Lies in the Dust

Ann Putnam Jr., a key witness in the 17th-century Salem witch trials, is a supporting character named Ruth in Arthur Miller’s classic allegory of McCarthyism, The Crucible, but she takes center stage under her own name in this debut graphic novel. Told mostly through flashbacks, the story culminates with her apology for her part in the trials, as a witness whose testimony was used to justify 20 executions in the Massachusetts township. As gripping as the real-life story is, Crane’s retelling is disjointed and never quite finds its narrative footing. Artist Decker’s illustrations don’t help matters much either. There are bits of clever composition here and there, but, on the whole, the work is sketchy, accompanied by typed lettering in clip-art word bubbles. Somewhere in the book, there’s a strong retelling of an important moment in American history, but Crane and Decker don’t manage to tease it out. [em](Sept.) [/em]