous story that I would recommend to all readers as there is a mixture of everything in there.
May 14, 2010
Anne Green was just your average English maid in 1650. She worked for a noble family and didn't get along well with her other servants, when the grandson of her master began to show her some extra attention. Poor Anne was not used to being an object of desire and eventually gave into the grandson, wooed by promises that he would raise her up out of poverty and make her a lady. Anne's situation worsened when she found that she was pregnant. She tried to hide her pregnancy but eventually gave birth to a still born child, when it was discovered everyone was shocked, and even more shocked by news of who the father was. To hide his family's embarrassment, her lord had Anne convicted of infanticide and sentenced to hang.
Anne walked to the scaffold on a cold winter morning, protesting her innocence until she was eventually pushed off the ladder. She hung by the neck for over thirty minutes with relatives hanging on her legs and beating her breast to speed her on her way. Her body was given to a medical school to be dissected for the benefit of science but shortly before the doctors were to cut into Anne's belly, a student noticed her eyelids twitching.
I listened to this on audio and I really liked it. Anne is enveloped in darkness, unsure of where she is but supposing it to be purgatory she begins to relate her tale, alternating chapters with the medical student who first notices her eyelid movement. There is a great afterward that includes some of the original documents telling of Anne Green's amazing escape from death.
Anne walked to the scaffold on a cold winter morning, protesting her innocence until she was eventually pushed off the ladder. She hung by the neck for over thirty minutes with relatives hanging on her legs and beating her breast to speed her on her way. Her body was given to a medical school to be dissected for the benefit of science but shortly before the doctors were to cut into Anne's belly, a student noticed her eyelids twitching.
I listened to this on audio and I really liked it. Anne is enveloped in darkness, unsure of where she is but supposing it to be purgatory she begins to relate her tale, alternating chapters with the medical student who first notices her eyelid movement. There is a great afterward that includes some of the original documents telling of Anne Green's amazing escape from death.
June 10, 2009
A top-dollar children's historical packed with information about the 16th century but never seeming overly educational or preachy. Mary Hooper has taken a real-life snipping of history: the account of a young woman hanged for infanticide who somehow survived the hangman's noose - and crafted an enthralling, wonderfully enjoyable read from it.
The author takes the unusual step of having two strands throughout the narrative depicted in alternating chapters. One set are set in the novel's current time, detailing efforts to revive Anne's body, while the other set of chapters follow the events that led to Anne being there in the first place. I found both strands equally interesting; the post-hanging chapters because of the wealth of medical detail and character interplay, and the 'history' chapters because of their gripping inevitability and the facts we learn about servant life in a manor house in the mid 16th century.
Anne is a thoroughly sympathetic, empathetic leading character and, although this is a young adult book, we veer into some very sinister territory with lots of dark passages about seduction, pregnancy and the death of a stillborn child. Prose that lives and breathes off the page and a compelling narrative combine to make this one of the very best I've read.
The author takes the unusual step of having two strands throughout the narrative depicted in alternating chapters. One set are set in the novel's current time, detailing efforts to revive Anne's body, while the other set of chapters follow the events that led to Anne being there in the first place. I found both strands equally interesting; the post-hanging chapters because of the wealth of medical detail and character interplay, and the 'history' chapters because of their gripping inevitability and the facts we learn about servant life in a manor house in the mid 16th century.
Anne is a thoroughly sympathetic, empathetic leading character and, although this is a young adult book, we veer into some very sinister territory with lots of dark passages about seduction, pregnancy and the death of a stillborn child. Prose that lives and breathes off the page and a compelling narrative combine to make this one of the very best I've read.
July 31, 2009
Anne is dead. Convicted as a murderess and hung by the neck (for half an hour) until pronounced dead, her body selected for medical research in the year 1650. And then she wakes up on the autopsy table.
How can this not be good? Add to that one stammering medical student, an illicit affair, and the fact that the entire premise is TRUE. Brrr.
How can this not be good? Add to that one stammering medical student, an illicit affair, and the fact that the entire premise is TRUE. Brrr.
August 26, 2023
Newes of the Dead was not a very good book. I certainly see what the author was trying to do, but the execution was lacking. First of all, the characters were completely flat. Both Anne and Robert completely lacked personality. We are constantly told how they’re feeling, but aren’t given the slightest bit of connection. Anne’s story should have been heart wrenching, but instead we’re told that she’s scared or upset, but the most evidence we’re ever given was that she cried. I never truly felt as if she was a person, despite the horrors she faced. I found it difficult to empathize based on what little personality the author imbibed within her.
