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MarilynW's Reviews > Hester
Hester
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Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese
I did not enjoy The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne back in the olden days when I had to read it in high school. This story takes Nathaniel Hawthorne (Nat) and places him in the world of Isobel Gamble, a seamstress, who has landed in Salem with her husband, in the early 1800s. Isobel can see colors when she hears sounds, although there are a few people whose voices show no color at all. Her late mother warned her to hide her talents to avoid being labeled a witch. Now she's come from Scotland to a place that has it's own horrible history with persecuting women that had been accused of being witches.
I prefer not to get wrapped up in stories that are all dreary misery and abuse for the men and women in them. And I'm not fond of stories that demonize all men. Once I got into this story, I could see that this one was more than a story about women being beaten down by all men. This story has some really good people in it, both men and women, and that's what allowed me to get into it and enjoy all that Isobel and others accomplish. The good isn't completely evident at first because Isobel has to be so cautious about trusting anyone. She's been pulled in by bad people before so she's guarded, just as others who might try to do the right thing have to be guarded since there are others who would slay them for their efforts.
There is not much known about what led Hawthorne to write The Scarlet Letter so that makes this story more interesting. The author gets to give Hawthorne a fictional setting where his surroundings and even his actions could have led to his writing such a work. This story is improves on the original for me and I wish this is what I could have read in high school.
Publication October 4, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
I did not enjoy The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne back in the olden days when I had to read it in high school. This story takes Nathaniel Hawthorne (Nat) and places him in the world of Isobel Gamble, a seamstress, who has landed in Salem with her husband, in the early 1800s. Isobel can see colors when she hears sounds, although there are a few people whose voices show no color at all. Her late mother warned her to hide her talents to avoid being labeled a witch. Now she's come from Scotland to a place that has it's own horrible history with persecuting women that had been accused of being witches.
I prefer not to get wrapped up in stories that are all dreary misery and abuse for the men and women in them. And I'm not fond of stories that demonize all men. Once I got into this story, I could see that this one was more than a story about women being beaten down by all men. This story has some really good people in it, both men and women, and that's what allowed me to get into it and enjoy all that Isobel and others accomplish. The good isn't completely evident at first because Isobel has to be so cautious about trusting anyone. She's been pulled in by bad people before so she's guarded, just as others who might try to do the right thing have to be guarded since there are others who would slay them for their efforts.
There is not much known about what led Hawthorne to write The Scarlet Letter so that makes this story more interesting. The author gets to give Hawthorne a fictional setting where his surroundings and even his actions could have led to his writing such a work. This story is improves on the original for me and I wish this is what I could have read in high school.
Publication October 4, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
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Hester.
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Reading Progress
September 23, 2022
–
Started Reading
September 25, 2022
–
Finished Reading
September 26, 2022
– Shelved
Comments Showing 1-50 of 64 (64 new)
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Ceecee
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Sep 26, 2022 10:21AM
Sounds good! Great review Marilyn ❤️
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I read this one this weekend too! Great review, Marilyn!
Great review, I'm glad it was an improvement but still sounds too dreary for me, thanks Marilyn :)
Well, at least it was better but not for me!
Glad you enjoyed it and love the pretty cover!
Terrific review, Marilyn!
Nice review Marilyn! I finished this one this weekend too. Like you had to read The Scarlet Letter in high school, and only read from the point where it got interesting. I think I would have much rather read this one too, it had much more going on.
The Scarlet Letter has never appealed to me, so not sure about this one. Your review is incredible though.
Thanks for clarifying what this book isn’t. That’s a relief. Excellent review, Marilyn💜
I probably won’t read this one but I’m glad you liked it. A great review to read Marilyn!
Enjoyed your review, Marilyn. Loved this novel, too. So good. ;)
Excellent review Marilyn! I have never read the Scarlett Letter and all the comments I seen about it have not encouraged me to do so. I can understand though why synesthesia would have freaked out people back then!
Definitely going to read this but I’m glad I know what to expect, terrific review Marilyn! 💕
I did so enjoy this book...not so much The Scarlet Letter. Great reciew, Marilyn!
Like the premise� it sounds like a book I would enjoy!! Appreciate the recommendation!! 🤩
Super review. I loved this book and hope to make it one of my book club’s selections.
Great review Marilyn. I enjoyed this story very much :)
Wonderful review, Marilyn. I'm excited to read this one. It's getting such good reviews.
Excellent review, not sure this book is for me though.
