Newes from the Dead

This book and others by Mary Hooper bring history to life in a gripping and fascinating way...and not just for the young adults it was written for.

Ya i really enjoyed it. It creeped me out for a while but i read it again and it i think anyone who likes thriller things would like it. I learned a lot. It would be good for a book report. The cover is awesome too.

I could not put this book down. Although the book is for the young adult readers I found it to be interesting and not dumbed down in any way. The history in the story coupled with the imagination of the writer is wonderful. A must read.

My father is a mortician. I remember that as a kid I asked him once if dead bodies can move (which I'd heard some people say could happen). Dad gave some type of scientific explanation about nerves and blood and replied that yes, a body could "appear" to move, but it wasn't moving because it was still alive. Unless it's Anne Green's body. Anne was dead. She was accused of infanticide after her child was stillborn, and she was hanged--hanged for 30 minutes. Her corpse was now part of medical science study and about to be dissected. Moments before the dissection began, however, one of the medical students noticed Anne was still alive--barely. Filled with drama and suspense, author Mary Hooper fills in the fictional details (although they are very believable) about the true account of Anne Green's miraculous return from the dead. This one is a page turner that is sure to keep the attention of teens and adults alike! A copy of the actual pamphlet from the 1600s that explains the true story is included at the end of the book and is a must-read. Lots of potential for good discussion with this book.

1650 England, a young woman wakens in darkness 'curled on her side like a wood louse'. She believes she's in Hell. Meanwhile, Robert, a young medical student, sees the eyes fluttering of a hanged murderess who is about to be dissected for the medical school. Doctors and Puritans clash. The doctors believe the woman yet lives. The Puritans claim her soul for God. The doctors apply all the tests at their disposal, including bleeding her, and giving her an enema, to prove she's alive... Anne Green is a maid in the house of Sir Thomas. The Lord's grandson, Geoffrey, makes advances to her promising to elevate her when his grandfather dies. She eventually succumbs. Then, she discovers she's with child.... "Newes from the Dead" is billed as a childrens' novel, but it's impossible to put down once you've opened the book and begun reading. Even when you have read the true accounts or the adult fiction tale, you're still going to be drawn in by Mary Hooper's adept retelling. The author's done her research and it definitely shows. Rebecca Kyle, May 2008 See also: An Instance of the Fingerpost