My second point is that Robert’s character was unnecessary for most of the book. I felt as if the author just added him as an extra perspective rather than a proper person. While it’s interesting to show things from the perspective of the doctors, nothing happens in his half of the story for the first hundred pages. He’s just waiting for the dissection to start. Why was that necessary? It brought the pacing of the book to a standstill and didn’t add anything to the story. The author did three of Anne’s chapters in a row for the final part of the book. If she could skip his portions at the end, why couldn’t she do it at the beginning? Many of his chapters seemed as if they were there as filler.
Third, there isn’t really a plot. The first hundred pages is alternating between Robert waiting for the dissection to start and Anne laying in blackness, wondering what is happening to her and giving us glimpses into how she got to where she currently is. Then the doctors notice she is alive, we get lots of old medical jargon and she starts to recover, and the book ends very abruptly with an oddly upbeat change in tone more befitting a romance novel. It felt like the author basically said “And she lived happily ever after!” Again, Robert’s plot-line was basically abandoned because he was only there as a plot device. The pacing was also very odd as a result of the only “action” being in the middle of the story.
The author’s writing was very basic. I don’t really have much to say about it. I don’t think it could have saved this book even if it was wonderfully poetic. Making myself keep reading this book was a little like pulling teeth. It was unpleasant and I kept procrastinating because I was not enjoying it. The one thing I did appreciate is that the author seemed to have put effort into making the story historically accurate and included a bibliography as well as one of the original pamphlets that was circulated after the actual event. Other than that though, I did not enjoy this book in the slightest. 1.5/5 August 26 2023
My second point is that Robert’s character was unnecessary for most of the book. I felt as if the author just added him as an extra perspective rather than a proper person. While it’s interesting to show things from the perspective of the doctors, nothing happens in his half of the story for the first hundred pages. He’s just waiting for the dissection to start. Why was that necessary? It brought the pacing of the book to a standstill and didn’t add anything to the story. The author did three of Anne’s chapters in a row for the final part of the book. If she could skip his portions at the end, why couldn’t she do it at the beginning? Many of his chapters seemed as if they were there as filler.
Third, there isn’t really a plot. The first hundred pages is alternating between Robert waiting for the dissection to start and Anne laying in blackness, wondering what is happening to her and giving us glimpses into how she got to where she currently is. Then the doctors notice she is alive, we get lots of old medical jargon and she starts to recover, and the book ends very abruptly with an oddly upbeat change in tone more befitting a romance novel. It felt like the author basically said “And she lived happily ever after!” Again, Robert’s plot-line was basically abandoned because he was only there as a plot device. The pacing was also very odd as a result of the only “action” being in the middle of the story.
The author’s writing was very basic. I don’t really have much to say about it. I don’t think it could have saved this book even if it was wonderfully poetic. Making myself keep reading this book was a little like pulling teeth. It was unpleasant and I kept procrastinating because I was not enjoying it. The one thing I did appreciate is that the author seemed to have put effort into making the story historically accurate and included a bibliography as well as one of the original pamphlets that was circulated after the actual event. Other than that though, I did not enjoy this book in the slightest. 1.5/5 August 26 2023
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2024
I read this book accidentally in year 6, it was in my primary schools library despite dealing with a woman who conceived her “masters” child (1600s) and loses it from a miscarriage in the cool room/cellar. She is hanged under the false allegations of infanticide. I still remember the album playing when I read it, it was one of my earlier manic episodes. I still think about this book every now and then and have to try to find it on google with things like “woman hanged, survives and is paralysed during autopsy”. It changed who I was as a young girl. I realised women were always hurt and persecuted and suffered. I don’t know if I’d felt the same reading it in high school and especially not as an adult, but this book lives with me forever somehow. So shockingly sad and gripping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
3.75
I did really enjoy this book. The plot was very intriguing and fascinating and gave an amazing insight to life and criminal punishment in the 1600s. The attitudes of the rich towards the poor and the imbalance of power between them was fascinating to read about. It did bring up many questions surrounding the ethics of medical research and advancement of that times, particularly the dissection of the bodies of criminals. My main issue with this book however is that it dragged rather a LOT. Particularly in areas of Anne's perspective chapters. A very solid historical fiction.
