Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill (HarperCollins)

Wicked Girls presents a compelling take on the Salem witch trials, seen through the lives of three girls caught in a swirl of fear, power, and the need to survive. The core issue is the sudden outbreak of witchcraft claims that rocks the small town. This forces Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, and Margaret Walcott to face their own beliefs, who they are loyal to, and what happens because of what they do. The stress increases as the girls deal with growing suspicions, showing how easily trust can break down when things get tough.

Ann, Mercy, and Margaret change a lot as they show different kinds of weaknesses and strengths. Ann starts things as a key person, and she wrestles with what she’s responsible for and the results of what she’s done. Mercy’s history follows her, so she acts to stay alive, not because she wants to. Margaret cares about love and being loyal, so she tries to speak up while everything is in chaos. What happens between them shows how what society expects, what people fear, and friendships can clash and change what they do during this difficult time.

The book looks at ideas that still matter now: how dangerous mass panic can be, how power works in groups, and what happens when people make false claims. It raises questions about what is true and fair, which relate to today's talks about judging people and being open to being hurt. Hemphill shows these ideas to make people think about how fear and bias can change groups and even the choices we make and the relationships we have.

Stephanie Hemphill writes in a style that is like poetry and often feels pressing, which catches the strong feelings of the time and what the main characters are going through inside. The words are easy to understand and raw, which pulls people into the stress and sadness that covers Salem. The story goes through different points of view in verse, which makes things feel close and real. But sometimes, this way of writing can make it harder to get deeper into the story or change the pace.

Wicked Girls is special because of its strong mood, which makes Salem in 1692 feel real but also important to today. The focus on what the three women struggle with inside makes the story personal and makes you want to know what happens. 

While the verse style might not be for everyone, the book does a good job of showing the human feelings behind what happened in history. It also makes you think about how fear and power still change groups today. It’s a touching work that warns us but also asks us to be understanding and empathetic toward others.

4/5