Invisible World

July 1, 2012
Weyn once again uses the supernatural to invent an alternate version of history (Distant Waves, 2009), this time the Salem Witch Trials. A clairvoyant like her grandmother and great-grandmother, who were persecuted as witches, Elsabeth hopes to use her power to live independently one day. Wanting his daughter to avoid her ancestors' fate, Elsabeth's scientist father tries to relocate the family, including Elsabeth's former governess, Bronwyn, who practices astral projection, from England to the American colonies. A shipwreck changes their course, sending lone Elsabeth to a South Carolina plantation. Uneducated in racial boundaries, the teen immediately falls for slave Aakif. In a business exchange (and to remove her from the impropriety), the plantation owner sends her to Salem to be a servant to Reverend Parris. On the way to Salem, Elsabeth reunites with Bronwyn, whose spirit has been compromised during one of her astral travels. In the process of trying to heal Bronwyn, the teen inadvertently unleashes evil on the town. Weyn sticks with the familiar characters and events, letting supernatural occurrences and recent medical theories explain the rise of witches. She also introduces other debatable facts, such as Tituba's ethnic background, and the burgeoning science of the day. A historical note that would help readers sort out facts and theories from fiction is sadly lacking. Despite a too-tidy ending, it is an interesting, fast-paced blend of mystical and scientific reasoning. (Historical fantasy. 13 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2012

Gr 7 Up-Elsabeth James is a teenager in 1690s England, the daughter of a scientist who through research and investigation tries to find the scientific explanation of the supernatural ability his daughter possesses. She exhibits clairvoyant powers much like her grandmother and great-grandmother, who were persecuted as witches. Wanting to avoid this fate, he and his family set off for America, only to encounter turbulent travels resulting in a shipwreck. Elsabeth is washed ashore on an island off the coast of South Carolina during the heat of summer. She is nurtured back to health by its inhabitants, slaves from Africa who are on their own during the hottest months. She falls in love with Aakif, but upon the return of the plantation owner, she is sent away to Salem, Massachusetts, to be an indentured servant for Reverend Parris. On the boat, Elsabeth discovers that her governess also survived the shipwreck and is onboard in a coma. She feels that Bronwyn's spirit has been lost and in trying to help her, evil is unleashed on Salem. An increase of supernatural events leads to the arrest of many young women accused of witchcraft, including Elsabeth. She must find a way out before more young girls lose their lives. Several historical figures are introduced, but without an author's note it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Readers with a background in the time period will appreciate more fully the racial boundaries involved as well as the facts and theories involving microbiology to partially explain the supernatural. Although the historical aspects of the novel are not clarified, readers can enjoy it as a paranormal adventure.-Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.