I did really enjoy this book. The plot was very intriguing and fascinating and gave an amazing insight to life and criminal punishment in the 1600s. The attitudes of the rich towards the poor and the imbalance of power between them was fascinating to read about. It did bring up many questions surrounding the ethics of medical research and advancement of that times, particularly the dissection of the bodies of criminals. My main issue with this book however is that it dragged rather a LOT. Particularly in areas of Anne's perspective chapters. A very solid historical fiction.
February 9, 2018
Hooper, Mary Newes from the Dead, Pages: 263; Publisher: Roaring Book Press; Language: PG 13; Sexual Content: PG 13 (Anne's "master" used her six different times for his own pleasure- not described just mentioned and where it happened); Violence: PG 13;
Based on the true story of Anne Green, an innocent girl hanged for a crime she did not commit in 1650, thought dead she woke up on the dissecting table. The surgeons who were supposed to be dissecting her helped resurrect her and she soon lived and was finally able to tell her story and get justice for the man who told all the lies.
This book was amazing. One of the greatest books I have read in a long time. In the back of this book it has the actual article about Anne Green. Great book for everyone who loves old century stories.
HS - ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: AN
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
Based on the true story of Anne Green, an innocent girl hanged for a crime she did not commit in 1650, thought dead she woke up on the dissecting table. The surgeons who were supposed to be dissecting her helped resurrect her and she soon lived and was finally able to tell her story and get justice for the man who told all the lies.
This book was amazing. One of the greatest books I have read in a long time. In the back of this book it has the actual article about Anne Green. Great book for everyone who loves old century stories.
HS - ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: AN
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
March 7, 2024
Fictional story based on the factual Anne Green. Interesting in itself, but the story was speculation mostly.
Not much to add sadly. The conjecture of events was bland, we jumped between current events and those that led to the guilty verdict, between Anne's perspective, and a doctor named Robert.
Not the best thing written and definitely not the worst.
Not much to add sadly. The conjecture of events was bland, we jumped between current events and those that led to the guilty verdict, between Anne's perspective, and a doctor named Robert.
Not the best thing written and definitely not the worst.
May 3, 2025
Une fiction historique que j'ai beaucoup appréciée, l'écriture est très agréable à lire et l'époque décrite est très bien retranscrite !
June 27, 2020
I picked this up in one of the books by kilo sale few years back. I had already read this book and remembered the basic plot and the ending as the ending is hardly something of a suspense, though I felt I should re-read it as I was sorting my bookshelves and wanted to decide whether I wanted to keep this book or not. This story is based on real facts and Anne Green was a real person who almost died and came back. The author has weaved a story around this, most of the characters are real and some are fictional to help the story. The conversations are fictional and I liked how she wrote them. The chapters alternate between her present condition in the dissection room and how she came to the state of being hanged, whether she was really a murderess. I liked the author's writing style, but there is not much that happens in the story. It's a good book but there's no thrill in reading it and I read it in one sitting as it's a short book. Some chapters are very slow and I got bored as they didn't lead anywhere. The story was interesting, but I have read better ones and this sadly is definitely not one of my favourite ones.
August 15, 2023
This book was a little tough to get into but had an amazing ending.
August 11, 2024
Some really clunky exposition here that gave it a school history textbook feel.
January 3, 2024
Such a fascinating story and SO horrifying. I loved it.
May 31, 2012
Mary Hooper is an author I should love. Her stories always sound like the perfect combination: a historical setting, romance, and a strong female protagonist. This one in particular caught my interest because it is about a girl who is hanged, but somehow survives and it is based on a true story! I’m always so excited to read a novel by Mary Hooper, but so far they have never quite delivered for me, and I don’t think it is due to Hooper’s skills as a writer.
As a fast reader, these feel more like short stories, we just don’t get enough time to really delve into the time period or the story – not as much as I would like anyway. The characters never feel fully fleshed out either. I think that’s where Hooper’s work personally falls down for me, they are marketed towards a younger audience and as an older reader, there just isn’t enough there to sink my teeth into. It’s such a shame because Mary Hooper’s books always sound so intriguing unique among a lot of YA out there. Most historical YA seem to focus on a purely romantic plot line - Mary Hooper really strives to explore the time period and coinciding historical events, something I'd personally love to see a lot more of.
