A gifted seamstress possessing sensory gifts, Isobel is in the unfortunate circumstance of having emigrated from Scotland to Massachusetts with her much older, opium addicted husband who she later loses, literally, unsure whether he’s dead or alive—thus condemning her to a sort of limbo. Alone and penniless, Isobel falls back on her talents as a visionary seamstress in order to survive.

She finds herself drawn to Nat Hawthorne, a man with haunting family secrets of his own with whom she becomes romantically involved…..all under the watchful eye of a community suspicious of her unusual talent with the needle as well as what Hawthorne calls her power to enchant and bewitch.

Interwoven with the story of Isobel and Nathan is a graphic probe into what constituted a real American in the early 1800’s as well as a look at the beginnings of the Underground Railroad in New England.

HESTER is a thoroughly engrossing read and should particularly appeal to lovers of imaginative historical fiction as it presents the trials and tribulations of an extraordinary nineteenth century woman attempting to survive in a mans world.

I enjoy reading the backstory of famous novels, and I found the recent book by Laurie Lico Albanese provided a great prologue to “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This novel is frequently required reading in high school. Adults can recall the “Scarlet A” worn by the woman in the story, even if they remember little else. This recently released novel explores the woman’s side of the story.

All the main characters have a secret to protect: opium addiction, seeing words as colors, transporting illegal goods, illicit love affairs. The book expands Hester’s world beyond just her interaction with Nate, encompassing the struggles of surviving in a new world, as an independent woman, with a dangerous secret.

Hester has an unusual gift, a talent with the needle and a unique understanding of color. Telling people that the letter A is red or a word has a certain color causes fear among others, with the threat of being labeled a witch. As a child, Hester’s mother tells her to hide her colors. As a young woman, Hester finds a use for her gift and she finds others who understand it.

The author shares the tension between classes, strangers, and men and women with sharpness. Her storyline propels the reader to learn what happens to Hester as the drama unfolds.

The book contains some interesting historical points, also. The genetic medical condition of experiencing one sense with another, synesthesia, was first recognized in the 1800s. Approximately 1% of the population has this condition, although it is more common for music to be heard as shapes. Another point is that researchers can find a key source or incident sparking all of Nathanial Hawthorne’s books except “The Scarlet Letter”. The creation of a possible rationale for this tale is the aim of author Laurie Lico Albanese. This is similar to the development of the storyline “Carnegie’s Maid” by Marie Benedict. I hope you will read this novel, and keep an eye out for “Hester” as a SCLSNJ Historical Fiction Book Discussion next Fall.

I went into Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese blind. I had no idea what it was about. Most of the times, I think it's the best way to go into a book. In this case however, I wished I would have at least read the synopsis. Had I done that, I would have passed on this book. I barely remember reading The Scarlett Letter in school, though I do know the premise. And I know I didn't really care for the book itself. Hester is the imagined "real story" of the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's books. At least the cover is pretty.

With a unique voice, Ms. Albanese deftly transports readers to both Scotland with its heritage of folklore and followed a young woman to Salem, Massachusetts in the 1800's with its rich history of the Salem Witch Trials. While not really a dual timeline story, parts of the story are told through a series of flashbacks that lay a foundation that influence the beliefs of an eclectic cast of characters.
I loved that the heroine proves to be a strong woman in a male-dominated society. Knowing she needs to hide abilities that others will mistake as witchcraft, she forges her own path in the New World. An original retelling of The Scarlet Letter that will hold readers captive until the last page has been read.

Full disclosure- I read part from a print copy and some from the audiobook. Totally engaged by the beautiful reading of narrator and the atmospheric prose.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this was going to be a retelling of the Scarlet Letter which I read in high school but it was more a fictional account of events that influenced Hawthorne’s writing of it. In some ways it’s similar to Hamnet which had a lot of success. I struggled to get into it, but think a lot of people would like it.

“She sees the mans words in the color of evil.”

