The Shape of Mercy

Lauren Durough is a West Coast English major at the proverbial age of discovery. Sheltered in her childhood years by family wealth, she is just beginning to grasp how people judge others by what they want to believe about them; particularly, how the poor mistakenly view the wealthy and vice-versa. When she opts out of her family's monthly financial support, she takes on a job as a literary assistant to Abigail Boyles, an eighty year-old reclusive, retired librarian. Abigail tasks Lauren with transcribing the diary of Abigail's ancestral cousin, Mercy Hayworth--a woman hanged for witchcraft in seventeenth century Salem, Massachusetts. The lives of Abigail and Lauren, two very different women, converge as they jointly piece together the life and death of Mercy Hayworth. Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived four hundred years earlier, who also struggled against undeserved cultural stigmatization, but lost. But the more she learns about Mercy, the more Lauren realizes this project is as much about Abigail as it is her ancestor. As secrets unfold, the extent to which the lives of these three women are connected comes to light, and both Lauren and Abigail find their lives and the very way they view the world irrevocably changed

The lives of three women are connected in The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, a powerful story about mercy, preconceived notions, and love. Lauren Durough was brought into the world as a daughter in a wealthy family. Trying to get away from her haughty lifestyle, Lauren goes to college, lives on campus with a roommate, and decides to get a job. She is hired by Abigail Boyles to transcribe the diary of Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials. Along the way, she struggles to overcome her judgmental attitude toward others around her and learns how to overcome the person she has been.

With a voice that comes out of the pages, Susan Meissner creates a believable set of characters and settings without resorting to the stereotypical ideas of what a person should be. The relationships work in the novel without become trite. Even the love interest that develops in the book is done well. The overall style of the book is one that captivates interest and makes the reader to want to keep reading. When reaching the end of the book, I was surprised at how much I was affected by the story.

While Lauren has faith in God, her relationships at the beginning of the novel hardly reflect God’s loving nature. She is too blinded by what she wants to believe about others. Through transcribing Mercy’s diary, Lauren learns to trust God even more and to see others in a new way. Mercy’s story teaches a wonderful lesson about displaying mercy to those who do wrong against you, and it gives a perfect example of mercy as described in James 2:13. Abigail’s story shows Lauren how to become the person she wants to be.

This book is a wonderful tale that delivers a powerful message about tolerance and peace everyone can learn from. I highly recommend it. -- Timothy Steece, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

Meissner's newest novel is potentially life-changing, the kind of inspirational fiction that prompts readers to call up old friends, lost loves or fallen-away family members to tell them that all is forgiven and that life is too short for holding grudges. Achingly romantic, the novel features the legacy of Mercy Hayworth—a young woman convicted during the Salem witch trials—whose words reach out from the past to forever transform the lives of two present-day women. These book lovers—Abigail Boyles, elderly, bitter and frail, and Lauren “Lars” Durough, wealthy, earnest and young—become unlikely friends, drawn together over the untimely death of Mercy, whose precious diary is all that remains of her too short life. And what a diary! Mercy's words not only beguile but help Abigail and Lars together face life's hardest struggles about where true meaning is found, which dreams are worth chasing and which only lead to emptiness, and why faith and hope are essential on life's difficult path. Meissner's prose is exquisite and she is a stunning storyteller. This is a novel to be shared with friends. (Sept. 16)Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

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Reviewed by Janna Ryan (North Platte, NE), August 30, 2009

A young woman in college answers an ad for a job that leads her to transcribing an old diary for a very old lady. The diary... from a young woman (Mercy) in the Salem Witch Trials in the 1690s. The old lady (Abigail)... a direct descendant of the diary writer. The young woman (Lauren)... drawn into this job and not willing to stop until it is finished. An amazing story which I just loved, I have always been fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials and so I enjoyed digging deeper into that part of history. Just what would make a God-fearing group of people start believing that those that worked with, lived among and were friends of theirs were all of a sudden possessed by the devil? Shape of Mercy goes back and forth from the past to the present yet is easy to follow unlike some books that I have seen employ this technique before. In addition to a great story, Susan throws in some twists and turns that make it impossible to know what exactly will happen or just how it will all end. We see parts of the lives of all 3 women and I just cried and smiled and at the end I was gasping for breath. It was a bittersweet ending (I knew Mercy would die, her life happened hundreds of years before, but I still wasn't really prepared for it) but the journey to get there was so worth it. A beautiful story, expertly told by Susan Meissner - I loved it!

Reviewed by Julie Lessman (St. Louis), August 09, 2009

I am not typically a women’s fiction reader, but every now and then a novel comes along about which everyone is talking and accolades run high, and I am compelled to read it. Such is the case with Susan Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy, and let me say in this instance—unequivocally—compulsion has served me well. Seldom do I read a work of fiction that so shakes me at the core that it changes who I am, and yet Ms. Meissner’s poignantly penned novel about the Salem witch trials and its effect on two 21st-century women’s lives has done just that. With haunting prose, flesh-and-blood characters and vivid imagery, Susan Meissner mesmerizes readers with a tale of three women whose hearts and souls are bound—and set free—by a travesty of justice perpetrated in the name of God three centuries ago. So profound was this novel’s effect on me that at one point in my reading, I jolted up in bed at a spiritual truth so cleansing, it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Ms. Meissner, for not only gracing your readers with a story rich in beauty, purpose and indelible love, but for affording me a healing glimpse into the people God sees each of us to be.