A lot of the time I felt the story dragged – it took a long time for Anne to come round after being hanged and while we gained insight into how Anne came to be convicted, I felt too much time was spent focusing on the many medical students arriving one by one and waiting for the dissection of Anne's (not so) dead corpse. Much more time was also spent waiting for them to decide whether the poor girl was dead or not. We also focused in on one medical student in particular - Robert, switching between his story and Anne's, so much so I was surprised when he all but faded from the book and I had to wonder why so much time had been spent on his character.
By the time Anne has come fully back from the dead, there are only a few chapters left, and I cannot help but feel like all I've read so far is a more detailed version of the blurb. How Anne came to be standing on the gallows is an interesting tale, but I wanted more than just brief flashes. I wanted to know how Anne felt after her horrific experiences. Would she be dragged back to the gallows? What about her enemy in Sir Thomas Reade? There was no tension and it all fell a little flat to me. The ending was quite odd, and felt detached from the rest of the story (or maybe I was just detached from the story), it sort of... petered out. I just couldn't connect to Anne which ultimately made the story unsatisfying.
Despite my disappointment in this, I still feel that Mary Hooper is a talented writer and her stories are great for young readers. She really knows her history and touches on so many important and interesting subjects, from women’s rights, to servant’s lives and class distinction, the flawed and biased justice system, the medical profession at the time, the atmosphere and realities of prison and public hangings, to the harsh conditions the poor suffered during that period. All of which, as an older reader I would have liked to have delved further into, but I think here provided great starting points for younger readers. It is a well-written book and one to be enjoyed but sadly not for me. I personally, just wanted more.
As a fast reader, these feel more like short stories, we just don’t get enough time to really delve into the time period or the story – not as much as I would like anyway. The characters never feel fully fleshed out either. I think that’s where Hooper’s work personally falls down for me, they are marketed towards a younger audience and as an older reader, there just isn’t enough there to sink my teeth into. It’s such a shame because Mary Hooper’s books always sound so intriguing unique among a lot of YA out there. Most historical YA seem to focus on a purely romantic plot line - Mary Hooper really strives to explore the time period and coinciding historical events, something I'd personally love to see a lot more of.
A lot of the time I felt the story dragged – it took a long time for Anne to come round after being hanged and while we gained insight into how Anne came to be convicted, I felt too much time was spent focusing on the many medical students arriving one by one and waiting for the dissection of Anne's (not so) dead corpse. Much more time was also spent waiting for them to decide whether the poor girl was dead or not. We also focused in on one medical student in particular - Robert, switching between his story and Anne's, so much so I was surprised when he all but faded from the book and I had to wonder why so much time had been spent on his character.
By the time Anne has come fully back from the dead, there are only a few chapters left, and I cannot help but feel like all I've read so far is a more detailed version of the blurb. How Anne came to be standing on the gallows is an interesting tale, but I wanted more than just brief flashes. I wanted to know how Anne felt after her horrific experiences. Would she be dragged back to the gallows? What about her enemy in Sir Thomas Reade? There was no tension and it all fell a little flat to me. The ending was quite odd, and felt detached from the rest of the story (or maybe I was just detached from the story), it sort of... petered out. I just couldn't connect to Anne which ultimately made the story unsatisfying.
Despite my disappointment in this, I still feel that Mary Hooper is a talented writer and her stories are great for young readers. She really knows her history and touches on so many important and interesting subjects, from women’s rights, to servant’s lives and class distinction, the flawed and biased justice system, the medical profession at the time, the atmosphere and realities of prison and public hangings, to the harsh conditions the poor suffered during that period. All of which, as an older reader I would have liked to have delved further into, but I think here provided great starting points for younger readers. It is a well-written book and one to be enjoyed but sadly not for me. I personally, just wanted more.
June 9, 2012
Newes from the Dead is a fictional account of a true story - Anne Green hanged for the infanticide of a stillborn baby awakens on the dissection table. I found the concept to be quite intriguing and the author does a good job of recreating 1600's England - particularly with regard to the daily life for the servant class. I also appreciated some of the comments about what was happening in the wider world (Cromwell etc) which helped me to place the events in context. The story of Anne's 'downfall' is an all too familiar one of misogyny, discrimination of the poor and seduction of the innocent. Poor girl - I couldn't help think of how many other girls had found themselves in a similar position.
The audio version was well done with a convincing accent and nice emotional connect.
