Night Bookers Book Club Discussion of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

The group had a lively discussion about the book. Some people liked it very much. They enjoyed the mystery and the going back and forth from the present time to the Salem Witch Trials time. Also, one person stated she believed some people can do more with their senses, like Connie, Grace, Sophia, and Deliverance. Several people did not like the demise of the professor. They though he was a cliche, a too obvious villain. One person expected to feel more when the novel was set in Salem. Others thought the Salem setting was the best and the rest of the novel cliche. Many people did not believe Connie had the powers to make a plant come to life or heal her boyfriend, Sam. Some wondered if the author was making fun of witchcraft. Others thought they had no problems with Connie creating witchcraft; they had a problem that it worked. Others said they accepted the witchcraft as just part of the story and did not analyze whether it could be true or factual. Another woman said that there are miracles in the New Testament, so therefore why couldn't the things that happened in this book happen too. Another person said she read the witchcraft as part of the story. She didn't analyze whether it was true or factual. People were impressed with the descriptions in the book. People felt they were really in Salem at the Witch Trials, or in the jail with the "witches." Some people liked Connie's mother Grace immediately; others had to warm to her. Some never did. They thought there was a role reversal between mother and daughter, and that the mother gave the daughter a great burden in cleaning out a house the mother owned. It was a great book for discussion.