Hester
Ratings24
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings24
Average rating3.8
Named a Most Anticipated Book for Fall by Goodreads and New York Post • An October Indie Next List Pick 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. 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 Glasgow 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.
Reviews with the most likes.
I'll be honest. I wanted to read this book because the cover is gorgeous. I paid minimum attention to the synopsis until later when I was discussing it with the person I ended up buddy-reading it with. Once I fully realized what it was about and where it was set, I was 100% sold.
Isobel and her husband, Edward, immigrate from Scotland to Salem, Massachusetts sometime in the early 1800s. They aren't together here long as Edward soon joins a ship crew and leaves Isobel behind to fend for herself. She's not without a trade, fortunately, and is a talented seamstress. But are her talents the result of something that could ultimately put her life in danger?
While Edward is away, Isobel forges a friendship with none other than Nathaniel Hawthorne. Both of them are haunted by their pasts and lineage. This common bond draws them to one another.
I enjoyed this a lot, though I could be biased as I can consider it a local story. I do think I would have gotten a lot more out of the story if I had first read The Scarlet Letter. One thing I still can't figure out is the significance of the italicized sections of the book. I understand the connection between the characters portrayed here and the protagonists, but they fizzle out toward the end. I personally found it more confusing than an aid in the progression of the story.
This is the first time I've read a book that involves a character with synesthesia. So fascinating. It added a lot to Isobel's character and made the story richer. The descriptions were fantastic.
I just reviewed Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese
Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress with flaming red hair, married to the owner of an apothecary with a terrible addiction. After they lose everything in their home of Scotland in the 1800s they try their fortunes in the new world. After the Captain of the boat takes a shine to Isobel, he offers to take her husband on their next crossing as a medic in exchange for 1.5% of the total profits. Edward leaves but not before stealing a few gold coins from Isobel that her father had given her.
Isobel now has to find a way to take care of herself in a place where she knows no one.
She ends up meeting Nathanial Hawthorne, a man troubled by the legacy his family left behind. A legacy of sending innocent women to their deaths during the Salem witch trials. Unbeknown to him, Isobel has some extraordinary abilities that almost had her own ancestor killed. As the 2 are drawn together, something sinister is happening in the town of Salem. This time it's not witches being persecuted but the now freed people of color. Someone is hunting them to return them to their slave owners.
Her closeness to her neighbor compels Isobel to help in the only way she knows whilst walking away from her love for Nathaniel she becomes the unwitting lead in his published book, The Scarlet Letter.
This reimagining took my breath away. The author took this story and really made it their own. The story they wove had me enthralled from the first sentence and it still hasn't let me go. They breathed a magic so intoxicating that the words came alive right in front of my very eyes!
I wanted to reach out and hold Isobel's hand so many times through the book. I loved watching her story unfold and all the colors that exploded from her gift was a treasure I wanted to hold on to. Her life was mixed with such tragedy and wonder that it made you wonder where she found the strength. Not all women were as lucky as her but still the things she was put through and had to get through would break anyone I know. Being a woman was a dangerous time especially without the safety of a husband. Not that her husband was worth the marriage license. I couldn't stand Edward from the get go. I know addiction is ugly but I just got the creeps from him right from the start. She was worth a million of him. Don't get me wrong, I didn't like Nathanial either. I felt he was weak and quite disgraceful to do what he did but I also understand that they were in a unique situation.
I don't usually get crushes on book characters but Captain Darling really exemplified what a man should be and how to treat people in general.
I really felt the character building was top notch and I loved how the author covered how people of color were treated even after it was illegal to keep slaves in the north. It was cleverly done and I really feel that this book has checked every box for me.
If you love your historical fiction with a little magic and a dash of social issues, this is definitely the book for you! 5 stars!!
I love historical fiction and was a fan of The Scarlet Letter which, of course, we had to read in school. Hester is inspired fiction from that story and I really enjoyed it.
This was hard to put down and I ended up finishing in one day. I loved the mix of the Salem Witch Trials and Hawthorne's family history. I also loved how this story wove the “truth” into the meaning behind The Scarlet Letter which Hawthorne wrote.
Very fun and engaging read and one fans of Historical Fiction should grab.
I sincerely appreciate St. Martin's Press for the review copy. While a review wasn't expected, I have offered my opinion and these are my own thoughts.