The author switches between Anne's point of view (retelling of the events that led to her hanging) and that of a young doctor in training, Robert, who is to view her dissection. I enjoyed the switching back/forth but found the middle section of the book to drag a little bit - too many details of people arriving to view her body...it would have been more interesting to see what was happening with her poor family waiting outside to receive (whatever was left) of her body. I also thought some of the attitudes of the people attending her were a little unrealistic (all very kind and caring to this young girl who had been condemned). Robert himself is quite interesting but once Anne awakens he basically disappears and is not mentioned again. THe ending happened very quickly and with two major plot points (the death of her persecutor, and the return on her 'true love') tied up nicely in a all-too-convenient HEA. It left me thinking that the author really hadn't added much to the facts at hand - that a young woman awakens after being hanged. What happened when she went home? Did her fame spread? Did she ever face her seducer again? Did she go on to have other children? I know these facts will be missing from the historical record but these are the sorts of 'filling in' I would expect from a work of fiction.
All in all it was an OK story but could have been a more wellrounded work of fiction, rather than merely a retelling of a historical fact with a little bit of embellishment.
The audio version was well done with a convincing accent and nice emotional connect.
The author switches between Anne's point of view (retelling of the events that led to her hanging) and that of a young doctor in training, Robert, who is to view her dissection. I enjoyed the switching back/forth but found the middle section of the book to drag a little bit - too many details of people arriving to view her body...it would have been more interesting to see what was happening with her poor family waiting outside to receive (whatever was left) of her body. I also thought some of the attitudes of the people attending her were a little unrealistic (all very kind and caring to this young girl who had been condemned). Robert himself is quite interesting but once Anne awakens he basically disappears and is not mentioned again. THe ending happened very quickly and with two major plot points (the death of her persecutor, and the return on her 'true love') tied up nicely in a all-too-convenient HEA. It left me thinking that the author really hadn't added much to the facts at hand - that a young woman awakens after being hanged. What happened when she went home? Did her fame spread? Did she ever face her seducer again? Did she go on to have other children? I know these facts will be missing from the historical record but these are the sorts of 'filling in' I would expect from a work of fiction.
All in all it was an OK story but could have been a more wellrounded work of fiction, rather than merely a retelling of a historical fact with a little bit of embellishment.
August 24, 2011
Anne Green, a maidservant in 1650 England, was wrongly accused of infanticide. The punishment for her crime was death by hanging. Anne knows she dropped from the gallows, but now she exists in a strange darkness where she can’t move or speak. Left alone with only her thoughts of how she got to be at this point, she isn’t even sure if she’s dead or alive. But dead women can’t think, can they? Anne isn’t sure what this means, if she’s been buried alive or worse. What she doesn’t know is that her body is about to be used as a medical cadaver in a dissection. Nobody could ever think that a woman, already hanged, could still be alive, but one shy medical student notices the impossible—that the corpse just fluttered her eyelids. Could it be true? Could Anne Green really be alive?
Newes from the Dead is a really fascinating novel based on the true story of Anne Green. It’s really creepy but cool to know that this tale, of a hanged woman reawakening on the dissection table, actually happened. Hooper does a fantastic job of researching and embellishing a unique historical event. I loved the alternate narrations between Anne’s character and a medical student because I got to see both the possible events that led up to Anne’s conviction and what it might have happened when a cadaver was found out to be a living body. Where this book does fall a little short is in writing style. I personally enjoyed how Hooper told Anne’s story, but I can see how other readers would start to get a little bored since this story really isn’t anything more than a partially fictionalized account of a historical event.
Newes from the Dead appeals to all fans of historical fiction, especially those who enjoyed Ivy by Julie Hearn and Folly by Marthe Jocelyn.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Newes from the Dead is a really fascinating novel based on the true story of Anne Green. It’s really creepy but cool to know that this tale, of a hanged woman reawakening on the dissection table, actually happened. Hooper does a fantastic job of researching and embellishing a unique historical event. I loved the alternate narrations between Anne’s character and a medical student because I got to see both the possible events that led up to Anne’s conviction and what it might have happened when a cadaver was found out to be a living body. Where this book does fall a little short is in writing style. I personally enjoyed how Hooper told Anne’s story, but I can see how other readers would start to get a little bored since this story really isn’t anything more than a partially fictionalized account of a historical event.
Newes from the Dead appeals to all fans of historical fiction, especially those who enjoyed Ivy by Julie Hearn and Folly by Marthe Jocelyn.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
November 13, 2011
A riveting retelling of the true tale of Anne Green, who, in 1650 is hanged as a murderess for the death of her infant, who was really stillborn.
