The Last Witchfinder

by James Morrow

  Mix Sir Isaac Newton's Mathematic Principals with the Salem witch trials, throw in a liberal dash of free thinking feminism, American Indian injustice, Benjamin Franklin, academic jealousy, and 17th century religious philosophy and wht do you get? Why a James Morrow novel, of course.

While not up to Mr. Morrow's usual superlative rib-poking and thought provocation, this is a great story told as only James Morrow cab tell it. Its the life and times of Jennet Stearne, a middle class English girl and daughter of  the Crown's Witchfinder-General. Unfortunately, she is also the niece of a very intelligent and very outspoken lady of means who becomes her mother figure when her own mother dies in childbirth delivering her younger brother.

Her aunt introduces her to astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology and the abundant questioning of everything that so signified the Age of Reason. Her father, on the other hand, is a stalwart of Anglican religious law as espoused in the Old and New Testaments, most specifically "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live". An uncomfortable juxtaposition to be sure.

When her father burns her aunt at the stake for witchcraft, her aunt literally solicits an oath from Jennet to "strike down James' Conjuring Act" with her last breath. And Jennet's adventures are off...

Let'd be clear. This isn't even remotely science fiction. Its actually a genre that I generally detest - historical fiction. But, hey, its James Morrow and therefore worth reading.