When I first happened across this, I knew it was going to be a Must Read. There are nearly enough books about witches. My only problem is, based soley on the cover (Never judge a book by its cover), I thought it was going to be a whimsical fairytale type story. Boy, was I ever wrong. Brom's Slewfoot: a tale of bewitchery is brutal, and I mean that in a good way.
Slewfoot offers a view of puritanical New England, a place where women had no rights and were treated only slightly better than the servants, where a slip of hair from the bonnet, or showing too much wrist or ankle or, God forbid, cleavage could earn you a night in the stocks, and possibly a turn at the whipping post. Any sign of what is considered disrepect toward the men folk can land you a jail stay. Or worse, as Abitha Williams is soon to find out.
Abitha is an England transplant, sold into marriage by her father. Her mother was a conjure woman, a woman versed in medicinal remedies and charms or blessings. Abitha, it seems, has inherited some of her mother's talent, but she needs to be very discreet, as knowledge and dabbling of this type could lead to an accusation of witchcraft. Edward, Elizabeth's husband, is a simple-minded man, maybe even "special,"; he's aware of her "talents," is unhappy that she dabbles but has not expressly forbid her from using her gift. When he does put his foot down, ordering her to do something, it's not done out of disrespect, but fear, fear for her safety, and fear for himself, because he knows he won't be abe to survive without her.
When the book opens, we're made aware of a presence on the Williams' acreage, and we know whatever it is craves blood, as Abitha's goat is one of the first victims. Jump to a confrontation between Edward and his brother, Wallace, who has put up Edward's farm as collateral against a venture that failed, and now the debt has to be paid. It seems that the farm is family land, and when the head of the Williams family passed, he left everything to Wallace. Edward is in the process of paying off the land, indeed, he only has one more payment to go, but under the knew ownership, it would mean he basically becomes a slave to the new owner. Abitha, never knowing when to keep her mouth shut, puts in her two cents (and rather forcefully, I might add), thus setting up the story-long conflict between Abitha and Wallace, which only escalates after Edward falls victim to whatever entity stalks the land, his body never to be found.
The beginning of Slewfoot starts off slow as relationships are established and the author paints a desolate picture of what life is like for women at this moment in history. After Edward's death, the story picks up as Abitha struggle to make the farm work while Wallace is doing everything within his power to see to it that she fails. Abitha gains certain allies along the way who make her question her faith, who slowly make Abitha aware that she possesses power and abilities she never knew she had. And through the struggles and hardships and trying to foil Wallace's attempts to claim her land, Abitha becomes a strong, independent woman, someone to be reckoned with, which is why Wallace has to resort to accusations of witchcraft to bring this woman to her knees. Or does he? And that's where the story really takes off. The tension rises during the course of the story and you can't help but keep turning the pages to the explosive climax.
With Slewfoot, the author has created a gripping narrative of power, privilege, and entitlement; of growth and self-discovery; of deceit and betrayal. It can also be looked at as a coming-of-age tale as Abitha comes into her own. It is a story that is at times heart-felt and at other times heart-breaking. A MUST READ. 5/5 stars
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