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All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could
All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could, by Judie Mitchell, tells the story of two sisters, Abby and Connie, living in New England in the years leading up to the American Revolution. Abby is trapped in a marriage to John, a man who shifts between charm and cruelty, while Connie both supports her sister and struggles with her own feelings of powerlessness. Through their alternating voices, the book brings to life the injustice of coverture, the fragility of women’s independence, and the private rebellions of two women caught in a society that denies them a voice. It’s a work stitched together from historical truth, personal pain, and quiet defiance.
Reading it felt like stepping into a private diary. The language is simple but heavy with feeling. I found myself both frustrated and protective of Abby, who clings to hope that love might reform John even as his behavior worsens. Connie, meanwhile, became the heart of the story for me. Her quiet observations, her curiosity, her occasional small rebellions all carried an honesty that made me ache. At times, the writing made me uncomfortable in the best way. It didn’t let me slip into easy judgments; it forced me to feel the tangle of love, loyalty, and oppression that defined their lives.
I do feel that the repetition of John’s temper and Abby’s endurance sometimes dragged, though maybe that was the point. Abuse circles and grinds. The historical details were fascinating, but occasionally they crowded the page with information on trade goods or church sermons. Yet even in those slower sections, I sensed the author’s passion for uncovering the hidden lives of women, and that kept me turning pages.
Reading All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could reminded me of The Handmaid’s Tale in how it exposes the quiet violence of patriarchy, though Mitchell roots her story in history rather than dystopia, making the injustice feel even more immediate. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction that leans close to lived experience, who want to feel the weight of the past pressing on the present, and who are willing to sit with discomfort in order to better understand the silenced women history tried to erase.
Pages: 312 | ASIN : B0FFR7BKXW
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
![Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by [Judie Mitchell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Fbfdbj8DL._SX260_.jpg)
Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God by Judie Mitchell is a period drama set in the eighteenth century which follows the lives of families in a town in America. Through their journeys of self discovery and questioning the rules given to them by their elders, as well as beginning to contradict their original beliefs in their faith, the main characters such as Polly, Josiah, Hannah and Matthew, do all they can to protect themselves and their families from shame.
In a time when people were ruled by their religion, and committing what was seen as a sin was punishable, sometimes by death, as a reader you are given an insight into the struggles of young people living in such a community. Judie Mitchell has done an excellent job of showing the various avenues people could take at the time through the exploration of Hannah’s situation, to that of Polly’s predicament.
The overarching theme of the novel is that of religion and people beginning to question various teachings however, many other relevant and contemporary themes also arise throughout. There are many references made towards the unfair treatment of women at the time, for example Polly’s thought at the beginning of the story ‘Why couldn’t women disagree with their husbands?’ or later it is said “Why does the woman always have to suffer the worst punishment?” Both statements show the feminist views beginning to grow during that time.
Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God storyline and background stories of each character are very interesting and the way Judie Mitchell has written the narrative from various viewpoints is done extremely well. There are some controversial topics throughout, like the subject of rape which are handled in a good way and extremely relevant in today’s society. The use of metaphor could have been a little better as a way of hinting towards certain descriptions but overall, it was a very interesting read.
Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God is a riveting historical fiction novel with subtle but thought-provoking commentary on society. This is a fantastic novel for readers who enjoy compelling family drama in a historical setting.
Pages: 258 | ASIN: B08GSK3XTF
LITERARY TITAN 