Ceecee wrote: "Sounds good! Great review Marilyn ❤️"Thank you, Ceecee! 💕
Erin wrote: "I read this one this weekend too! Great review, Marilyn!"Thank you, Erin! 💜
Alma wrote: "I can't wait to read."Thank you, Alma, I really liked the direction this one was taken! 💗
Dorie - Cats&Books :) wrote: "Great review, I'm glad it was an improvement but still sounds too dreary for me, thanks Marilyn :)"Thank you, Dorie, there is plenty of dreary! 😳
Jayme wrote: "Well, at least it was better but not for me!"Thank you, I understand, this was a venture into territory I'd rather avoid! 😬
Holly wrote: "Glad you enjoyed it and love the pretty cover!"Thank you, Holly, it is a pretty cover, better to tempt and beguile you 😂
Debra wrote: "Terrific review, Marilyn!"Thank you, Debra! 💙
Missy wrote: "Nice review Marilyn! I finished this one this weekend too. Like you had to read The Scarlet Letter in high school, and only read from the point where it got interesting. I think I would have much r..."Isobel does so much better than Nat's vision in The Scarlet Letter, thank goodness! Thanks, Missy 💗
NZLisaM wrote: "The Scarlet Letter has never appealed to me, so not sure about this one. Your review is incredible though."Thank you, Lisa, I was dreading things when I started this one but ended up being glad that I read it. 🤗
Jonetta wrote: "Thanks for clarifying what this book isn’t. That’s a relief. Excellent review, Marilyn💜"Thank you, Jonetta! 💙
Tina wrote: "I probably won’t read this one but I’m glad you liked it. A great review to read Marilyn!"Thank you, Tina 🥰
Linda wrote: "Enjoyed your review, Marilyn. Loved this novel, too. So good. ;)"Thank you, Linda, this was such a pleasant surprise 😊
Pat on partial hiatus no new friend requests pls wrote: "Excellent review Marilyn! I have never read the Scarlett Letter and all the comments I seen about it have not encouraged me to do so. I can understand though why synesthesia would have freaked out ..."Thank you, Pat, this story does a good job of explaining how some folks could be afraid of what they don't understand.
Catherine wrote: "Definitely going to read this but I’m glad I know what to expect, terrific review Marilyn! 💕"Thank you, Catherine, I hope this can reach people who might be afraid to read this, like I was. 💗
Marialyce (absltmom, yaya) wrote: "I did so enjoy this book...not so much The Scarlet Letter. Great review, Marilyn!"Thank you, Marialyce, this is such an improvement on The Scarlet Letter, IMO.
Heidi wrote: "Like the premise� it sounds like a book I would enjoy!! Appreciate the recommendation!! 🤩"Thanks so much, Heidi! 🥰
Liz wrote: "Super review. I loved this book and hope to make it one of my book club’s selections."Thank you, Liz, I was able to discuss this one with friends and I think that's a great way to enjoy the book.
Annette wrote: "Great review Marilyn. I enjoyed this story very much :)"Thank you, Annette, the author did such a good job of allowing me to enjoy a story of this time and place.
Marilyn...excellent review! Glad you enjoyed it. I am reading it right now! 🌹💖💕
Srivalli wrote: "Wonderful review, Marilyn. I'm excited to read this one. It's getting such good reviews."Thank you, Srivalli 😊
Melissa (LifeFullyBooked) wrote: "Excellent review, not sure this book is for me though."Thank you, Melissa, I was sure I'd made a big mistake but it worked out for me.
Fran wrote: "Marilyn...excellent review! Glad you enjoyed it. I am reading it right now! 🌹💖💕"Thank you, Fran, I look forward to your review! 🤗
Ohh I have this on my tbr pile and cannot wait to read it now! I really enjoyed the Scarlett letter and the premise of this sounds so interesting! I am so glad you enjoyed it Marilyn, wonderful review! 🧡
Ellie wrote: "Ohh I have this on my tbr pile and cannot wait to read it now! I really enjoyed the Scarlett letter and the premise of this sounds so interesting! I am so glad you enjoyed it Marilyn, wonderful rev..."Thank you, Ellie! 🥰
Carmen wrote: "Great review."Thank you, Carmen! 🤗
Excellent review - I'm so glad you also enjoyed this read!
A wrote: "Excellent review - I'm so glad you also enjoyed this read!"Thank you, A, it was a very nice surprise!
Do I need to have red The Scarlet Letter to read Hester?
Chelsea wrote: "Do I need to have red The Scarlet Letter to read Hester?"I don't think you really have to have read The Scarlet Letter to read this book but it would not hurt to find a synopsis of it to give you better context. It's been decades since I read it, I can't remember it all and I didn't enjoy it so I wouldn't want to read it again.
