Reviews for The Accused

The average rating for The Accused based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-02-07 00:00:00 Nicholas Jevric Right, so this book was always one of my very favourite Christian Heritage Series books growing up. Always. And I was most excited to get to it in this re-read and explore why I enjoyed this book so much. And I was maybe a tad bit fearful that I would not really love it quite as much. But you know what? This book still sings. This book still hits hard. I love it. It retains the crown! But why do I love it so much? Well, Josiah is only eleven in this book, but continues to astound me with his maturity and longing to do the will of the Lord. Josiah has a heart for God. And it shows. This book reveals his character as he struggles through another battle in the ongoing village cold war between the Putnams and the Porters/Hutchinsons/Proctors. There is so much going on in this book. You have the low-key journey that Joseph Putnam makes in choosing to not be a part of his father-in-law's plan to take over the church. Yeah, they may be the "good guys", but does the end truly justify the means? Joseph Putnam shows his integrity and refuses to be a part of such underhanded dealings, no matter that it may cost him much. This is a minor sub-plot, but I appreciated it all the more now, as I'm significantly older now than Joseph Putnam was in this book! Joseph Putnam - a man of God and one of my favourite characters. And then Josiah. Following a firewood fiasco, the Merry Band leaps back into action, despite the rumblings of Josiah's conscience. Things happen, Josiah confesses all to his father, and then steps up and takes responsibility for his actions, ending up in a court appearance facing the villainous Putnams. I just so much appreciate seeing Josiah, despite his fears and misgivings, behaving in integrity and doing what he knows to be right. There is much fear. There is much trembling. But God is with Josiah, and this he knows. Even though he feels like all his friends (and sister! Oh Hope...) have abandoned him, he knows God is with him. And at the end of the day, he sees further evidences that he is not alone - and there is much rejoicing! (And popcorn! And cider!) So yeah, seeing Josiah's spiritual growth here and seeing his heart for God? That's encouraging, even to me now. And yes, I also like this book for the atmosphere...a snowy New England winter is relaxing to read about when one is not in it.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-01-26 00:00:00 Mark Beardsley Josiah Hutchinson was unhappy with being stuck inside on the winter day. Weekdays he went to school and was stuck inside there! His sister, Hope, reminded him of all the things he could do on the way to school. Their father stopped their disagreement & told Josiah that bot Rebecca & Francis Nurse were ill and he wanted Joshua to take some firewood to them. Along the way Josiah thought about Hope & their recent adventures, as Puritan children they were only allowed small freedoms. It had been snowing for a couple days & Josiah plowed through the snow & over the frozen marsh toward the Nurse farm. He saw something that frightened him & began running as 4 figures blocked his path. He almost got away from the Putnam's, but his feet slipped on a patch of ice. While the Putnams prevented him from continuing, snow seeped into his breeches & spilled into his boots! The Nurse family lived in the village, just as they all did, but the Putnams thought they acted above them. The Putnams believed that anyone who bettered themselves was going against God's will. Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris's niece, joined them & gave her opinion that the Nurse's sickness was because they didn't attend her uncle's church, or provide their share of his firewood. Eleazer Putnam decided that the firewood should go to Reverend Parris's. Josiah stated that his family went to church in Salem Town because the Putnams wouldn't vote his parents in as member, so why should their firewood go to Rev. Parris? This surprised the Putnams because for the first 10 years of Josiah's life he had stuttered & wouldn't speak up for himself. The Putnams finally buried Josiah in the snow & took off with the firewood...