This book is a wonderful example of how historical fiction should be done. You can tell the author thoroughly researched the time and place, as well as had a love for The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book is a fictional account of the basis for that book. The story moves slowly with lots of description of life in the early 19th century, showing slavery and the Underground Railroad, travel by ship and life in Salem, Massachusetts, the unequal treatment of women, and the Salem witch trials. I enjoyed the author’s writing style which brought the settings and characters to life. Isobel is based on Hester and is a multifaceted character whom I swore at for her weaknesses and cheered for in her awakening strength.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this access to an ARC in return for an honest review.

I think I might be a little obsessed with "vivid reimaginings." As an American literature teacher, my love for the canon runs deep, but I have a real love for Hawthorne, so I was a bit nervous upon reading this book that asks "who is the real Hester Prynne"? Albanese has managed to make Nathaniel Hawthorne hypnotic while also delving into the inner life of a tumultuous time period in America. With gorgeous language, powerful imagery, and a sharp wit, Hester is a book that is an homage as well as entirely its own beautiful work. I found myself loving both the 1800s Scotland parts of the text and then in New Salem, I would be clamoring for more of its sections. LOVED this book and devoured it in a day. It will be making an appearance on my bookshelf in my classroom soon.

Such a beautifully written book that grabbed my interest from the very beginning, providing back story for Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. This is the story of Isobel, who is Scottish and emigrates with her husband to Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1800s. Isobel comes from a family of strong women - her grandmother Isobel was accused of being a witch in Scotland but escaped, and her story is also told, spaced in between some of the chapters. Isobel is a talented needleworker and she also has synesthesia and sees words and senses as colors. In Salem, she strikes up an unsatisfactory friendship/love affair with Hawthorne. There is more to the this story than that but no spoilers - just a recommendation to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Isobel was such a strong character, I was rooting for her from the beginning. The telling was so vivid I could see everything that was happening. Edward Gamble was a character I tried to,lie, but couldn’t. Then when they travelled on the ship with Captain Darling I really enjoyed his character so was drawn to him immediately.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I have to say this was a mesmerizing read that I couldn’t put down once I started reading!

Hester was based on the real Hester Prynne from the classic The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A great work of historical fiction that focuses on those often forgotten in history.

I was a little disappointed that this book didn’t work for me. I know many will love this book, it might be a good fit if you like slower pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with and advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a wonderful, vivid story centered around a young woman and her determination to triumph. I read the synopsis long before starting this book, so I had fully forgotten what the story was about. It surprised me! In my head I was picturing a novel about Hester Prynne, but this story of Isobel was that and so much more.

I think the premise for this novel is so clever — not only is it a reimagining of The Scarlet Letter itself, but also makes use of that story’s author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, as a main character. The story is told from Isobel’s point of view, a young emigrant from Scotland who is struggling to make a life for herself in Salem, Massachusetts. There are a handful of cutaways to the story of Isobel’s ancestor, which are fun enrichments of the witchcraft undercurrent.

There were a few moments in the story where I wanted to shake Isobel and tell her to snap out of it, but I had to remember that she was young, inexperienced, and making decisions appropriate to those aspects of her character. In the end, she grows immensely and has far better judgment, and I found myself proud of her choices and where she ended up!

A very fun read with brilliant imagery and a clever storyline. Hester has a publishing date of October 4, 2022 — definitely check it out if you ever read The Scarlet Letter!

Thank you to Laurie Lico Albanese, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I read "The Scarlett Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller in 10th grade and loved them both. They created a life long fascination in me in regards to the early Pilgrim life in Massachusetts. I just recently learned that Nathaniel Hawthorne changed his surname spelling way back when to not be associated with the Hathorne actually involved in the Salem Witch Trials. I greatly recommend this book to anyone who has that same fascination I do. I don't necessarily like all of Isobel's actions and I think the 1600's witch trial of Isobel's ancestor did not really add to the storyline in my opinion. But, overall the writing is fast paced and detailed.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese is a reimagining of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I have fond memories of The Scarlet Letter and was looking forward to reading the reimagined version of a classic favorite.

