R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 10/9/2011 + 1436 more book reviews

The story as told by Katherine Howe is delightful. Connie, a bright young graduate student, has just passed her orals in Colonial history at Harvard. However, before she can begin her research her mother asks her to dispose of her grandmother's home. As she explores the house she finds references to Deliverance Dane, specifically on a paper scrap inside a key in an old Bible. Intrigued she becomes fascinated with this woman but information about her is scant. Who was she? When did she live?
The references Connie finds leads her through the family - Mercy, Prudence and Patience for the book called an Almanac, a book of receipts, and a shadow book among other terms. As the story unravels Connie discovers that her adviser is not the man she thought him to be and she falls in love with a steeplejack named Sam. Her perceptive mother who supports new age philosophy knows more and understands more than she should through the sketchy information Connie feeds her. When a strange symbol appears on the door of the house she becomes frightened. What does it all mean? Is there something to this witch stuff after all? Connie's rational mind rejects that thought but strange things begin to happen. Going through recipe cards, she finds one that when read aloud causes a dandelion to sprout, grow, flower and die. Frightened, she goes home and tries it on a dead spider plant and it, too, grows. Real? Imagination? What is it?

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