Summary

Chapter 4, which is set in 1837, describes Nathaniel as being haunted by his family’s past. His great-great-grandfather had been a judge in the Salem witch trials. He was the only judge who never repented of his wrong beliefs. Nathaniel believed he was responsible for atoning for the family’s sins and was prone to depression.

Nathaniel began to feel different from other people after he injured his leg when he was nine. He was housebound for nearly two years and felt separated from life by a pane of glass. He read, wrote stories, and became convinced there was magic in the world.

Of Nathaniel’s two sisters, he was closest to his older sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth also loved to read and write, but she was forced to do the chores for the family because she was a woman. Nathaniel’s first novel...