The prose and creativity throughout Hester constructs the town of Salem during 1800’s. Isobel Gamble experiences synesthesia during a time when it is misunderstood and considered evil. She learns to hide her gift and utilizes her needlework skills to survive in her new home. This is the beginning of the challenges she will face; inequality of women, slavery, The Salem Witch Trials, a loveless marriage, an affair, and unplanned pregnancy, draw you into this beautiful journey towards independence.

This stunning portrayal will not disappoint! Thank you to author Laurie Lico Albanese and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the advanced reader.

Hester is a "retelling" of the story behind the Scarlet Letter. The main character, Isobel (Hester) is a young seamstress in Scotland who marries and sails over to Salem, MA with her new husband Edward, a pharmacist with an opium problem. When Edward sails off again as a medic, Isobel forms a friendship, then a love affair, with Nat Hawthorne.
The story at its core has undertones of witchcraft, but I'd have to say there was much female friendship and camaraderie in the story as well. I went into this thinking that I would enjoy the book, but it far exceeded my expectations. It was truly a page turner and tough to put down. I'd highly recommend this.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and St Martins Press for this ARC.

Interesting way to bring the Fiction into Historical Fiction.
Having read The Scarlet Letter as a student, I was intrigued by the story of the woman who could have inspired the heroine of the novel. Isobel grows from being an obliging, dutiful daughter and wife to a woman who takes charge of her own life, and even helping others to do the same. Over time as she has to endure several hardships, including the addiction, theft, and abandonment of her husband, but she never gives up on her dream of becoming a successful clothing designer. Isobel’s synesthesia adds a fantastical element to the story, which is well situated in a time when witch trials are still very much on people’s minds. I do think the book tried to take on a bit much with the Underground Railroad storyline, but overall, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it.

This book is an example of what historical fiction should be. The author took two well known characters from The Scarlet Letter and developed a wonderful story about their relationship. As a result of the beautiful writing, the reader was transported back to life in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1800s and what occurred between Hester Pyrnne and Nat Hawthorne.

Through this book, we witness the beginnings of the Underground Railroad, the importance of the shipping boats at that time, the mores of those who had Puritan ancestors, the lives of immigrants, and commerce at that time.

I enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. The author has a beautiful writing style which made it possible for me to picture the lives of those in Salem at this time in history.Now I’ll have to read The Scarlet Letter.

Hester is the fascinating fictional story of how Nathaniel Hawthorne discovered inspiration for his classic The Scarlett Letter. Isobel Gamble is the young woman that beguiles a young Hawthrone. I was particularly intrigued by the use of color in the story of Hester, very well done. I do have to say that this story was quite slow going to me and hard to stick with at times. But the concept was so brilliant, I have to give applause to the author.
Hester is sure to be a title that many readers of Hawthrone's classic will be compelled to read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book.

Isabell comes from a long line of seamstresses named Margaret and Isabell. She’s thought they sell at a young age but strongly encourage not to use colors unless instructed by her mother, because in her maternal lineage women have heard and seen color in words and the mother doesn’t want little Isabell to be thought of as a witch. She eventually marries an older man and heads from Scotland to Massachusetts. Her husband has issues of his own in Massachusetts she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne and becomes his muse an inspiration for the scarlet letter, because women Scotland and not able to use color is her mother told her to sew a red A and covered up for no one can see it but she’ll know it’s there. This is what inspires the big red A in the scarlet letter in his book. I found this book hard to follow and with little dialogue in one point of view I can’t say I found it interesting. It would’ve been better in a different format and tall and 1/4 of second person narrative as a post to buy Isabel who told it as it went along in a clunky way. Of course this is just my opinion I look forward to reading this book and it makes me sad that I didn’t like it. I appreciate Saint Martin’s press and the author and that girl Leigh giving me this book in exchange for an honest review and this is my honest opinion. Please forgive any grammatical or punctuation no errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are my own.

