Part I, Chapters 7 - 14

[GnANorman]

Initially, I thought Chilton was trying to "show off" to the exam board what Connie knew.  He seemed to have a sense of pride in his accomplishments through her.  As the story continued, it appeared he had a more sinister side in his dealings with Connie.  I grew more frustrated with him and was so glad when she finally sensed things were not as they appeared in their relationship.  It will be interesting to see to what extent Chilton will go in the search of the "receipt" book and the reasoning for his want of it.

What is the "receipt" book? How has it been used by this line of women? What does it mean to Prudence? 

I believe the "receipt" book is a combination of recipes and spells passed down through the generations.  I think Prudence doesn't understand the true value of the book.  I believe I have more of an understanding of Mercy than of Prudence.

How close is Connie's understanding of these women's lives, compared to our own? How does it feel to have more information than Connie does?

Aren't the flashbacks Connie's dreams?  Do we really have more information than she does?

Connie and Sam's relationship continues to grow. How is Sam helping Connie's research? Is Sam a romantic?

I think Sam is helping Connie simply by encouraging and supporting her.  It is that bond that seems to attract Connie to him.  I think he is a romantic.  I'll enjoy seeing their relationship continue to blossom.

[meme1]

My feelings about Chilton have changed - only to find him more deceitful and manipulative.  I do not find him trustworthy at all.  I believe that Howe has done a "mighty fine" job of developing his character.

[LoBugs]

Have your feelings for Chilton changed?

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I definitely didn’t change my opinion about Chilton. I thought he was up to something early on and now I know he’s up to something. I get the feeling that he and Connie may end up in a battle over good vs. evil magic.

Connie and Sam's relationship continues to grow. How is Sam helping Connie's research? Is Sam a romantic?

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I think that Sam may share more than a love of history with Connie, maybe they share a magical connection as well, could help if there is a battle. If not, that’s fine I still like Sam I feel that he is romantic in the little things he does, like when he puts his arm around her waist or taking her to a special spot to watch the fireworks from. Sam completes Connie in the sense that she seems to get a certain calm strength from him, a sureness in herself that she lacks without him. She seems comfortable in her own skin when she’s with Sam. Connie challenges Sam and he's okay with that, but he's not afraid to challenge her right back. Like going into the yard to see the marker or the store. Sam doesn't just show her, he trys to open her mind to what's really there.

What is the "receipt" book? How has it been used by this line of women?  What does it mean to Prudence? 

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A lot of you have mentioned that “Connie seems to have trouble dealing with 'real' history. It doesn't take much imagination to see that Prudence was a midwife even from the small amount of information in the journal.”

Maybe Connie doesn’t pick up on the fact that Prudence is a midwife simply because she started with a preconceived notion and her mind wasn’t open to the obvious. It took a little longer for it to slap her in the face, and I think she even felt a little surprised she hadn’t seen it sooner.  

Prudence has heard and seen the harm and pain being in possestion of this book has caused the women before her.  It's now her turn to make the choice as to what to do with the book. The big question is will it matter. 

What is the symbol on the front door, and how do you believe it got there?

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I have never read any witch type of books so I don't have any idea what the mark on the door is about, and that is okay. It's clear that it is an attention getter, maybe for protectio, or maybe as a warning. I can't wait to find out. 

[austinWI]

Professor Chilton is really starting to creep me out too.  What a temper he suddenly has.  Why is this so important to him?  He needs this book for a reason.

Patty

[DSaff]

I think I dislike Chilton even more than before. His anger towards Connie, and the threat to cut her funding make him a bully. He is not pushing her to excel at her work, but rather to achieve what he wants. He definitely wants her work to prove his ideas. I really want Connie to stand up to him.

I find Prudence to be an orderly, methodical woman. Her entries get right to the point without any extra fluff (though some would have been nice). I think she is a caring woman, but find her lack of words, especially on wintry days, hold me back from really getting to know her.  Prudence truly seems like a name that fits her.

It doesn't seem that Connie truly understands the type of lives these women lived. None of us truly do, but can learn more through reading journals. She wants more information from the papers and journal, more about what was going on. I keep thinking, come on Connie, figure it out. But then, we have the Interludes.

The door - I think the symbol was burned by the blue light she thought was from a meteor (pg. 171). The perfect circle leads me to believe that it was done supernaturally, and the timing is right. I looked up the words and they seem to denote a helper of God. So, I wonder if this is a sign of protection rather than something bad. I could be way off base, but think there are forces on both sides of finding The Physick Book!

