This novel is a fictional account of the story behind Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. I have read the novel as well as seen a couple screen adaptations. I have always been fascinated with the Scarlet Letter so I was very eager to read Hester. I was not disappointed.

The story is about a woman named Isobel, a young seamstress abandoned by her husband in the new world penniless. Isobel is the inspiration for Hester Prynne after she meets young Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester takes place during the Salem witch trials.

This is a beautifully written story with a rich detailed history and dramatic backdrop. The author has written an extraordinary account of life in the 1800s and life for Isobel and Nathaniel in the new world where freedom is sometimes an illusion rather than a promise. If you are a fan of The Scarlett Letter, this story makes a great companion novel. I definitely recommend this book.

"The Scarlett Letter" is my favorite classic. When I saw "Hester", I was so excited to start it. This tale is shrouded in mystery with a central; theme of guardinf one's extraordinary ability which was witch craft. The story explores synesthesia, a uniquw phenomenom of colors assosicated wtith letters. The plot and chracters were absolutley magical.
'Hester" is told with dual storylines and it works. In this book, we follow Isobel. She was a fully fleshed out chrachter and I was drawn to her immediately. She was independent but knew her limitations as a woman in that time period. She palys a dangerous gamr of befriecning a single man Nathaniel Hawthorne while her husband was away.

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The story switches from the 19th centtrury story about Isobel to teh 17th century story about her first ancestor in scotland and then the salem wirch trials. I cannot express how much I loved this book.

I truly enjoyed this book! Hester, reminiscent of a classic, took me on a magical ride through history.
Isobel is special, her mother warns her to watch herself. Accusations arise, love trials and starting over….. that’s a small taste of this bewitching tale. Enough drama to keep me interested and the story interesting. If I could ask for one thing it would be a bit more of a magical atmosphere but I thought this was a great read none the less! Definitely recommend it!

This beautifully written historically fictionalized relationship between Isobel and Nathaniel Hawthorne is sure to be one of my top picks of the year. I loved this story and I felt Albanese did a superb job in portraying the starkness of Salem and women's roles in the 1800's. I couldn't help but cheer for Isobel as she used her intelligence, strength, and talents to make a life for herself. Highly recommended! Thank you for my review copy!

I absolutely love this fictional account of a potential origin story about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s seminal Salem witchcraft novel on adultery, “The Scarlet Letter.” Also, the use of synesthesia—seeing words as colors—for his embroidery/seamstress lover is fabulous!

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Laura Lico Albanese, and Publisher St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.

This was such an incredibly written book. I loved this take on the Scarlet Letter which has also been one of my favorite books.

**NetGalley Review**

I never read The Scarlet Letter in high school and I'm not sure if that had me at an advantage or disadvantage going into this story. Full disclosure: a huge part of why I requested this was because of the beautiful cover. While I did have to set it down and read another book a few times (the first half was pretty slow, in my opinion), I read the second half of the book in one day! The writing was beautiful, the story was captivating, the characters were so well-done and interwoven. This was the perfect "wrapped in a bow" ending. I'm glad I finally took the time to dedicate myself to this story. Thank you: NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Laurie Lico Albanese for allowing me to read Hester in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!
What an amazing story! Character development was spot on. Felt they were all so real.
Highly recommend!

*SLOW CLAP* Honestly, this is how retellings and historical fictions should all be told.

A very hypnotic retelling that will keep you captivated long after turning the final page. A crafty way to blend the original title and bring a new modern spin on it. Brilliantly done.

I really enjoyed this and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have read it! What a wonderful book!

I really enjoyed this. I liked "The Scarlet Letter" when I read it for school decades ago, so this tale about the possible origins of Hester Prynne intrigued me. The characters were fleshed out and interesting and I loved the twist about Hester and her vision/abilities/gift.

I couldn't wait to read this book-what if The Scarlett Letter was based on Nathaniel Hawthorne? Isobel is a talented child who can see the colors of voices and who is taught by her mother to sew. She marries Edward, who lands them in the poor house & they end up traveling to the New World. Edward goes to sea and leaves his wife in Salem. She meets Nat, and the two are drawn together. If you've read the Scarlett Letter, you know how the story goes. There is a bit more to the story than adultery, but some of the characters and plot points seemed unnecessary and didn't add anything for me. (For example, the frequent mentioning of the Salem Witch Trials)

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Hester is imaginative and original while staying true to history and its inspiration.

