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Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, The--B&N Recommends Edition

by Katherine Howe

Published: 2010-04-06
Paperback : 384 pages

7 members reading this now
10 clubs reading this now
6 members have read this book

Recommended to book clubs by 7 of 8 members

No other editions available.

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Introduction

A crime lost to time. A secret buried deep. One book unlocks an unimaginable truth. Salem, Massachusetts, 1681. Fear and suspicion lead a small town to unspeakable acts. Marblehead, Massachusetts, 1991. A young woman is about to discover that she is tied to Salem in ways she never imagined. "A sensational debut novel . . . carries on every page Howe's unique passion, wit, intelligence, and spirit."
--Matthew Pearl, bestselling author of The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow "A terrific debut novel . . . a captivating thriller of the hidden powers of women throughout the centuries."
--Boston Globe "Literary alchemy . . . powerful enough to deliver a charming summer read."
--Christian Science Monitor "Howe pairs a scholarly search for a missing book with the thrill of spine-tingling witchery."
--Dallas Morning News "If you need some magic in your life . . . lose yourself in The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane."
--Real Simple "A devilishly delightful read."
--San Francisco Chronicle

"Compulsively readable . . . The novel is a page-turner, but the characters, not the plot, dominate." --Denver Post "A witch story that will leave you spellbound . . . Once in a while, a new writer offers up a hypnotic tale of the supernatural that has the publishing world quivering with excitement. In 2005 it was Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian; in 2006 it was Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale. This summer, The Physick Book is magic."
--USA Today "I thought I had found another Alice Hoffman as I began Katherine Howe's debut novel . . . It has definite Hoffman vibes, but with a little Da Vinci Code, Stephen King, and academic discourse thrown in to create a charming and different mix . . . Howe is masterful."
--Portland Oregonian "This isn't the same old hang-the-sorceror tale. It has a bedeviling twist."
--New York Daily News

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

Was Connie's dog real?

Do women today experience similar suspiscion as Deliverance Dane did?

What are the common themes among each of the women in this family?

by ELMcHenry02 (see profile) 02/25/10

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Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 7 of 8 members.

Create your own ending

by ELMcHenry02 (see profile) 02/25/10

If our group had had time, I think, as a teacher myself, I would have asked the group to write their own ending to the book. I feel as though the ending was forced by the publishers or editors and may not have been the author's intent (forgive me if I am wrong).

Member Reviews

Overall rating:

"Interesting book"by Courtney M. (see profile) 04/22/13

"Interesting conversation"by Denise B. (see profile) 02/16/12

"The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane"by Lynn W. (see profile) 09/21/11

Everyone in the book club enjoyed this book, which doesn't happen all that often. The discussion never dragged, ranging from the Salem witch trials to the modern day who-done-it.

"Physick Book of Deliverance Dane"by Jan F. (see profile) 10/22/10

It was pretty good, especially going back in time parts.

"The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane"by Brenda S. (see profile) 10/11/10

Thought it was a very slow read. I was really more interested in the "historical" sections and they were a little fragemented and didn't follow a timeline, which got confusing. The "current" day portion... (read more)

"Great book for a rainy evening, or a day on the beach"by Dee P. (see profile) 07/29/10

I purchased this book as a possible book club choice - Decided to read just the first chapter to see if it was a good pick.......169 pages later, I dediced it was! You will enjoy this book immensely!!... (read more)

"Physick Book of Deliverance Dane"by Joyce L. (see profile) 06/26/10

"Decent Book, Great for Female Historians!"by Emily M. (see profile) 02/25/10

I loved this book up until the ending. On one hand, you knew what was coming, but the predictability made it a little stale. The historical fiction aspect of the novel brought out the feminist side of... (read more)

"Fun and facsinating look at the salem witch trails from a fresh perspective."by Holly L. (see profile) 02/11/10

Well-researched and well-written story of a Harvard doctoral candidate who discovers the possible existence of a Salem witch's spell book. The central character, Connie, is believable (although a bit... (read more)

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