A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials

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Summary: This book combines both history and life's challenges.
Review: This book (A Break With Chairity) is an amzing look at not only the Salem Witch Trials, but also just the very flow of life. In the beginning of the book Susanna, teenage girl that wants to belong and have friends. She is disliked by most of the girls because of her family's wealth. After the hysteria surrounding witchcraft begins in Salem, Susanna no longer wants to belong to the circle of girls making accusations. She confronts Ann Putman the leader of the group about how it's unfair just to have people you disapprove of condemned to death on no basis, but her word. Ann then threatens Susanna's family. Both her parents are accused, but niether of them are exacuted. In this story (not historicly accurate) Susanna also helps to end the witch trials by testifying to the falsehood of the hysteria. The story shows how brutal Salem and hysteria could be, but is also very symbolic of amotions, challenges, power, and problems throughout time regarding justice.

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Summary: EXCELLENT book!!
Review: This was my second Ann Rinaldi book, and I've become a fan for life. I've always been interested by the Salem Witch Trials, but this book was particularly fascinating because it was narrated by a girl around my age, so her reactions were the same as mine would be, and it made it so much easier to understand. It also talks about real historical figures, such as Ann Putnam, and girls that were involved in the Salem Witch Trials. Up to now, I have read nearly all of Ann Rinaldi's books (except for the newest one, "Or Give Me Death"), but this one is by far my favorie.

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Summary: ~*Pink's Review*~
Review: This book takes place in Salem, long ago when they were having trials on the trials of alleged witches. Susanna being the heroic person she was, was havin a hard time with this because she was in some part of the witch things. Although she wasnt a witch, she knew some things that could help out with a major problem there. I recommend this book to those who like stories about witches or something like it.

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Summary: A Break With Stardom!
Review: A Break With Charity is a masterpiece. Truly well written with great historical context. The Salem Witch Trials are something we'd like to forget about but Ann Rinaldi tells it like is should be with true characters. I couldn't put it down for the book is thrilling with great detailed scenes. "They fell and twitched on the floor screaming with terror." The witches had them they cried. If your tired of those gorey horror stories that are all the same this book will give you goosebumps over the real thing. I reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in our past and willing to understand and educate themselves about sometimes our country's gruelsome past.

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Summary: A Break With Charity By Ann Rinaldi
Review: The book I read was a Break With Charity by Ann Rinaldi. It was about the Salem Witch trials. The main characture is Susanna English who really wants to join a circle of girls at the parsonage. The girls in the parsonage gather in the circle every night to have their fortunes told by the reverands slave ,Tituba. When Susanna finally gets the courage to go inside she witnesses terrible things that are about to occur in the town of Salem Village.
I choose to read this book because I never learned about the witch trials that took place long ago and I thought by reading this book I could learn about it in a way that would be more fun than out of a textbook. People who enjoy non-fiction books and books about the past would enjoy reading this book. This book provides the reader with just enough suspense needed to keep the reader interested in the story. Overall I give this book a 9 because it was really good but, the context was challenging to understand.

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Summary: Incredible
Review: This book was absolutely amazing. It was perfectly written, combining an awful, yet unforgettable time in history with a story that can be enjoyed by everyone. The torment that Susanna goes through is captivating and makes the book incredibly suspenseful. This book is too good to have the story told in a review. All I can say is that from the first 20 pages, I didn't want to put it down. A wonderfully written, suspenseful, captivating, amazing tale, this book is a must-read.

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Summary: Wow, thats all I can say
Review: Everyone knows Salem is where they had the witch trials, but only a few know more than that and no one knows exactly what happened. This book presents all the facts we know as well as Ann's own theroy to what happened. Not only informative but entertaining and thrilling. Fan's of Ann will love it and this is a perfect 1st book to become a fan of hers.

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Summary: GREAT! :)
Review: Hey everybody! I really suggest this book to you! I just finished it and was totally moved. The emotions are illustrated so clearly- the frustrating eating-at-you anguish of knowing a secret that could ruin you if divulged yet kills you by not being told. I can't give away too much! A breif summary:
Susanna English is fourteen. She lives in Salem, Massachutetts in 1692. Suddenly, the witch trials begin (more commonly known as the Salem Witch Trials). ... Not only does this book capture emotions, it shows prejiduce at its worst. The trials, according to the book, was when someone who was out of the ordinary was brought before the court. Whether they were or were not a witch, they could confess to being one and spend a life in jail or could deny it and be hung. Only Susanna knows the lingering secret that lies stealthily behind the horrible massacre. The people of Salem are "Puritans"- and just to summarize their beliefs, to them Baptists are heathens. wow. In my opinion, after finishing the book and really thinking, it seemed that the Puritans in the story were much closer to ... Satan than God. They, in the witchery trials, were trying to clean their town of all people who were not perfect Puritans- in other words, people who damned themselves and believed that kissing your wife or husband in public was a sin, and never wearing bright colors. They couldn't show emotional affection. To prove it, the first woman who was hanged was hanged merely out of suspicion of witchcraft because she wore a red bodice. So, basically, this book yells loud and clear that the witch trails were just an easy way to clean their 'city of peace' of all who added a lil excitmenet to their lives.
... I know, from my description of the Salem Witch Trials, that the book sounds horrible. It isn't. The horror of it all yet the innocent souls behind it are captiviating and make the story. Susanna's complex feelings seems so real- i found myself looking up from my book and expecting to see a tear-stained, distraught girl in front of me, spilling out her feelings while people were being slaughtered only a few miles away. I PROMISE it is a good book- but i will warn you- the first, second, maybe third chapters are extrememely boring and confusing, but the story falls together very soon. Have faith!
Note: I have a very queasy stomach, and I feel sick at the mention of 'blood.' But don't worry- there isn't anything gruesome in here. No graphic descriptsions.
Well, i hope you enjoy this book, ... :)

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Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: I had to read this book for Battle of the Books and a novel project. I don't like to read, even though I do have all honors classes. But this book was incredibly good. By the middle of it, you almost can't put it down. I was able to finish it in only one day, which is a very rare occurance. The book taught me a lot about the Salem Witch Trials that I didn't know, even after visiting Boston and Salem for a school 3-day trip. It informs you from a different perspective, from someone who knew the truth about the hysteria. I loved this book and anyone who even thinks about getting the book should mmost definitely get it.

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Summary: figure sk8er
Review: I thought that A Break With Charity was a great book. It realy woke me up, made me think: how did our country get to be the way it is today? Yes, there are many wonderful things about the USA, but there are many things that go on that are not at all good, like drugs,child abuse, murder, some horrible government mistakes, injustice......is that what this country's founders intended? Absolutely not! They came here for freedom, fairness, good lives. Well, this book was a great example of how our country has changed. During the Salem Witch Trials, many people were accused of being witches.....and found guilty, even though there was little evidence besides someone's word. Some people were even executed! I loved this book. Even though it is fiction, it was a very realistic situation. It could have happened to anyone who lived in Salem during that time. That is part of what makes Ann's story so great.......it is based on what happened in our country in the past.