Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They're known as healers taught by the local tribes - and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.
Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.
As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew - about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.
Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, THE DEVIL'S GLOVE is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village's dark and mysterious past?
Praise for The Devil’s Glove:
“From its opening lines this historical novel from Grindle (Villa Triste) grips with its rare blend of a powerfully evoked past, resonant characters, smart suspense, and prose touched with shivery poetry.”
~ BookLife Reviews Editor’s Pick
Resolve and her mother, Deliverance, changed their names when they moved to the New World, hiding their pasts to fit in with the English and ensure there was no suspicion directed at them. They are healers, using herbs to help keep the habitants of the small village in good health, and are very good at what they do. But they are often called to the most difficult of cases, and the patients do not always survive. Especially when they have been poisoned.
The death of Avis Hobbs was a tragedy, and by the time Resolve and Deliverance reached the house, there was nothing that could be done. But the town has its suspicions against the two healers, and while they keep their friendliness with the local tribes hidden, there are those in the village who would happily call them both ‘savage’ or have them strung up for witchcraft. For an entire village plagued with fear on the edge of war, mass hysteria is only one small step away.
I absolutely loved Resolve, she is kind, and fiercely loyal to her mother, but not afraid to do what she feels is right. She has what seems to be a relatively peaceful life, collecting herbs, looking after the cow and goats, and spending time telling stories and gossiping with her best friend. That is, when she is not being accused of one thing or another, and trying to avoid people in the village.
A character I found incredibly interesting was Abigail Hobbs, Avis’s daughter. She is a child many adore, for she looks angelic, but some of her actions come across as exactly the opposite. A beautiful young child, seemingly possessed by a dark spirit and made to do wicked things. For a town so quick to pass judgement on evil, their obsession over, and protection of, a child who seems incredibly troubled is strange, and further shows how Resolve and Deliverance are ostracised from the village. Abigail might come across as infinitely more ‘evil’ than Resolve and her mother, but Abigail was born in the village, and Resolve joined it. No matter how important she and her mother may be, they are still outsiders. I don’t want to give away spoilers, for Abigail is central to a lot of the plot in this book, but I definitely followed Resolve’s opinion of her throughout the book. In a way, this also made me like Resolve a lot more, for I found myself relating to her way of thinking.
The fear of witchcraft was, indeed, a plague that spread across the world. One wrong move and you could be accused, and there is not much you could do to change anyone's mind after they had decided on it. Even something as simple as being able to swim – for everyone knows that witches float. Fear can be deadly, and with a threat of war against the ‘savages’, the finger is pointed at anyone who might be responsible for the evil doings happening around them. Traitors inside the village could be everyone’s downfall, so sympathisers must be rooted out. No matter that Resolve and Deliverance had saved many lives within the village, that very fact was enough to bring suspicion down upon them.
There are hints throughout the story that Resolve may not entirely fit into the village, as she finds herself with strange dreams, visions, and cryptic messages from Yellow Bird, a member of one of the native tribes. With a hint of witchcraft wafting through the air, you only think of one thing as she explains what she is experiencing, and it is something that made me incredibly afraid for her safety as I read. While these themes were not overly explored in this book, the ending definitely geared the story up for them to develop and become a more integral part of the story in the next book.
I feel as though I did not read this book, but instead experienced it. The author has done a wonderful job with bringing the characters and time period to life, and I became engrossed in the words and felt the emotions as though I were in the village with Resolve, and fearing for the safety of those I, too, cared about. The characters may only breathe among the pages, but as I read, they came to life. A good book is one you cannot put down; a great book is one you can’t escape, and this book was definitely the latter. I absolutely recommend you read this book, it was amazing!
Thank you very much for hosting Lucretia Grindle today on your lovely blog. Much appreciated.
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Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club