This was a really enjoyable read! I had a hard time putting it down.

The biggest strength of this story is the creativity and research that was done to tell it. The author did a nice job of tying everything together to explain how the Scarlet Letter may have come to be (e.g., explaining "witchcraft" through the lens of synesthesia, which obviously wasn't well understood 300 years ago).

I also appreciated the accurate portrayal of women and immigrants in Salem MA during the time. I read a few reviews of this book that commented that the book was trying to "do too much" by tackling topics like witchcraft, slavery, and adultery all in one book- but for me this worked because it was accurate. This is the true context in which this story would have occurred, so I appreciated this.

I think that the characters were all a bit flimsy in my mind, I felt them a little hard to keep track of (like Abigail and Nell) and think they could have done with a bit more character development. The "hide your colors" aspect of the story was a little bit repetitive and overdone for me at the end.

With that being said I absolutely recommend this book- it is a unique topic and a creative work of historical fiction.

I enjoyed reading this book. There are many intriguing, intricate patterns flowing through the narrative and it really held my interest.

Honestly, the fact that Nathaniel Hawthorne's 200-years-hence ancestor was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials, which are still mythologized and talked about today, much less in 1850, is enough of a reason for a man to write a book about it. We really didn't need a whole theory on a random immigrant woman for him to have an affair with, especially based on the content of The Scarlet Letter and life in the preceeding 150 to 200 years in Salem. While Hawthorne may not have had a specific, notated experience with witch trials, adultery, etc, it was not an uncommon accusation, occurrence or sermon topic in his time and he had direct familial connections to the trials.

All of this to say that I found "Hester" to be a difficult read - not due to advanced word use or complex plotting, but because the novel spent so much time describing synesthesia. Connecting a rare (but not *that* rare, 1 in 200 people) condition with witchcraft has sometimes been the case (epilepsy, etc) but as far as I know (and I did do an entire research paper on accusations of witchcraft in England and the early Americas), synesthesia has never been a witchcraft omen or whatever. Adding on to the fact that, having known people with synethesia, her descriptions of the Shock and Awe of synethesia are pretty unfounded, being that it is a neurological connection that you typically grow up with, so that is the base perception of the world for you, not something that magically happens one day (unless you have a brain injury occur).

This book felt unresearched and unedited, almost, and honestly almost read like self-insert fan fiction. Basic facts seemed unchecked, along with some pretty iffy descriptions of non-white people, and a general lack of solid characterization, even our main character doesn't feel three dimensional, and all we know about her is that she's a synesthete, she's unhappy with the limitations set on women, and that she embroiders well.

I really wanted to like this book, because I love retellings of myths and stories from an alternative (usually female) perspective. I loved The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec and Circe by Madeleine Miller, and this book was marketed with a summary that sounded like this was going to be another in the genre, but we don't dip into The Scarlet Letter at all, other than our main character...sees the letter A as red. Overall, I have to give this 1 star out of 5.

Hester is about Isobel, a young & talented seamstress who leaves Scotland with her husband (who has an opium addiction) for America where she becomes involved with Nathanial Hawthorne. That plot line alone is interesting enough but the author also includes some touches of the Salem witch trials & synesthesia. The descriptions of the sounds Isobel “sees” were so beautiful although sometimes a little bit much.

This reimagining was brilliantly done! And one of the most beautiful historical fiction novels I've ever read.
The magic within these pages is breathtaking, pure genius and nothing short of magical!
The characters tell a story that's beautifully written and very well executed.
The way the author interacts the characters is flawless. They really drew you into the story and made it easy to follow.
This is fabulous storytelling which is so immersive, mesmerizing, compelling and very hard to put down.
A captivating, engrossing and fascinating read for me, such a clever story one I couldn't stop reading once I started!
Who is the real Hester Prynne?
Read this astonishing novel to find out!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

St. Martin's Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

First, I'd like to express gratitude toward St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC - I truly appreciate the opportunity to access this book prior to its release.

I was so excited when I saw this book was available - but quickly I realized that this book is trying to have way too much going on - which is a bit ironic, because the book itself doesn't have much action happening throughout. Is this a book about nationalism? Is this a book about slavery? Is this a book about immigrants? Is this a book about witchcraft? Is this a book about the muse Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" was based on? I really couldn't pinpoint, because this book wears a lot of hats.

