Weekend plans
Hester: A Novel | 
pickI liked it—it‘s an entertaining story speculating about the inspiration for Hawthorne‘s The Scarlett Letter & if you go in wondering, “what if?!?” there‘s a lot to like. This even though you know what the end must inevitably be even though it‘s clear the Isobel Gamble, whose story it is, has no idea. The legacy of the Salem witch trials looms large over this story about a young woman who refuses to conform or be dependent on the men in her life.
Started this one last night and am enjoying it so far.
#bookhaul
My work staff gifted me a more than generous $100 Barnes & Noble gift certificate as a get well gift. Obviously, they know me well! Visited the store today and left with four books. 💛📚❤️🩹
so-soThis was a little slow for me. It was an interesting retelling and spin on the original story but it just felt like it drug on for me. After the first half, I had a hard time staying interested. It just didn‘t have a whole lot going on for most of the book. Great writing and interesting story, just not my favorite.
pickA lyrical historical fiction filled beautiful prose. A talented seamstress married to a fraudulent Scottish Apothecary arrives in America and meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, who makes her his muse for The Scarlet Letter. Making this story unique is the protagonist struggling with synaesthesia, the ability to see colors through sounds and words. An amazing interpretation of the classic!
so-soThe Scarlet Letter is one of my absolute favorite novels, which may be why this book wasn‘t successful for me. The writing was lovely, but I felt it assumed an interpretation of Hawthorne‘s work with which I do not agree. I also felt that Albanese tried to tackle far too much here.
so-soWhile I thought the writing was great, I did find the story itself slow. I don‘t think having Nathaniel Hawthorne be a part of the plot was essential. He could have been any man and Isobel‘s story would have been the same.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
#botm #historicalretelling
pick"I daresay the Scottish wish for enchantments too Mrs. Gamble. Isn't that why you weave magical creatures into your clothing and make little amulets to carry in your pockets?"
Loved this book so much! 4 ⭐️
pickI really liked this one. It's inspired by the Scarlet Letter, imagining events in Hawthorne's life that could have inspired such a tale. Isobel is a wonderful character, and I found the ending very satisfying. This was my June #Bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
Starting this one. I love the cover.
April pick was my super 5 ⭐️ read Hester! Still maintaining that nothing will beat Priory as my all around best read of the year, but it is only April. Who knows? Can‘t wait to see what May brings! #readingbracket2023 #2023readingbracket
pick#TBRtarot @CBee I could not put this down! I used to teach Scarlet Letter all the time but this retelling was super fun and unique. I loved how the author wove Nathanial Hawthorne‘s life and real history into this. It was so well done. I often teach Hester as America‘s first female heroine defying norms and the rules of men and this really showed that from her perspective. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ super 5 star read!
pickSuch a brilliant book! The way the author wove true and imagined pieces of history together was ingenious and made for a compelling, beautiful story. The synesthesia perspective was fascinating and I loved how her embroidery skills moved that part of the story forward. I will be thinking about this book for a long time! And it, finishing it last night in the car means I blacked out my #BookspinBingo card! @TheAromaofBooks Coming in under the wire!
Hester was my absolute fave for March! Though I‘m currently reading (and should finish today) The Once and Future Witches which is EXCELLENT. Tough choice between those two (a lot of similarities between them). #readingbracket2023 @chasjjlee
pickThank goodness for book clubs and the new books they bring into my life!
A recommended read for those who enjoy character growth, the empowering of women, and love stories with a twist.
pickI loved this! Will absolutely be a 2023 favorite. I despised The Scarlet Letter and MUCH prefer this 😂#booked2023 #moderntakeonaclassic
I began this book last weekend on audio, I‘m very much enjoying it so far, although I really don‘t like the flashback scenes to the witch trials, and I think the novel could have stood on its own with just the story of Isobel as she tells it.
so-soHistorical fiction with a strong female lead. Touches on the witch trials, slavery, the power men had over women. It fell flat for me. 3 🌟 #52bookclub23 #titleH @LauraReads @KarenUK @britt_brooke @CarolynM @Smarkies @LeeRHarry @Clwojick @BookBelle84 @jennifer80 @triplem80 @AshleyHoss820 @Read4life @bluebird @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB @ravenlee @Deblovestoread @batsy @jlhammar @MicheleinPhilly
pickI loved this book. It revolves around Isobel a young seamstress who has just made it to Salem. There she become the infatuation of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #Booked2023 #propernounintitle @alisiakae @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage #Pantone2023 #PinkCosmos @Clwojick
Carline reading. I‘m using this one for the Book Girls Club Reading Around The States Challenge.