I really like Sam. He appears whenever she needs him, whether she knows it or not. He encourages her without overt pressure, and helps her step away from her research when needed. She is very comfortable with him when out of her space (swimming), but becomes uncomfortable in pj's when at home. There seems to be a relationship brewing and I continue to wonder what part Sam plays in her research.

[ladybugDL]

This book is awesome. I really like the way that she transitions between modern day and past time.

Yes, my feelings toward Chilton have changed. He is using Connie to advance himself. I am worried for her safety, I think she may be in danger.

The receipt book is the book of spells used by Deliverance and passed down to children and their children. I don't think it is important to Prudence.

Yes, I believe that Sam is a romantic and cares for Connie very deeply. I think that Sam is helping Connie's research by his prescence and his encouragement. 

This is a book that can keep you up all night.  I have to force myself to stop reading.

Dolly  

[PB684]

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PiperMurphy wrote:

To me, the "receipt book" to Deliverance is a recipe book and nothing more. She used it to record the recipes for her medicines. However, to Prudence it is evidence of witchcraft. I think that she is afraid that if she is discovered possessing the book the hysteria from the trials will start again. It is interesting that she did see the value of the book since she sold it to a collector rather than destroy it.

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I have to disagree with this. I think Deliverance is very aware of the significance and purpose of the "receipt book". I do agree with you that Prudence feels that the book will cause her family more trouble and wants to be rid of it but I think money plays a very big part in why she sells it rather than destroying it.

PB684

[PB684]

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biljounc63 wrote:

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skiibunny1213 wrote:
I also found it interesting that Connie could sense/see what Grace was doing over the phone without asking.  It made me think that maybe Grace seems distant from her daughter not because there is tension on her part but more because maybe she doesn't need to ask Connie what she's been up to... you know? 

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I made note of that as well. It has been. Funny that nobody questions it. It probably always has been like with them that so it doesn't seem strange to them.  

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Good point I hadn't thought of it that way! I noticed that Connie could always tell what Grace was up to but I hadn't thought about it being the other way around.

PB684

[bibanon1]

Good catch DSaff!  I didn't think about that but I think you are right!!!

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DSaff wrote:

The door - I think the symbol was burned by the blue light she thought was from a meteor (pg. 171). The perfect circle leads me to believe that it was done supernaturally, and the timing is right. I looked up the words and they seem to denote a helper of God. So, I wonder if this is a sign of protection rather than something bad. I could be way off base, but think there are forces on both sides of finding The Physick Book!

I

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[maude40]

I love this sentence on top of page 130, "She was always puzzled that people say that darkness falls. To her it seemed instead to rise, massing under trees and shrubs, pouring out from under furniture, only reaching the sky when the spaces near the ground were full." What a great image, so sinister and foreboding. It fits with the feeling of the house perfectly. Yvonne

[maude40]

When Connie calls her mother from the pay phone on pages 113 and 114, Grace can "see" through the phone that Connie's aura is changed. Connie then tells her about her headaches after she has a vivid daydream. Auras are common with severe headaches such as migrains. It seems to me that these daydreams will develop into something interesting further in the book. Yvonne

[Danimal79]

I agree with you, DSaff, I think the circle on the door and the meteor are connected.  For that matter, there seems to be a connection with the color blue.  The meteor was blue and, when Connie wondered what color her aura was (when talking on the phone with Grace), she thought she heard Grace murmur the word "blue," before hanging up.  Then, of course, there was the incident with the dandelion.."The blue light condensed into a pulsing, round orb between her hands, aiming crackling electric veins at a dry young dandelion seed on the ground." 

It's subtle but just a little something I noticed...

I was also thinking about the whole names thing and a possible connection with the symbol that was burned into the door.  I looked up the meaning of Elizabeth (which Liz is presumably short for).  Elizabeth is supposed to mean 'oath of God' and Samuel is supposed to mean "name of God."  Liz translated the words in the circle to mean "helper of God."  I know this seems a tenuous connection but I wanted to mention it nonetheless.

Another thing I was wondering about was whether Connie's visions are true visions.  She frequently mentions imagining what Grace is doing on the other end of the telephone or what Granna did in her kitchen. Is she seeing what really happened in the past?   And is she actually seeing what Grace is doing rather than imagining it??  (I think another reader might have brought this up already..I apologize for any repetition...)

[Danimal79]

I was surprised by how intense Connie's dislike was for the woman who owns the Wicca shop... ("..how she resented this woman with her ridiculous earrings, the profits of her store built on the dead shoulders of a bunch of innocent people.").

