Witch Child by Celia Rees

My friend, Jen, loaned me Witch Child. She stuck a note on it saying it was one of her favorites-a blend of historical fiction and supernatural. I'm so glad she did. I completely missed this wonderful book when it came out in 2000.
Witch Child starts in England. Mary lives with grandmother. But her grandmother is accused of witchcraft. As Mary's grandmother is found guilty, Mary is whisked away by a benevolent stranger. This woman takes Mary to another village, then to a ship bound for America. I love to read of people's journeys to America. I can imagine them on the ship, waiting to spy land, their new home. I love the sense of adventure but also the hardships they endured to get here. It reminds me that we all have tough roads on our journeys through life.
As historical fiction goes, Rees does an excellent job. She blends fiction with historical facts so well. I could see how the Puritans reacted to the trials of ship life as well as how they reacted to landing in America. Plus the characters are so richly written. Mary is headstrong and unsure of her own heritage. Martha is dependable but afraid of being thought a witch. Rebekah and Tobias are faithful friends to Mary, assisting her. I can't imagine moving to another country, alone. Mary was lucky to have strangers help her and take her in like family. I imagine that was not the luck of every orphan.
I would definitely recommend Witch Child. It's outstanding historical fiction with a tint of the supernatural. Others who shared their thoughts on Witch Child: The Book Smugglers, Read for Your Future, The Book Rat, and SisterSpooky.