#bookspinbingo
pick3.5⭐
The writing is lyrical and descriptive w/o being pretentious or overwrought. The topic is interesting, the outskirts of Nathaniel Hawthorne's life, I don't know anything about that man's life, so I am taking this book as complete make believe
I like how the conversation around enslaved people was pulled into the narrative, and am really happy this was a true historical fiction - have been really annoyed w/ half contemporary "historical" books
pickI must confess that I have never read The Scarlett Letter more than the coles notes in school. This retelling or telling from her pov made me really love and appreciate the story. It was such a powerful story that weaved together many social injustices and inequalities.
pickThe story of Isobel, a Scottish stitcher that immigrates to the United States. She has synesthesia which is a blending of the senses - hearing music and seeing colors in your mind is an example of synesthesia.
She has an affair with Nathaniel Hawthorne and from that inspires the character of Hester Pryne from The Scarlet Letter A.
All I gotta say is, UGH!!! MEN!!!
pickWhile I felt the weight of the story dragged at times, I was highly invested in all the characters. Tales of witchcraft, the Underground Railroad, and forbidden love woven seamlessly. I fully admire Isobel‘s backbone and grit! There were a few surprising twists, and I rather enjoyed the ending.
#52bookclub23 #titlestartingwiththeletterH
pickFive stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved this book. Full review on my Goodreads and Instagram.
pickThis is an entertaining story imagining the events that inspired the character of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. I liked the originality of this novel, as well as the characters. I especially liked Mercy. Not only is she a strong, fierce woman, she is very self aware, as well as being exceptionally wise about the realities of society at that time, and I loved her desire and drive to help fix some of society‘s wrongs.
pickThere was a lot of information packed into this novel. In its pages, the author wrote about the Salem witch trials, slavery, the sea trade, embroidery, and Nathaniel Hawthorne (not necessarily in this order). I haven‘t read The Scarlet Letter yet, but have a feeling that I will be reading it at some point soon after having finished this novel. I‘ve been to Salem many times, but now see it in a different light.
Read in November 2022 ...
#suvataReads #Bookly #BooklyApp #Bookstagram #MMDBookClub
pick• BOTM for October 2022
#StoryGraph: fiction historical literary emotional reflective medium-paced
336 pages | first published 2022
Hester is a powerful reimagining of Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s classic tale, The Scarlet Letter — but the women get to tell their sides of the story this time around. You'll never look at the Scarlet A the same after reading this quintessential New England tale of power and desire.
pickI‘ve always loved the story of The Scarlet Letter so I knew I had to read this book and I loved it! I thought he story was great and I just couldn‘t put it down.
pick⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I loved this book! It is a fictionalized tale of real-life events that centers strong characters. While the core of the story is about prejudices against women, esp those of a certain class and race, the book features men who are also good people. If you enjoy books of historical fiction that are character-driven and committed to the power of women, I highly recommend this book. Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59807978
pickI really enjoyed this book. The strong female characters make this book amazing. Finished it while on a work/vacation trip, and this is taken from the property my patents will live out their retirement on.
pickInspired by The Scarlet Letter and set in the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, this historical novel about creativity and mutual-liberation imagines an ill-fated affair between the young Nat Hawthorne, haunted by his ancestors‘ role in the Witch Trials, and Mrs. Isobel Gamble, a Scottish immigrant to Salem and a seamstress whose hereditary synesthesia inspires not only her gifted embroidery but also fear and suspicion.
pickBook 186📚 4.5⭐️
I‘m in love with this cover - it even feels embroidered🌹
I never read The Scarlet Letter in HS, but based on the story told, I can tell I prefer Isobels version❤️
So much the history woven into these pages as well. A must read!
Reminded me of Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry💙
pickTwo hundred years after the Salem witch trials and Massachusetts now reckons with the treatment of non white Northerners and less with witchcraft. Women may not be hung for witchy rumors, but still, life sucks for an 1800s woman who does not fit the moral mold. I‘m never comfortable when a religious code of conduct extends beyond its congregation and is expected to be adhered to by the larger community.
This was a struggle to do! I‘m going to miss that blue box this month. #botm
