Title: Conversion
Author: Katherine Howe
First published June 4, 2014
402 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780399167775 (ISBN10: 0399167773)
Rating: 3.31
Overview
Senior year at St. Joan’s Academy is filled with expectations and pressure for Colleen Rowley and her friends. From college applications to valedictorian battles, the stress is overwhelming.
But when the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, starts experiencing uncontrollable tics in class, it sets off a chain of events that no one could have predicted. As more students start exhibiting strange symptoms, the school is thrown into chaos, and rumors start to spread.
Is it pollution? Stress?
Or are the girls faking it? Only Colleen, who has been researching for extra credit, realizes the truth behind the mysterious illness.
Inspired by true events, this novel takes you on a journey from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school, raising the question, what is really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?
About the Author
Meet Katherine Howe, an accomplished author of both historical fiction and nonfiction. You might recognize her most from her book, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, which skyrocketed to #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and was named one of USA Today’s top ten books of the year in 2009.
Katherine’s book, Conversion, also received recognition, winning the 2015 Massachusetts Book Award in young adult literature.
Katherine’s love for history led her to edit The Penguin Book of Witches for Penguin Classics, a primary source reader on the history of witchcraft in England and North America. She’s also dabbled in co-authorship, working with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on the bestselling Vanderbilt: the Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty, which was released in September 2021.
Katherine’s next novel is set to be released by Holt in Fall 2023. She earned her BA in art history and philosophy from Columbia and her MA in American and New England studies from Boston University.
Despite being a native Houstonian, Katherine now resides in both New England and New York City with her family. And fun fact: she’s a hot sauce enthusiast who puts it on just about everything.
Editoral Review
Conversion by Katherine Howe is a gripping, suspenseful novel that takes the reader on a journey through time, exploring themes of feminism, power, and identity. Published on June 4, 2014, it is a work of fiction that is set in two different time periods, 1692 and the present day, and revolves around the lives of two groups of girls who are facing similar challenges.
Katherine Howe is a historical fiction author and a descendant of three accused Salem witches. She is best known for her debut novel, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, which was a New York Times bestseller.
Conversion is her third book and was highly anticipated by her fans. The book is set in St. Joans Academy, a prestigious all-girls school in Danvers, Massachusetts, which was previously known as Salem Village in 1692 during the infamous witch trials.
The novel intertwines the stories of two groups of teenage girls who are experiencing strange physical and psychological symptoms. In 1692, the girls are accused of witchcraft and punished by the authorities, while in the present day, the girls are trying to solve the mystery of their symptoms by seeking help from doctors and scientists.
Howe uses her background in history to bring the setting of the novel to life, providing a well-researched background for the characters and their predicaments. She uses her knowledge of Salem and its history to weave together an intriguing story of witchcraft, feminism, and power.
The characters of the novel are well-developed, and the readers are invited into their thoughts and emotions, which helps to create a strong connection between the readers and the characters. The use of two time periods allows for a comparison of the social and political contexts of the two eras, which leads to an interesting critique of the present-day society.
The structure of the novel is well-paced and provides an excellent balance between the two time periods, alternating between the stories of the girls of St. Joans Academy and the accused witches of Salem Village. Howes writing style is engaging and keeps the readers immersed in the story.
The novel explores many themes, including identity, power, and the power dynamics between men and women, which remain relevant in todays society. Howes feminist perspective is evident in her portrayal of the female characters, who are strong-willed and determined to find the truth about their situation.
However, the novel is not without its limitations. The resolution of the mystery may seem rushed, and some of the characters motivations and actions may feel contrived.
Overall, Conversion is an excellent historical fiction novel that is well-researched, well-paced, and engaging. It explores relevant themes that are relevant to todays society and provides an interesting perspective on the differences and similarities between the two time periods.
This is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, especially those interested in the Salem Witch Trials. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