"Anybody who calls himself a true American thinks they're better than everybody else," was one of the quotes that stuck with me from this novel, and makes me curious if the point of this book was meant to be a commentary about the experiences foreigners have coming to a new land and the experience of prejudice and being treated differently as an immigrant. It could have developed that way with more focus in that direction - however, it was all over the place.

I really would have loved to get more witchcraft and magic throughout the book - there was a reference to faeries early on that mislead me. I wish that there had been a more fantastical element to this book - it would have definitely added some excitement!

I believe that the point of this book was to try to provide a "real life connection" to the idea that perhaps Nathaniel Hawthorne based his book off of this woman he encountered... however, the Nathaniel "Hathorne" within this novel was poorly developed: he came off as passive, boring, dull, just so meh. I don't even really understand what he and Isobel really have in common that gets him to fall for her -- she can read?? I don't even think their romance truly matures, and it doesn't in any way lead the reader to believe that this was the relationship Nathaniel Hawthorne truly had that inspired Hester Prynne.

The narrative itself is difficult to read due to the flowery prose that distracts from the plot. I get it, our main character has synesthesia, but it was OVERLY detailed for me to take and really didn't seem necessary... Is there even a plot here? There's some random flashbacks and then different scenarios taking place, but I felt like I was waiting for the beat to drop and it never did.

I did appreciate the social commentary being made regarding how women were treated in those times. Historically, America is quite patriarchal, and the thought of a woman going against her husband's wishes or thinking for herself as an independent individual was completely unheard of. I also appreciate the effort that was made to include diversity and start a conversation about "otherness" of being marginalized in America.

I would recommend this novel to someone who doesn't mind a slow-paced book and is interested in historical fiction, but sadly, this was not a hit for me. I think this book had so much potential and I had high expectations, but it fell flat.

This book was sent to me by. Netgalley electronically for review… it is historical fiction but reads like nonfiction. A quick read…characters that are familiar in history…this author has written an ingenious story. Nathaniel Hawthorne as a character…fantastic…maybe we will read books with Poe or others as the main characters…I look forward to other books by this author.

I would rate Hester 4.5 stars!

What immediately drew me into this book was its entire premise: The Scarlet Letter was one of my favorites that I read in high school, and Hester tells the fictionalized backstory of Nathaniel Hawthorne and a woman named Isobel. Both characters have troubled family histories and are plagued by their ancestors’ stories. This book recounts the Salem witch trials, the immigration of Europeans to the Americas, and the impact of slavery in the United States. It may seem like it bites off more than it can chew from that description, but the main character, Isobel, is so charming and dynamic that the story seamlessly flows around her.

Definitely would recommend to any history buffs or lovers of classic literature or feminists or all of the above!

I just finished reading Hester, by Laurie Lico Albanese. This is such an unusual book that even describing it is a challenge. The setting is early 19th c. Salem. The protagonist is a woman with kinesthesia, which frightens people. For Isobel, the risk is always in being identified as a witch by people who do not understand her abilities. Isobel spends much of her time hiding who she is, which creates the central tension in the novel.

Hester is compelling. I hated to finish this book and leave these characters behind. The allusions to Hester Prynn are fascinating and are really another puzzle to solve. There are a lot of details and for some readers, who prefer a novel with brief descriptions, Hester might not be a good fit. That would be unfortunate.

In spite of the title, Hester is not a retelling of the Scarlet letter. Instead it is inspired by The Scarlet Letter "A". Readers should allow theselves to be transported back 200 years, where women led vastly different lives and under grave social restrictions.

I really enjoyed the imaginative nature of this book and it's telling of the inspiration for The Scarlet Letter. The ways in which women of the time were called witches or accused of casting spells was well researched and Isobel is compelling character. I felt the romance with Nathanial Hathorne a little unrealistic in its speed and unfolding; but the intrigue of the story and how it connected to The Scarlet Letter kept me interested and entertained. Overall, it's a page turner, heavy on plot, but with a few well-developed characters too.

