Anne of the Fens (18 page)

—Mary Makofske, author of
Traction

“Gretchen Gibbs has written a book so tender and fresh that the voice gets inside your head. Its dark brilliance gives this debut novel the rare quality of making the heroine exist now and also in another time. Maggie Bradstreet pulls you into a very real yet incomprehensible world of spells and fear.”

—Judy Pedersen, author of
When Night Time Comes Near

“I was totally absorbed in this novel! The writing absolutely catches the voice of a young girl trying to understand the horrible events around her, and the story itself — even for those of us who know something of the witchcraft trials — was mesmerizing. I was brought to tears at times. The characters were all beautifully developed. It's an ageless story of people believing lies and getting caught up in mass hysteria, relevant as well today.”

—Donna Spector, author of
The Candle of God

“The story of the storm of witchcraft accusation that occurred at Andover during the Salem witch trials is insightfully told here by a descendant of the Bradstreets, a respected Massachusetts family whose solid standing in the community was not enough to protect them from a theocracy built upon fear.”

—Kathy-Ann Becker, author of
Silencing the Women: The Witch Trials of Mary Bliss Parsons

“Early American Puritanism was vexed with religious intolerance, ignorance and fear. Maggie Bradstreet is a child who questions her elders and their politics. Her loyal friendships lead her and her readers to hell and back as she witnesses the eerie witch hunts of Andover, MA. Just when we feel we cannot read on any longer, curiosity gets the best of us and we learn that the most painful part of the story brings an epiphany that restores unity to the small town. Thank God for strong-minded souls like Maggie Bradstreet. And may Tobey's memory be honored forever too! Gretchen Gibbs's research and sensitivity culminate in a stunning novel.”

—Donna Reis, author of
No Passing Zone
and
Certain

Praise for Anne of the Fens

“It's heart-stopping to find a man living in secret inside the castle you call home. That's what happens to fifteen-year old Anne Dudley, a Puritan girl, who longs for her own Romeo and Juliet story. Fancying she has feelings for the rebel, she helps him escape from the sheriff's men, only to find the romantic escapade she dreamed of become a dangerous adventure of life and death. Gibbs weaves a story of a young girl coping with adult feelings and questioning her religious beliefs. Her whole family suffers the consequence of her actions, including the man she loves.
Anne of the Fens
takes the reader on a historical journey from the marshes of England to the wilds of a new land.”

—Gayle C. Krause, author of the award nominated YA novel,
Ratgirl
:
Song of the Viper

“With wit and an eye to sumptuous detail, Gretchen Gibbs catapults us into 1627 England. We're caught up in Anne's wild adventures as she struggles to keep rebellious John Holland out of prison in the dismal Tower of London. This is a terrific book, and Anne's story is both romantic and harrowing. From its opening scene at Lincolnshire's Boston fair, where the reader can smell the livestock and feel the sting of greasy smoke — to its unpredictable end — I couldn't put it down.”

—Donna Reis, author of
No Passing Zone
and
Certain

“Anne Dudley is a fifteen year old who has very little experience when it comes to trouble — that's more her sister Sarah's issue. Raised as a Puritan, Anne knows it is wicked to lie, cheat, steal, and lust after men. Still, she is caught in a world that is anything but Godly and pure. Her religion prohibits the reading of certain books, like Shakespeare. And, on the other side of things, King Charles I is demanding taxes and limiting her family's freedom because of their religion.
Anne of the Fens
is based on the historical life of a girl who would grow up to become America's premiere female poet Anne Bradstreet, who is an ancestor of author Gretchen Gibbs — and the passion for her predecessor in life and letters is clear in Gibbs' novel. It's a story set against the dark, threatening landscape of pre-English Civil War, when men and women were hanged or burned alive for their religious beliefs.”

—Jenny Maloney,
CriminalElement.com

“Take one part spunky adolescent, two parts woman-to-be, a generous helping of smarts, and you've got Gibbs' extraordinary protagonist. Whether she's reading forbidden literature or making her way through the dangerous fens, we are right there, rooting for her. We get to see through her eyes what daily life in 17th century England was really like. Anne of the Fens is a breathless ride.”

—Carole Howard, author of
About Face
and
Deadly Adagio