The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
I came to read this book quite by chance. Recently, I’ve made some changes in my life. I’ve quit some bad habits, and cut back on some others. Also, I’ve taken on a couple of new habits. One of them is reading more than one book at a time, which coincides with another habit, and that is: reading new authors.
I chose this book off the New Releases shelf at Barnes & Nobles, because of the cover. The title was good, and I liked the mystery it provoked. I read the back of the book and it was mine. I know we shouldn’t judge books by their cover, but this time it worked out in my favor.
I got home and started thumbing though the book. It’s about Salem! THE Salem; Salem Massachusetts. The funny thing is, I’ve been looking for a good “Halloween” book. Last year I read “The Portrait of Dorian Grey” by Oscar Wilde, which was great. This year, I feel the perfect book has fallen into my lap.
Let’s get on with it, shall we?
Part I: The Key and Bible
Prologue
Way to go Miss Katherine Howe! You managed to pull me RIGHT into this story. I took a peak at chapter one, and I see the date jumps from 1681 to 1991. Are we going to be jumping back and forth in time? Oh, I do hope so. Spectacular imagery, I could smell the swamplands in that area, and you didn’t even describe it.
Chapter One
Persimmon (had to look this word up): orange fruit resembling a plum; edible when fully ripe.
The way Connie is panicking reminds me of Rhiannon. This is good. Authors should remind us of people we know. It helps us get closer to the characters. I’m with you Connie!
Interesting. We’re going to be looking at Salem as if the witchcraft was real, but from the journey of a Harvard graduate student. Awesome. Also, Connie’s blonde friend (didn’t quite catch her name) puts a nice contrast against Connie’s dark features. And the way the relationship is described…I wonder if these girls are going to do magic. They remind me of Elphaba and Galinda.
Chapter Two
Coterie – clique: an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose.
Huh, now Connie is starting to sound like me. The relationship she has with her mother reminds me of the one I have with my father. I bet they come together in this book.
Chapter Three
The Northshore IS pretty, Ms. Howe. One of the prettiest places in the world–that’s my humble opinion.
Lots of information here! As a writer as well as a reader, I appreciate this chapter. There’s no way she’s going to be able to give away this house. That memory, and the strangeness of Chilton’s question earlier on. They’re connected. This is part of the premise; this house.
If she’s selling this house, then she’s selling it to ME!
Let the magic begin. It’s quite clear Granna wasn’t the Puritanical.
Get a key; have an interlude.
Interlude
Everybody loves a courtroom drama.
Chapter Four
What does Chilton know? Is he a witch? Is Connie just nosy?
Me thinks Sam may end up a romantic-type interest.
Well of COURSE Dane was a witch…that’s why we’re reading. Hah!
Chapter Five
It’s a unique thought for me to think some people accept that magic WASN’T believed in in the past. Howe presents a chapter here where her protagonist discovers the witchcraft in Salem was really believed in by the people who lived there. To me, that’s a ‘duh.’ No offense. Sure, most likely someone was lying about something to cause all the commotion, but the people had to believe it was happening in order for that many people to die because of it. On another note, these symbols are interesting.
Chapter Six
All I can think of after reading this is Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and her great aunt’s recipe book.
Interlude
I wonder if we’re going to find out that Connie is related to Deliverance?
Chapter Seven
Why do I think Grace knows more about this than she’s letting on? I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t though…she’s rather ditsy. That may be purposeful though.
If Connie doesn’t get it on with Sam…I’ll be unhappy. I hope he doesn’t die. I have a feeling someone’s going to die.
Chapter Eight
Good. I’m glad Connie is on the same page as the rest of us now. I still don’t trust Chilton.
Chapter Nine
The key leads to the book. That’s for sure. So Chilton doesn’t have it, but he knows something. Grace knows something too. Even more now, I think Connie is related to Deliverance. Wherever the trail ends, that will tell us what happened to the book. It’s probably buried in the back yard. Maybe near where the mandrake or belladonna is?
Chapter Ten
Awe; love. I was just chatting with Rhiannon about this. Sam is your typical New England handy-man hunk. If this is true, then Sam might have a hidden past of some sort. Maybe I’m just over thinking this.
Interlude
Intriguing.
Chapter Eleven
Did Prudence kill her parents? Why isn’t Connie asking this question? She’s the one looking at Salem as if the magic was real. She’s the one looking for a spell book. Could this be the Almanack? Plausible. So, why ISN’T Connie asking these questions? She’s supposed to be smart, not just throwing tantrums.
Chapter Twelve
Thanks mom (Grace) for pointing out the obvious! Apparently, Connie needs it.
I like how Connie has these people around her who can translate Latin and knows a bit of easy Greek…but that’s just the thing. Alpha and Omega, that’s pretty standard. Most educated at Connie’s level should know that–especially with Connie’s field of expertise. Why is Howe making her character dumb? She started out so smart!
Interlude
Either the book doesn’t stay in this library of sorts…or Chilton is part of this library and he has it. Or knows about it and wants to know where it is. Yeah, after the beat down he gave Connie, I’m convinced he’s not innocent.
Chapter Thirteen
Oi, Ms. Howe. I really like your book so far, but Connie is being silly. She should suspect something here! I’m also wondering why you brought the philosopher’s stone into this. You used it in the same sentence as the word “riddle” and all I can think of is Harry Potter now.