And a note to the copy editor: In chapter 9 It's County Cork, (not Cork County) Ireland that Nell is from. All Irish counties are spoken as county first. :)

A haunting tale of a woman with kinesthesia who sees colors associated with people and words. With a Scottish ancestor who was accused of being a witch and escaped, she hides her abilities to protect herself and her family. With a gift for sewing and needlework, she longs to design and create beautiful clothing. That saves her life when she and her poppy-addicted husband move to America to start a new life. This is truly a love story, fraught with the difficulties of choosing a good man and the challenges of being a woman when women are not respected. Set in Salem, Massachusetts and sewn together with witch trial history and the end of slavery, this is a heart-rending story of trials and triumph. It is a story of strong women helping each other in many hidden ways. I'm still thinking about it. It occupies my mind and makes me appreciate having skills I have been able to use to support myself when relationships have failed me. Truly haunting. Beautifully written, past and present woven together in the resilient fabric of life.

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese is a historical fiction story that reimagines Hester Prynn- the famous heroine from ‘The Scarlet Letter’ as a real-life woman that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his classic book. This novel is essentially historical fiction based on historical fiction…

The story follows Isobel Gamble, a young Scottish seamstress who embarks on a journey to the new world with her doctor husband Edward. The couple lands in Salem where threads of deceit and lies threaten to unravel the new life that Isobel has attempted to make for herself. When Edward leaves Isobel to be a medic on a ship, Isobel is forced to start from scratch in a strange land that offers no mercy or protection for the weak and vulnerable. Isobel finds creative ways to survive with her needle and thread which awakens family secrets and gifts that could either set her free or trap her in the snares of Salem’s cruelties.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, the yet to be famous author, begins interacting with Isobel and they soon realize they have fallen under each other’s spell. They both become entranced with each of their special talents -Nathaniel’s gift of storytelling and Isobel’s mesmerizing needlework. The more they interact with each other, the more powerful their talents become and the more their pasts begin to haunt them. Nathaniel is forced to grapple with his sordid family history of the witch trials, while Isobel must learn how to control her special ancestral talents, or else suffer the wrath of sin and guilt, in a place and time where being different could snag a thread and unravel the whole fabric of society.

At its core, Hester is a feminist survival story about the female creative power that has been suppressed and weaponized throughout history. Isobel is at constant odds with herself over whether she should embrace or shun her special gifts. Her talent for needlework reached new heights when she opened her heart to love but she struggled to accept her talent when she experienced unbearable pain. The tension between the visible and invisible, light and dark, white and black, past and present, right and wrong, and expression and suppression, imagination and reality weaves a bewitching story about the power of creativity to access the hidden truth. Each of the characters in this story grapple with the stark perception of their realities and are each searching for more colour, meaning, and purpose in their lives. The harsh and intolerable cruelties of 19th century American life are on full display in this book, offering a spectrum of the various ways marginalized peoples were made to suffer. Is awareness freedom? Is creativity the key to survival? Is love destructive or regenerative? How do you change your perception? These are the rich questions asked and answered in this compelling, sensual, and moving read.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for Hester as I was ‘forced’ to read The Scarlet Letter in school and loved it. Much to my disappointment, I did not care for this book. The premise of Hester was to provide a real life connection to the idea that Hawthorne could have based Hester upon an actual person he encountered. While the idea is interesting I don’t feel like the author quite pulls it off. I found the book dull and the main character’s synesthesia repetitively annoying. I did find the references to the Salem witch trials interesting, but the many references to slavery trite and so overdone. If you feel the need to pontificate about slavery at least present all the facts and don't make it a one-sided white vs. black issue. A disappointing read for me!

I have just finished reading Hester by Author Laurie Lico Albanese.

What a beautifully written and enchanting book this was.

The storyline takes place in both the 1800’s in Scotland, and then in the new world of Salem.

Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress who leaves her homeland of Edinburgh, with her older husband Edward who is an apothecary. Edward has fallen under the spell of opium and has other troubles throughout the years.

Isobel is taught to sew at a very young age by her mother but encouraged to sew without colour.

There is mention of The Salem Witch trials, and the book is also has a bit of spinoff of The Scarlet Letter.

It’s magical, intriguing, a bit of a love story and just so much more!


Thank you to Goodreads, Author Laurie Lico Albanese, and St. Martin's Press for my advanced copy to read and review.
#NetGalley

Hester
By Laurie Lico Albanese

A vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England's witchcraft trials.

