Olathe Public Library- GoodReads Branch discussion

I am fascinated by tales of early American lives, but have never wished to have lived in that time. "The Wolves of Andover" by Kathleen Kent confirms my understanding that life then was harsh and uncertain.
The book is a "prequel" to Kent's debut novel, "The Heritic's Daughter." In both novels she bases the story on family legends of her own ancestors, including one Martha
Allen Carrier, who was hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692.
The Martha of Kent's novels is a complex character with foibles as well as admirable traits. While "The Heritic's Daughter" relates a fictionalized account of the time leading up to her execution, "The Wolves of Andover" sets the scene for later events by showing us how Martha's eccentricities were shaped by her life experiences.
Both novels are rich in authentic period detail. It's probably as close as I would want to come to keeping house and caring for a family in 1690s America.
Both books are gems and are on my list of all-time favorite historical novels.

I just picked up The Heretic's Daughter, based on your comments. I hope to get started on it soon. The problem is all my holds have been coming in at the same time! I love a good historical fiction read, so I'm looking forward to starting this.

Rachel, I really enjoyed The Heretic's Daughter. I'm looking forward to The Wolves of Andover.