You can see the struggle that takes place within Connie.  She intuits that this woman is genuine, sincere and yet she ignores this feeling and reason takes over, convincing her that the woman is simply trying to make $. 

[DSaff]

That is one of my favorite likes too. I love the descriptivenes.

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maude40 wrote:
I love this sentence on top of page 130, "She was always puzzled that people say that darkness falls. To her it seemed instead to rise, massing under trees and shrubs, pouring out from under furniture, only reaching the sky when the spaces near the ground were full." What a great image, so sinister and foreboding. It fits with the feeling of the house perfectly. Yvonne

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Message Edited by DSaff on 04-06-2009 03:16 PM

[DSaff]

Yes, blue is used a lot around Connie.

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Danimal79 wrote:

I agree with you, DSaff, I think the circle on the door and the meteor are connected.  For that matter, there seems to be a connection with the color blue.  The meteor was blue and, when Connie wondered what color her aura was (when talking on the phone with Grace), she thought she heard Grace murmur the word "blue," before hanging up.  Then, of course, there was the incident with the dandelion.."The blue light condensed into a pulsing, round orb between her hands, aiming crackling electric veins at a dry young dandelion seed on the ground." 

It's subtle but just a little something I noticed...

I was also thinking about the whole names thing and a possible connection with the symbol that was burned into the door.  I looked up the meaning of Elizabeth (which Liz is presumably short for).  Elizabeth is supposed to mean 'oath of God' and Samuel is supposed to mean "name of God."  Liz translated the words in the circle to mean "helper of God."  I know this seems a tenuous connection but I wanted to mention it nonetheless.

Another thing I was wondering about was whether Connie's visions are true visions.  She frequently mentions imagining what Grace is doing on the other end of the telephone or what Granna did in her kitchen. Is she seeing what really happened in the past?   And is she actually seeing what Grace is doing rather than imagining it??  (I think another reader might have brought this up already..I apologize for any repetition...)

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[Danimal79]

It's possible that the circle burned into the door isn't sinister in nature.  Maybe, in fact, it's meant to help Connie locate the book?  I'm thinking if she discovers the meaning of AGLA, she may discover where the book is hidden.   Does anyone else think this may be a possibility?  And maybe Grace is connected to this somehow?? 

[DSaff]

I thought Connie reacted so strongly because Salem had become so commercialized. There didn't seem to be any thought about the tragedy that had happened; just how to make money from it. It wasn't until the woman tried to help her that Connie relaxed a little. The house and the people she is researching seem to be getting to Connie.

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Danimal79 wrote:

I was surprised by how intense Connie's dislike was for the woman who owns the Wicca shop... ("..how she resented this woman with her ridiculous earrings, the profits of her store built on the dead shoulders of a bunch of innocent people.").

You can see the struggle that takes place within Connie.  She intuits that this woman is genuine, sincere and yet she ignores this feeling and reason takes over, convincing her that the woman is simply trying to make $. 

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[maude40]

At the end of chapter 9 Connie is talking to Grace again. Grace says,"All I'm saying is that it couldn't hurt to spend a little time looking into yourself and see what's going on in there. You are a special, remarkable person, Connie, whether you find the book or not." Grace negates Connie's academic achievements  and seems to be pushing her in some other direction. Most mothers would be delighted to have their daughter working on her dissertation at Harvard but Grace knows something that we don't about the house and it's past. I think she's much more astute than we give credit for. Yvonne

[jabrkeKB]

I feel Chilton is up to something. I think he needs Connie's "findings" for his own purposes.

The "receipt book" seems to be a potion recipe book used by the women to "heal" people.  Prudence feels the book is bad luck and wants to be rid of it.

Prudence is a woman of few words. I think the journal was for her own purposes not something she intended to be handed down to future generations.

I am curious about the symbol on the front door. I wonder if the clerk at the shop has something to do with it.

Sam is an encourager to Connie, but I get the feeling that there is more to him then we know at this point.

[DSaff]

I agree with you about the receipt book. It seems like a combination of "helpful" things used by these women and passed down. The doll appeared and disappeared quickly, but I think we will find out more about it. My question is who hid it there and why? I think it was purposeful, just like the key.

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gl wrote:

Based on the discussion between Connie and Chilton in Chapter 8 and the fact that the old spelling was more phonetic, it sounds like the the receipt book is a book containing recipes  that Deliverance and her family used to address ailments and physical complaints.  So, the receipt book is part recipes, herbal medicines and poltices and possibly spells.   

It came from Deliverance and was given to her daughter Mercy ("Marcy" by sound and early spelling).  

Question - What was the corn doll that Connie found on p. 109?

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