Who is the real Hester Prynne?

Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Edinburgh for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible.

When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?

In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country's complicated past, and learns that America's ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel's story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a "real" American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of "unusual" women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Laurie Lico Albanese's Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.

*My review to come closer to pubdate.

I need to start off by saying that I have never read The Scarlet Letter. I am at a complete loss of words other than this book is amazing and completely blew me away.

I received a free copy of this book from Net Gally in exchange for my honest review.

Wow... Now I've gotta reread The Scarlet Letter!

This book was beautifully written. There's so much that it's hard to summarize. But very basically , it's a spin on the muse behind The Scarlet Letter. However, there's so much more to it and even without that link the Novel is great in itself. The imagery in this book made me feel like I was there. It also tied in The Salem Witch trials and the Underground Railroad beautifully. It didn't take long to get into but it did get better as it went. I'd recommend for anyone interested in Historical Fiction based in early America, Classics, Magic and so much more.. Just read it! Easily my favorite read of the year so far!

"Hester" is what I call a 'good old-fashioned book'. That is high praise coming from me. Although the book tells a story that has some dire circumstances and ups and downs for the protagonist, it is written in a no-frills, no thrills manner. Just straight story-telling in the manner of 19th-century authors Austen, Dickens, Conrad, Cooper, the Brontës, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, upon whom a character in "Hester" is loosely based. Sometimes after I have written a review of a book immediately after finishing it, I find myself wanting to add more, especially if it is a book I loved. This is one of those books. If you have not read "The Scarlet Letter" lately (or ever!) I would advise you to read it before reading "Hester". I believe reading Hawthorne's novel first will add much to your enjoyment of "Hester". "Hester is an ingenious synonymous relating of "The Scarlet Letter".
The book teaches much history, in the detailed descriptions of sea travel, retail and wholesale purchases, manner of dress, and in talk of the Salem Witch Trials and slavery affecting US Northerners in the early 1800s. The title is a reference to "The Scarlet Letter" but Hester's partner in sin is an entirely different character. The exploration of moral and spiritual issues are the same, as well as questions of the meaning of freedom and liberty in the early 1800s. This is the first novel by Laurie Lico Albanese that I have read but it will not be the last.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the DRC of this book.

Laurie Lico Albanese seizes upon a dazzlingly inventive concept in HESTER and the reader is instantly immersed in a rich, inventive novel tracking the intriguing pulse points of Nathaniel Hawthorne's life and work. A read to savor--Many thanks to St Martins and to Netgalley for the opportunity and pleasure of an early read.

“Hester” by Laurie Lico Albanese asks the question “who inspired Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”?”

As a high schooler, I read “The Scarlet Letter” for my English class. I enjoyed the book, but must admit that it was so dissected in class that I never wanted to re-read it. So, before reading this book, I read an online summary of “The Scarlet Letter” to refresh my memory of the overall plot and ended up going down an information rabbit hole about Nathaniel Hawthorne.

I thought it interesting to imagine that, like Mr. Hawthorne’s other books, “The Scarlet Letter” was also based upon an incident in Hawthorne’s life. The reader is introduced to Isobel Gamble - a seamstress who has synesthesia (seeing colors associated with words either read or spoken). For Isobel, the letter A is red and that becomes her “signature” when embroidering (which ties into "The Scarlet Letter"). I found the character of Isobel interesting - her husband steals her money, then abandons her without funds or food, and Isobel scrambles to find wages via her embroidering - basically she is trying to survive given the constraints of the time and where she is living. Like Hester, she does what she can with what she has. Nathaniel Hawthorne, however, seems trapped by the actions of his ancestors (I’m not sure why he was obsessed about Dorcas Good, for instance) and very angsty. Although I understood why Isobel and Nathaniel would/could be attracted to each other, at the same time I really wondered why. I found the sections regarding Isobel’s family history did not work for me and I ended up skimming those sections as I felt they distracted from Isobel’s story. The author’s prose was a bit flowery for me and, as in “The Scarlet Letter,” there’s not a lot of action. I did find some of the side stories interesting, but I also found some things tied together a bit too neatly, though plausible, I guess. I did like the Author’s Note listing some sources Ms. Albanese consulted. I was a bit disappointed that this book didn’t work for me as well as I hoped it would.