Hester was definitely a page turner for me. I liked the historical fiction/Scarlett Letter AU mashup. Very creative.

"If a man believes there's danger and power in your secrets, a smart woman can turn that into a strength-even a weapon" (all quotes are subject to change before publication)

4/5 Stars: A historical fiction retelling of Hester Prynne, the iconic heroine of the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Wowza, this book was the most rollercoaster reads of the year so far. First of all, I love the Scarlet Letter. When I first read it in high school, it became and still remains my favorite Classic novel. The way Laurie Lico Albanese was able to communicate the era of Scarlet Letter into Salem, Massachusetts America during the 1800s is truly astonishing and changes the entire nature of the Scarlet Letter for me. Isobel Gowdie is so complex and courageous, and I absolutely am in awe of the parallels Albanese drew between Isobel and Hester. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is that she wrote Nathaniel Hawthorne into the book as the main love interest who is ultimately writing the Scarlet Letter after Isobel's inspiration. Nathaniel Hawthorne was infamously secretive about his life and not much is known about the Scarlet Letter or what inspired him to write it.

This book heavily discusses the caste system of 1800s America, most importantly, the history of immigrants and slave trade throughout the United States. After arriving as a Scottish woman, she immediately notices that even though she is white, she is still considered "other" due to her lack of American bloodline, which is said to Isobel by Mercy, the most integral character in the story that turns everything upside down for Isobel. The discussion of slavery, immigration, and the defamation of character based on differences is a, if not THE, most important part of this book. Another crucial and beautifully written aspect in this story is Isobel's synesthesia, a condition where an individual can see words and phrases in color. Isobel is a master embroider and has an internal conflict brewing inside her on how to make it in Salem without revealing her ancestor's "magic." Albanese used this to incorporate and pivotally reimagine the iconic scarlet "A" from the classic novel.

There are so many parallels and components of this novel that were emotionally hard to read, but the impact overall was so powerful and unique. In the author's acknowledgements, she writes "...understanding of the duality of the needle as both a source of creative and economic strength and of female domestic submission." This feels incredibly relevant to today's climate and stands on a base of feminism I have never considered, because while Isobel embroiders because she loves it and to become her own businesswoman, it is also an activity commonly associated with women, and house making, and all of the stereotypical, misogynistic ideals of the wanted woman. I believe Albanese did a fantastic job turning this on its head and balanced it well so that not only were we experiencing this conflict with Isobel, but we also reflected on how that has changed in today's world, but at the same time commenting that this pillar of famishing still needs to move forward.

I absolutely loved this book and enjoyed it so much! I highly recommend reading The Scarlet Letter before reading this, just because it is more fun and will not make as much sense if you haven't read the classic novel. This book was beautiful and imaginative, and powerfully discussed so many important things that ultimately add to the richness of the original story. I cannot wait to read more from Laurie Lico Albanese. Perfection!

This was a beautiful novel and everything a historical fiction should be.

I feel like I learned a lot in this novel, from the Salem witch trials to the underground railroad to synesthesia. I never read the Scarlet Letter, but I don't feel like that took away from my enjoyment or understanding of the story.

This story moves slowly in places (the middle dragged a little for me) but overall it was an interesting read. I liked Isobel as a character. I thought the plot was really well developed, and the author does a great job at creating a sense of place.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isobel Gamble is a young girl married to an older man. They leave Edinburgh, Scotland to head to a new life in America, leaving behind failure and embarrassment. While excited to start a new life in Salem, Massachusetts, Isobel is soon left on her own as her husband sets off to sea. Betrayed by her husband and working to build a life for herself, Isobel must learn to learn how different Salem is and how to live a life true to herself.

With a stunning talent with the needle, Isobel finds work as a seamstress and her work is beyond anything the new World has seen. While Isobel sees colors, she uses this talent on her handiwork and manages to keep herself alive. She also finds true love, or so she thinks. When it leaves her with child and the father will not stand beside her, she has more choices to make to save not only herself but her unborn child. Will Isobel’s talents save her or be the end of her? With the right choices and good friends, she hopes to live the life she has always dreamed of.

