This is an interesting take on the origin of "The Scarlet Letter." Not totally convinced of the connection, but the story is a good one in any case. Lots of stress and strife for the female protagonist. Worth the read.

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 love historical fiction, however I do not like literary fiction. I quite enjoyed the beginning of this book. However, as it went on I became bored. The pacing was slow and I felt like nothing was happening. The “magic” was interesting but I would have liked to see more personality in the characters; they all seemed to have the same calm, monotonous tone to them. I did DNF this book at 40%, and though I’m not a fan of literary fiction, I do see the beauty in what this book was attempting. 3 stars.

As a high schooler I remember reading the Scarlet letter and just being like... this sucked. But then I saw the movie Easy A and found a new appreciation for the Scarlet Letter. So when this book came out I knew that I had to give it a try and luckily I liked it more than the Scarlet Letter. I thought the take on synethesia was really unique and I enjoyed the touchy of witchyness through ancestry. I thought that the dual pic worked really well in this instance and it helped with the flow of the story. There were still the overarching themes of societal norms, religion and morals, they were just executed better. I think the ending also really was well thought out. Overall I thought this book was well done.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Always like historical fiction and this as really great! would love to own and reread

Set in the early 1800s, Isobel Gamble leaves Scotland with her husband, Edward, to find a new life in America. Edward’s addictions and debts haunted their former life, and when he abruptly leaves the New World on a sailing vessel, Isobel must create her own life and community in Salem, Massachusetts. While in Salem, Isobel uses her skill with the needle to find work, and befriends individuals from all walks of life. Always on her mind are the secrets from her old life and ancestors, not to mention her own mysterious talents that may appear too close to witchcraft in an outsider’s eyes. Another aspect of Isobel’s life in the New World is her developing friendship with a young writer named Nathanial Hawthrone, who instantly draws Isobel in with his quiet charm.

While at times slightly slow, this was a fun story to follow, and sucked me in the further I read! It is an interesting reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne in Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter (a fun throwback for me to high school). Overall, this story is about self-discovery and self-worth, friendship, ambition, and the women who have the power to lift each other up, or break others down.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book & then my online book club picked it and the author agreed to be on our zoom meeting! She is an absolute delight and I'm now off to read her other books.

Let me preface that I had homework to do before reading this book. I couldn't remember if I ever read The Scarlet Letter or not in school when most people read it. I know I'd watched Easy A (the movie) and I'm guessing from popular culture, or shared memory, I knew the basics, but I decided to get the full Hester experience I needed to read it first.

Hester is written as an re-imagining of Hester's side of the story or really who in Nathanial Hawthorne's life was the inspiration for her)...because in The Scarlet Letter the story is told more from a narrator's point of view instead of any certain character.

Isobel Gamble arrives in America and her husband decides to return to sea with the captain of the ship they came over from Scotland with, so she's left alone with no friends or family in a new country. She & Nathanial Hawthorne noticed each other right away and slowly build a friendship that eventually becomes more until she discovers she's pregnant. On top of that the husband who'd been reported left behind somewhere on their travels shows up and threatens her.

You can tell this book was heavily researched. In our book club chart the author gave us a lot of background info on things she researched & it was fascinating. My favorite thing with historical fiction is when it's based on actual history or a historical person or event and reading it makes me want to learn more.

The imagery you get when reading about Isobel's synesthesia and her sewing and the colors was amazing for me because I'm one of those people who pictures things immediately after reading or hearing something.

If you like historical fiction, you should definately give this book a try.

Isobel was told from an early age to not speak about her colors, colors she sees with sounds and for letters. Ancestors of Isobel’s have been accused of witchcraft, a part of history that her mother fears will be repeated if people learned the truth about her daughter. Isobel shares another ability with her ancestors; she is very talented with a needle, sewing clothes and embroidering beautiful things with bright, beautiful colors. When Isobel marries Edward, an apothecary, she is soon facing the severe consequences of his opium addiction. Moving to the New World with hopes for a fresh start, Isobel soon finds herself alone when Edward joins a ship as a medic and sails off. Left alone Isobel meets Nathaniel Hathorne, a young writer whom she soon falls for. Both storytellers and both muses, they soon find themselves in a tangled web that ultimately ends in The Scarlet Letter.

I liked Hester. It 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. Hester does a great job showing the norms of society, especially the treatment of women, which just added to the strength of the characters as I saw them. I couldn’t get enough of this novel and I flew through it, wanting to see how it would end. The ending itself was, I felt, very fitting to the story.

Such an original story. Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese is the story of a young woman, Isobel Gamble who is married to a man addicted to opium and has made a mess of their life is Scotland. They are forced to head to the new world, on arrival Edward shows her true colors again and leaves on another ship. He has taken, her little bit of savings and she is now stuck in Salem. Salem doesn’t like newcomers. They like to remember everyone’s sins and failures. They don’t want to have to learn about someone new. It is clear that Isobel is going to have to find work and find it quickly. She is a proficient seamstress and will try to find work doing that. She secures a job, makes a friend and encounters a young Nathaniel Hawthorne. They have an instant connection and they find muses with each other. As time passes on it seems more unlikely that a Edward will come back and a new relationship between Isobel and Nathaniel starts.
But does she really need this distraction? Her work is getting noticed and her employer isn’t paying her fairly and taking credit for her work. She knows she can make more money but how? Should she cross her employer? This story is wonderfully written. The story itself is original and I believe the author did a terrific job weaving the timelines and the behavior of the people of Salem, with her fictional work.
I really enjoyed this one and I couldn’t put it down. I want to thank Netgalley & the author for my copy for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure reading & reviewing it. I am such a history buff and this book was just excellent.. this was a 5 star read for me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This book was so rich and colorful! I loved Isobel’s “gift” of being able to see color in letters and people’s words. I thought this was very interesting and a nice take on who/what might have inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlet Letter. I really enjoyed the setting and the way the book incorporated pieces of history in the Salem witch trials as well as about the Slave trade and the Slave catching trade in the Northern states. Was definitely a slower read for me, but one I really appreciated. Definitely recommend for those that love historical fiction!