Freshly plucked from the gallows and prepped for dissection, Anne is trapped in her own body, paralyzed, unable to speak, move or see. Unsure whether she is dead or still alive, she slowly retraces the events in her life that led up to her hanging, the manor where she was a servant since childhood, the spoiled grandson and heir of the master who cajoles her into unseemly acts with false promises of devotion, the unwanted pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage/stillbirth, her discovery, trial and death.
The scene set against the backdrop of Cromwell's England, with it's religious fervor and the fear and superstition of that era, especially concerning that mysterious middle place between life and death that Anne is unwittingly caught.
The conflicting beliefs of even the academics and medical doctors that wish to study her come into play when one of their number spots the slightest movement under her eyelid, right before the initial cut is to take place. Should they mercifully help to dispatch her off to her maker or should they endeavor to save this innocent girl who was hanged for a murder she didn't commit?
Mary Hooper has obviously done her research well, the story grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let you go. Every paragraph, with alternate voices of Anne and the young Doctor who witness both her hanging and the signs of life at her dissection (cleverly typeset in different fonts for the unique voices, too!), keep you turning pages until you find yourself up at 4 am with the book you picked up only hours before.
Freshly plucked from the gallows and prepped for dissection, Anne is trapped in her own body, paralyzed, unable to speak, move or see. Unsure whether she is dead or still alive, she slowly retraces the events in her life that led up to her hanging, the manor where she was a servant since childhood, the spoiled grandson and heir of the master who cajoles her into unseemly acts with false promises of devotion, the unwanted pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage/stillbirth, her discovery, trial and death.
The scene set against the backdrop of Cromwell's England, with it's religious fervor and the fear and superstition of that era, especially concerning that mysterious middle place between life and death that Anne is unwittingly caught.
The conflicting beliefs of even the academics and medical doctors that wish to study her come into play when one of their number spots the slightest movement under her eyelid, right before the initial cut is to take place. Should they mercifully help to dispatch her off to her maker or should they endeavor to save this innocent girl who was hanged for a murder she didn't commit?
Mary Hooper has obviously done her research well, the story grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let you go. Every paragraph, with alternate voices of Anne and the young Doctor who witness both her hanging and the signs of life at her dissection (cleverly typeset in different fonts for the unique voices, too!), keep you turning pages until you find yourself up at 4 am with the book you picked up only hours before.
November 24, 2010
I liked this book. The author did a good job of recreating what might have happened to Anne, what her thought process may have been. The original document at the end of the book is an interesting read, both because of the language differences from then to now and because of the way a news article from then differs from now. It would have been even better to be able to see the trial transcripts!
Product Description
Anne can't move a muscle, can't open her eyes, can't scream. She lies immobile in the darkness, unsure if she'd dead, terrified she's buried alive, haunted by her final memory—of being hanged. A maidservant falsely accused of infanticide in 1650 England and sent to the scaffold, Anne Green is trapped with her racing thoughts, her burning need to revisit the events—and the man—that led her to the gallows.
Meanwhile, a shy 18-year-old medical student attends his first dissection and notices something strange as the doctors prepare their tools . . . Did her eyelids just flutter? Could this corpse be alive?
Beautifully written, impossible to put down, and meticulously researched, Newes from the Dead is based on the true story of the real Anne Green, a servant who survived a hanging to awaken on the dissection table. Newes from the Dead concludes with scans of the original 1651 document that recounts this chilling medical phenomenon.
Product Description
Anne can't move a muscle, can't open her eyes, can't scream. She lies immobile in the darkness, unsure if she'd dead, terrified she's buried alive, haunted by her final memory—of being hanged. A maidservant falsely accused of infanticide in 1650 England and sent to the scaffold, Anne Green is trapped with her racing thoughts, her burning need to revisit the events—and the man—that led her to the gallows.
Meanwhile, a shy 18-year-old medical student attends his first dissection and notices something strange as the doctors prepare their tools . . . Did her eyelids just flutter? Could this corpse be alive?
Beautifully written, impossible to put down, and meticulously researched, Newes from the Dead is based on the true story of the real Anne Green, a servant who survived a hanging to awaken on the dissection table. Newes from the Dead concludes with scans of the original 1651 document that recounts this chilling medical phenomenon.
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