If you heavier ever wondered how an author comes up with an idea for a story, you’re not the only one. Laure Lico Albanese has taken the same thought and shared her version of Nathaniel Hawthorn was inspired to write “The Scarlet Letter”. This is so well done that I couldn’t put the book down and devoured it in a day. THIS is the type of book that should be listed under Historical Fiction in the dictionary. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I was given a copy of this novel on Netgalley to give my honest review. I rate this book 4.8 stars.

This was an amazing retelling of Hester Prynne. The use of the first-person point of view gives a much more relatable storyline and invokes emotion the classic story lacked. I do love the original but I will pair this text with "The Scarlett Letter" in my classes moving forward. The language used is thought-provoking and the story flows well with the tone and mood Albanese sets from the first chapter on. This book captures a multitude of audiences. So many of my students have struggled with ready "The Scarlett Letter" due to the slow-moving plotline as well as the story being written in a third-person point of view. I think this holds the attention of young readers who are developing a passion for reading classic texts as well as reimagining classic texts. "Hester" is a must-read for teachers and students everywhere!

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s books were based on his life/experiences except (supposedly) the classic, The Scarlet Letter. One has to wonder who was his muse? Who was this woman that inspired him to write the character of Hester Prynne? The author of this novel tries to answer those questions by introducing us to, Isobel Gamble.

Soon after Isobel and her husband Edward immigrate to Salem, MA from Scotland, he takes her money and leaves her. Penniless and lonely, she struggles to survive in a new place, relying on her embroidery skills to make a living. Quickly she meets and falls for Nathaniel “Hathorne” and well, you can figure out the rest.

I struggled to get through this story as the pacing is slow. The descriptions of Isobel’s synesthesia was interesting at first, but it quickly became repetitive. I felt the author tried and failed to make a connection with this affliction and witchcraft.

Overall, this was just an OK story for me.


** ARC courtesy of @NetGalley & @StMartinsPress **

Scotland, 17th century: Isobel Gowdie is four-years-old when her mother teaches her how to make letters with a needle. The letters are supposed to be black, but Isobel sees colors associated with letters, and stitches them according to her vision. When her mother smacks her knuckles, Isobel sees fear in her eyes. Fear, because her mother doesn’t want people to call Isobel crazy. A witch. And here, witches are hanged or burned.

One-hundred-forty-years later, Isobel Gamble, ancestress of Isobel Gowdie, is conscripted to tambour shop by her mother, a place without colors. But Isobel dreams to be a pattern-maker. She is taught to fear anything that hints at witchcraft. When she meets a man that promises her a sewing room of her own, she accepts his proposal. But that is just a promise. His poor decisions lead to the poorhouse, and later see them bound for America.

As they arrive in the New World, Isobel quickly recognizes some opportunities, awakening her dream of embroidery pattern-making. But with each day in Salem, she’s daunted by Salem’s established thinking and expectations.

Yet her path crosses with that of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and they feel an attraction from the first encounter.

Isobel is a captivating character. She lives in a time when she is supposed to depend on a man, but she sees the New World as her opportunity. She learns to be shrewd. Boldness comes easily to her, but she needs to watch for her temper.

This mesmerizing tale is shrouded in mystery, with central theme of guarding one’s extraordinary ability at the time seen as witchcraft. The story explores a spellbinding subject of synesthesia, a unique sensory phenomenon of colors associated with letters. And Nathaniel Hawthorne is haunted by his ancestor’s past, who was a magistrate in the Salem witch trials of 1692, when he meets a young woman, who is an unusually gifted needleworker. It’s a fascinating thread that is woven into this story. Nathaniel Hawthorne craves solitude to commit himself to becoming a writer after his college years, but evidence also shows that he was more of a rule-breaker during his college years. Did the transition happen so suddenly or there was more to it?


Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com