Reviewed by Chandra Lynn (PA), July 22, 2009

I don't often read books that touch my heart so deeply and keep me thinking about them for days afterwards. Shape of Mercy is one. I was touched by both of the stories and all of the characters. I had to keep reminding myself this was a work of fiction. However, Susan Meissner wove historical fact together so well with fiction that it was hard to tell the difference. This book is like getting three stories for the price of one. Lauren Durough goes against her life of privilege, family traditions, and her parents' expectations when she takes a job transcribing journals for an aged librarian, Abigail Boyles. The journals belonged to an ancestor of Abigail's, Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials. As Lauren transcribes the fragile pages and spends hours with Abigail learning tidbits of family information, she is drawn into Mercy's life and tragedy. And, within the pages of a young woman's life story, Lauren finds herself and helps Abigail regain a little bit of who she was. Susan Meissner did a creative work of art in this novel. She wove history, tragedy, three generations of women's lives into a story with depth that will leave readers touched and searching their own hearts for hidden prejudices, wrong perceptions, and snap judgments. And, when the last page is turned, the book is closed, readers will know they have been entertained, challenged and changed by Susan's words. I highly recommend Shape of Mercy.

Reviewed by Gail (Chicago, IL), April 27, 2009

I just read this book in a day. Not something I normally do, but I couldn't put it down. This is the story of two young women, one 18 year old girl living in a Puritan village near Salem town in the 17th century and a 20 year old college student who is transcribing a 300 year old diary. Each girl is dealing with the issue of how society perceives people, whether good or evil, or rich or poor. Both girls love to write. Mercy is a young woman who is a believer living through a difficult time in American history, the Salem witch trials. She has already lost half her family and her father is ill. She loves to write stories that are constantly flying through her head, but the puritan society frowns upon this. Mercy does not quite fit in the the Puritan society, but there is a young man who cannot keep his eyes off her. Lauren is a college student from a privileged family who wants to make her own way in life. She answers an add as a literary assistant and is hired to transcribe Mercy's diary. She has no idea how much Mercy's life will affect her own and challenge her own views of how she herself views people. Susan's writing is just magical. Even though you know from the beginning that Mercy will die in the witch trials, it is still filled with suspense and things turned out in a very surprising way.

Reviewed by Lyn Jackson (Fort Collins, CO), February 09, 2009

I discovered Susan Meissner with this novel and was captured by her ability to define her characters with subtlety and precision of phrase. She chooses each word with exquisite care to paint a powerful story with delicate but sure strokes. Meissner is a master craftsman, weaving the compelling stories of three women of different eras with a grace and eloquence that is pure delight.

Reviewed by Lindsey (Oregon), February 09, 2009

Moving, haunting, compelling. Three words that describe this wonderful book, which is now a keeper on my bookshelf. Susan Meissner did her job a little too well, if that's even possible. The horror and heartbreak of the Salem Witch Trials was brought to life for me in a way I've never before experienced. Oh, I knew the history - but in a detached, factual way. After reading The Shape of Mercy, I was able to see how it would truly have felt to be a part of that history: terrified for myself, afraid to lose a member of my family, afraid to leave my home, wondering what kind of madness this was, wondering where God was hiding Himself. That last evokes a lot of emotion - the experience would have tested my faith in a huge and new way. I just can't believe that all of that really happened, that people could be imprisoned and hanged based on accusations in a fear-driven society. The main theme of this story is love and choices. Not a love-at-first-sight kind of love, but an unselfish, true love. Lauren and Abigail are each affected in different ways by the love demonstrated in Mercy's diary, which was heartbreaking and bittersweet. It was too real - sometimes I forgot I was reading fiction, though of course it was not far from what a young girl like Mercy would have felt and thought at that time. I was also able to relate to Lauren's struggles. I felt for her as she searched her mind and heart and Mercy's diary, trying to find herself and figure out what life is really about. I did not want The Shape of Mercy to end. It. Was. Amazing. The settings, both present-day and historical Salem, were rich and vivid. I loved the description of Abigail's library, and when I read that Lauren was reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn I knew I would have to read it, too. There are so many layers to this book, it's one that you'll want to pick up and read again and again.

Reviewed by Deborah (Crossville, Tn), February 08, 2009

I have read countless books during the year. This book will always standout in my mind as one that caused me to go to the internet and do some digging on the Salem Witch Trials. The story kept me involved from start to finish. I recommend this book to one and all.

Reviewed by Christine Howard (Ridgecrest, CA), January 13, 2009

Intriguing to say the very least. I struggled with the depth of the hurt, injustices inflicted on Mercy, and to some degree her ultimate decision - though I probably would have taken the same course. I'm still unsettled about the rapport between Abigail and Lauren and wonder how else Susan could have concluded the story. As I said this is one intriguing work and worth the reader's time.

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