The Scarlet Letter was one of the first classics I read when I was younger so it holds a special place for me. Hester helped complete that story.

Hester combines many of my favorite things - historical fiction, telling a story from a new perspective, including real life.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend

“You will give birth to a line of strong women who will carry your seed across the oceans and join with others who live for freedom.”

My Thoughts:
3.75 ⭐️. I never read The Scarlet Letter but it inspired the author to write this book.

Isobel Gamble, a Scottish nineteen year old, traveled to the Americas with her husband is who hoped to make amends and fortune in Salem, Massachusetts.

This was not magical as I thought it would be. In fact, barely. The story was intriguing at the beginning and gripping especially close to the end. In between, it was repetitive and dragged. Like the premise and it’s historical references.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in return for an honest review.

Wow this book was amazing it was beautifully written and captured my attention throughout this book. This story follows Isobel a young woman who married the wrong man struggling with opium addiction after being forced into the poor house then sent to America. Isobel and Edward arrive in Salem for a minute before Edward signs on to be a ship Dr leaving Isobel alone and penniless in a new country. Isobel must use her talent with the needle and her secret hidden talent to help her survive in this small cold New England town. Here we meet Nathanael or National Hawthorne a young author who befriends Isobel basing his character Hester from The Scarlet Letter off of her. You follow Isobel throughout many struggles and triumphs and I just wanted more. This book character development was amazing I really cared about Isobel and Mercy and just appreciated how fleshed out these characters were. This is the first book I have read from this author but plan on picking up much more in the future. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I liked but didn’t love this. Unfortunately the Nathaniel Hawthorne connection was the weakest part of the book. I appreciated the historical detail and the unique take on “witchcraft” through Isobel’s synesthesia. I’ll be interested in whatever the author writes next!

I very much enjoyed Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese. I remember loving The Scarlet Letter. so I felt I had to pick up this historical fiction novel. Although it was not what I had anticipated, I found I could not put the book down. I found the beginning a little slow, but after that, I was hooked. The tone developed by the author made me want to keep reading, and I really wanted to know more about the main character's story. I wish there was a little more in terms of the various story lines, but overall it was a fantastic read. I would love to read more books like this from this author!

If you read The Scarlet Letter in high school, you will definitely want to add this to your reading list. This book gives you a look at the female perspective in the classic story. Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. When they reach America, her husband joins a ship as their doctor and leaves her in a new country with little to survive on. When she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, a troubled man whose family was responsible for the senseless killings of women during the Salem witch trials, they are drawn to each other. The weaving of the past and what is happening now with the underground railroad brings together a story of love, identity, friendship, and loss. This story is a must-read for anyone that has read The Scarlet Letter or just loves historical fiction.

Hester was an excellent story that came to me at the perfect time. I've been going through a classics phase and I had just read The Scarlet Letter right before picking this one up. To say that the story blew me away would be an understatement. I was floored.

The book is so good that I wanted to do bodily harm to every single person who ever hurt Isobel. Her colors made me smile. I truly loved Isobel and enjoyed learning about the New World through her eyes. So much wrong is done to her, yet she perseveres with the unlikeliest of allies.

There is so much to adore in Hester. I can't even begin to do this book justice. I give this novel a full 5 stars. The storytelling is fantastic and brings a whole new life to Hester Prynne.

Hester is a lush, feminine retelling of the perennial high school classic The Scarlet Letter. Before Hester was, well, Hester there was Isobel Gamble, a young Seamstress who moves to Salem with a husband who abandons her in the early 1800s. Needing to survive and longing for connection, she falls in love with a writer and becomes his muse.

Hester incorporates elements of The Scarlet Letter, but also introduces many new things. One particularly interesting concept is that of synethesia, in which Isobel can hear and see colors in unusual situations. The novel describes the precariousness of women who are different or alone in that time period, and emphasizes the struggle for freedom, independence, and autonony with the survival needs of remaining in the community and the risks of being different.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me an ARC of Laurie Lico Albanese newest novel, Hester in exchange for an honest review.