Beautifully written, Hester is a must read for those who enjoy a good classics companion. I can definitely picture myself re-reading The Scarlet Letter alongside a re-read of Hester next November. There's a lot of nuance in this novel, but it all feels very real for the time period and it's obvious that while there were creative liberties taken, the author did a good job with her research for this novel. I loved the writing style but was not a fan of the on page attempted abortion without warning. But I thought the author did a decent job handling the subject as well as Isobel's feelings about her child before and after.

A fresh and innovative spin on an old classic, a feminist nod to The Scarlet Letter. Historical fiction set during the time of The Salem Witch trials. A clever and capitaving novel that was difficult to put down.

HESTER by Laurie Lico Albanese

In exploring in fiction a possible inspiration for THE SCARLET LETTER, Albanese has created a rich and complex story, filled with lush descriptions of places and people and exquisite needlework. It is enriched by lessons in human kindness and cruelty, strength, courage, and triumph over defeat and sorrow.
Isobel, descended from a woman who escaped from witch-hunters, learns to “trust her needle” and protect herself and those she cares for. I remember my own anger in high school, reading of the unfair treatment of Hester and Pearl, and applauding her courage and compassion. Applause now for Isobel and Mercy and all who stand against injustice, fear, and lies, helping one another along the road.

Wow! This book is PHENOMENAL! It is haunting, gripping, heartbreaking, moving, full of hope, and so much more. Whenever I picked up "Hester", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Laurie Lico Albanese, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is incredibly vivid, detailed, descriptive, and immersive. I can only imagine the amount of research the author must have done, as I could truly envision each and every scene, moment, and location throughout the book, as it jumped right off of the page before my eyes. She seamlessly weaves together history and fiction, and I truly could not put this book down. She takes two timelines and brilliantly shows their connection, and how they are similar and different as well.

This book tells the story of Isobel Gamble, a young seamstress who, upon arriving in Salem, Massachusetts, hopes to start anew and follow her heart and dreams. Isobel has synesthesia, and sees colors in almost everything, from the way people speak to much of the world around her. She tells stories in the work she creates, and is incredibly strong. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will simply say, this novel has so much in it. When Isobel meets Nathaniel Hathorne, her life is forever changed. With heartbreak, fear, hope, and so much, this novel truly had me holding my breath and on the edge of my seat hoping Isobel would find the peace and happiness she so deserved.

Throughout the book, there are also stories told from the Salem Witch Trials, which are absolutely heartbreaking. There are many nods to "The Scarlet Letter" as well.

I absolutely loved the female friendships in this book, and how supportive of one another they are. Furthermore, Mercy is such an incredible person, and is so strong, brave and loving. I also adore Captain Darling as well. He has such a beautiful and caring heart.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I can't wait to read what Laurie Lico Albanese writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this novel, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Please Note: This book deals with extremely heavy subject matter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I adored it. One of my favorites of the year!)
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The Scarlet Letter is by far my most favorite classic novel, so I couldn’t wait to read Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese, which imagines the woman who could have inspired Nathanie Hawthorne. The story exceeded my oh so high expectations. Read this when you are in the mood for beautifully-written, evocative historical fiction that features real-life and invented characters. It is Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva meets Hamlet by Maggie O’Farrell. Best paired with warm bread, boiled eggs, a ham hock cooked with pepper and cod cakes. XO, Tara

This is one of my favorite books of the year. I know I'm really hooked on a book when I switch back and forth between print and audio so I can be reading no matter what. That is exactly what I did with this title, I absolutely loved it.

I enjoyed this feminist retelling of The Scarlett Letter. Although I sometimes felt the middle dragged, I was ultimately happy that I stuck with the story!

Read if you like: classics retelling.
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Inspired by the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author places Hawthorne as a character in the book and creates the character of Isobel, who inspired the character of Hester.
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Isobel grew up in Scotland with synesthesia and is told to hide her abilities in case of being accused of being a witch like her ancestor. She travels to Salem with her husband and there she meets Nathaniel and is forced to take care of herself with her sewing and embroidery.
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This was a fun reimagining and I loved Isobel. She led an interesting life and worked hard to take care of herself.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This book provides an excellent description of Salem in the 19th century, as well as glimpses into the 17th century with the area's well-known witchcraft trials. Young Nat Hawthorne cannot escape the past. His long-ago relative was responsible for the deaths of many young women in 1692. He meets Isobel, a recent immigrant from Scotland, and appears to be smitten. She also has a familial connection to people accused of being witches. Some of the women in her family have special senses; they see colors when others talk.

The story also focuses on the issues of slavery, treatment of blacks in the north, and the underground railroad in Salem.

Since I live in the Salem area, I enjoyed the contrast with the city today and how the neighborhoods have changed...and yet, remain the same.

'Hester' weaves a tale that spans time and transcends what the eye can see. At first, I was a little confused with the time jumps and could not understand what the purpose was but once I continued reading the rhythm made a lot more sense. The sense of loneliness and despair, the attempts at finding happiness and fulfillment, all of these are things many women face- these are not new feelings, they are not unknown, but 'Hester' does an excellent job of making them seem raw and real, despite being familiar, known emotions.

Laurie Lico Albanese nails it with this one, and I look forward to more.