Okay, so she’s figured it out about the almanack, great. How come she totally missed the alchemy connection with Chilton and the book the earring woman showed her? Huh? HUH! Come on, Connie’s not supposed to be this dense!
Chapter Fourteen
Well, at least she’s on the trail of this book now!
I’m sorry, I just have to say: why talk about Sam if we’re not going to see him? You took me out of the moment Ms. Howe!
Granna was cool!
Part II: The Sieve and Scissors
Chapter Fifteen
Now that’s what I’m talking about Ms. Howe. Part II starts of fantastically. Connie has finally put together the pieces I’ve been waiting for. She still doesn’t suspect Chilton yet, but there’s time. Although after thinking about him and alchemy yet again, she should have stretched the thought further. Alas, I’m satisfied now.
Chapter Sixteen
Okay Connie, you’re nervous. Do you suspect him yet? You know magic is real. You know Chilton is crazy into alchemy. He’s call the book a “book of shadows,” and he’s very interested in it. You’ve got to know by now!
Chapter Seventeen
No luck with her suspecting Chilton so far. I’m starting to think Chilton can’t know where the book is. If he did, then why would he make Connie go on this goose chase? Is he trying to convert her to something? I think it’s more believable that Chilton is power-hungry and afraid of dying, so he wants the book to use it’s magic. However, the way Chilton was acting in the beginning of the book…this seems long planned. Who is this guy!
Jeez, Connie was kind of a jerk to her mother getting off the phone. By the way, Grace is awesome…and she knows what this book is…what her mother was…what they are.
Chapter Eighteen
Magical maladies are always fun. I’m glad Ms. Howe is true to New England. Mike and Linda are typical middle class parents. Love it.
Interlude
I don’t quite get the point of these interludes. They are telling a great story–which I would like more of–but I don’t think they’re really adding anything to the main plot of the book. Connie doesn’t get to see any of it in any way, and it jumps back and forth through time in the Puritanical world. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great writing here…I just don’t see how it’s lending itself to the rest of the story.
Chapter Nineteen
About to embark on this next chapter when I had a realization. We know that the Dane women were all named after cardinal virtues. Deliverance, Mercy, Prudence…could it be that Connie (short for Constance) is related because of that? YES! Check it out, we have Connie’s mother, Grace, and then we have Granna whose name is Sophia. Now Sophia may throw you off, unless you know Greek OR have studied a bit of about Gnostic philosophy like I have. Sophia means “wisdom.” I suspected Connie had to be related to Deliverance because it makes sense and good story, here is evidence (albeit circumstantial) to my theory. I can’t wait ’til Connie tracks the family to herself!
Now we’re getting somewhere. That was a nifty bit of magic.
Chapter Twenty
Well, now everyone knows everything. We’ve just got to find the book and let the action happen. I hope Sam doesn’t die. I’m not entirely sure he won’t. The husbands of the Dane women don’t seem to last.
Wow. The way Grace presents magic in this chapter is nearly how I’d like us to present it in our books. What she says about the book being just paper with ink on it, the real magic being inside. Intuition. Yeah. I really like Grace. I’m glad to see I figured out the name thing before we were told explicitly!
Interlude
So there’s interludes every other chapter from here on out. I still don’t understand the point of them. We know what ends up happening to Deliverance…unless it’s not what we think. Then in that case, why doesn’t she give a hint to that earlier on. They’re just slowing the story down for me at this point…and it should be picking up.
Chapter Twenty-One
Alright. Let’s get this party started. Oh wait. Another interlude! COME ON!
Interlude
These interludes don’t add anything to the modern section of the story. Sure, it’s great, and I’d like a whole BOOK from this perspective, but it’s only taking away from my enjoyment of Connie’s story. Why put this here? I just want to get to the action. I want to see Connie kick Chilton’s butt!
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sam had a nose ring? WHAT? Oi, another interlude.
Interlude
I’m reading this last interlude and thinking to myself, gosh this would have been great if it had happened earlier in the story. It would be even better if Connie made all these connections. I see that she doesn’t have to in order to do what she needs to do in the final chapter to come, but it would have been better story telling. With a little rearranging, these interludes would have worked. Right now, they are just in the way.
I enjoyed the ending of Deliverance’s story, but I still don’t see how it adds to the modern day plot-line.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A little different than I expected, but not bad. I don’t think the parallels she tried to pull off with Deliverance and Connie’s stories worked out. When Chilton says the philosopher’s stone is the rock to build the world on, mirroring Deliverance saying that Mercy was the stone, it just feel flat for me. I noticed it, but it just didn’t seem connected. However, I did think the whole spell part was wicked awesome. I wish there was more of that!
Postlude
Nice, neat ending for Connie. Another attempt at pulling together a point about the philosopher’s stone and the Apostile Peter, but I wasn’t really interested.
Overall, I’d give this book an average rating. I enjoyed it, but I won’t read it again. I had a lot of unfulfilled expectations. That usually doesn’t happen when I read. Even saying all this, I’d still read another book by Katherine Howe. I like her ideas. I just think they missed the mark some-of-the-time in this book.
Tags: Books, Genre: Fanstasy
Thoughts on Books | Joey | 
11 November 2009 6:30 AM
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