“Lies in the Dust” begins with a full-page line drawing – a quill dipped in a bottle of ink – and a question: “What is the true power of a word?” The story that follows offers a unique perspective on the Salem witch trials, events propelled by dangerous words.

Writer Jakob Crane and artist Timothy Decker collaborate to create a haunting graphic novel. They begin with an introduction to witch hunts, swiftly leading the reader from Europe to Massachusetts circa 1692. At the center of the story is Ann Putnam, a young woman raising her brothers and sisters after the death of her parents. Ann is haunted by the trials from her childhood. She is one of a group of girls who accused their neighbors of witchcraft. “Lies in the Dust” takes place years after the trials, torture and deaths. The reader sees the story from Ann’s perspective, peering in at her sadness and guilt.

The frames are filled with Decker’s dark pen and ink drawings. His character’s facial features are sparse; a few lines suggest eyes, nose and mouth. Despite the lack of detail, the pages are filled with emotion. Decker’s illustrations are reminiscent of Edward Gorey’s unsettling narratives.

There are moments where the pairing of images and text creates a truly disturbing picture. In section one, Crane recounts the history of the trials and hangings. His words scatter against Decker’s backdrop. Scenes of children swinging from trees and playing in the leaves mirror the accused hanging and being crushed under stone. Toward the end of the story, Ann confesses in her own words. As she illuminates the truth, Decker shows her cutting figures from paper. What begins as a child-like craft grows into a fantastical depiction of the story Ann tells. The paper figures come alive as she speaks, representing the young women feigning fits, their accusations and the trials, torture and deaths.

In his writing, Crane jumps from rhyme to dialogue to historic testimony. The narrative can appear disjointed but the illustration carries the reader through, creating a solid line of tone, character and aesthetic.

Crane is both a writer and a visual artist; “Lies in the Dust” is his first graphic novel. His collaborator, Decker, is an author and illustrator whose visual work is exclusively black and white. The novel is published by Islandport Press, a Maine-based publisher committed to work that is grounded in New England life. “Lies in the Dust” is a good fit, as it illuminates a dark and fascinating period of the region’s history.

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It was his interest in New England history that led Crane to the firsthand accounts of the Salem witch trials, and to the story of Ann’s public confession. His story ends there. The images come full circle, back to the desk with the quill and the bottle of ink. Ann attempts to explain the deadly words from her childhood while Crane and Decker show us that sometimes an image is most powerful.

Heidi Sistare is a writer who lives in Portland. She attended the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and has published work in The Rumpus, Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and Edible Vineyard. She can be contacted at:

heidi.sistare@gmail.com

Twitter: @heidisistare


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