“My colors had been my inspiration, and then my curse, and after they left me there was no cure for my sadness.”

I will admit this was a straight up seasonal cover buy. That cover is stunning! I am really glad I chose this one. Hester is a vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the heroine of Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. This book had it all! Apothecaries, adultry, witchcraft, synesthesia, healing, Salem, strong women, love. I absolutely adored Hester as I love reading about strong women in a time where strong women weren’t allowed to be outwardly strong…but managed to do so despite societal constraints.

The narration of my BOTM audiobook was wonderful and I found myself immediately immersed in Hester’s world. She was such a talented and intelligent character and I loved her trajectory as the story progressed. What a fabulous book!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook copy is my own.

This cover is so beautiful, I just HAD to read it.

I will admit that it took me about half of the book to truly get into it. But I am so glad I continued. We may think we are past the time of women punished for the sins of men. For being blamed when something terrible happens or deemed witches. But we are not. The Scarlet Letter is just as relatable when retold in a new fashion as it was when it was written.

I was impressed with how perfectly Hester ties into to The Scarlett Letter. This is one of those historical fiction options that will grab most readers. I honestly couldn't picture a better ending for Albamese's story.

This book has an interesting premise. What if The Scarlet Letter was inspired by an actual person and what if the author Nathaniel Hawthorne based the character of Dimesdale on himself? This book is fiction but is well researched and accurate to the time period.

This book was a slow read for me. I liked Isobel's family backstory and the way her "colors" were described. I was also interested in her trip to Salem. For me Nathaniel and their relationship was the least interesting part of the book. Once past that part of the book though, it was an easy read to the end.

What I liked about the book:
-I loved the female friendships and how important and impactful they are throughout
-Mercy is an amazing well written character
-Isobel's growth-she moves to Salem at 19 married to a much older man who has his own issues
-Captain Darling-yes he is darling and love that there are some really great strong supportive male characters because there are a lot of awful men in this book (just like there were and still are awful men)
-Isobel's colors-I really loved that this thing that she was taught to hide and told to feel shame about was really this thing to inspire pride and strength
-The accurate depiction of slavery and what "freedom" looked like during that time period
-the accurate depiction of prejudice against Irish immigrants

The ending third of the book really made the middle worth getting through for me. I'd rate this book as a 3.5 and I look forward to reading more by this author. I also enjoyed the authors note at the end talking about Hester from The Scarlet Letter. She described her as a feminist heroine and badass single mother and I think that is a wonderful way to view that character and am glad that she gets her own book told from her own point of view.

I absolutely loved this book. What a cool spin on The Scarlet Letter. Isobel is now one of my most favorite literary characters. This book will stick with me for a long time!

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I saw the cover and title and I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book. There are so many things that called to me - Massachusetts, witches, Isobel's colors, etc - it was almost overwhelming. I've always been fascinated by The Scarlett Letter and this imagining of how the story came to be is truly special.

My grandmother used to hook rugs as a hobby and this plot is thick and intricate in the same wonderful way as that process. At first, it's a hot mess. Slowly, bits and pieces start to bloom and the picture is more tangible. And it keeps going like that until it's finished and you can step back to see the whole, complete thing. It's a work of art and I loved the experience of reading it! The voice Laurie imbued Isobel with is captivating; I devoured this story.

There's so much going on but all of it is integral to the story. Nat Hathorne and his haunting history, Mercy and the black community of free people and slaves, Mrs. Silas and her society ways, all the witches - they're all tied together in a tangle from the very beginning. It never felt like the story was trying to do too much.

It broke my heart, yet left me with hope and an eye on the future.

I'll be recommending this to everyone!

I think this is such a fascinating novel set next to The Scarlet Letter, and I think it would be really interesting to read both and compare the two (though I will not be subjecting myself to The Scarlet Letter again, high school was enough for me, thank you). Just as the men in Hester repeatedly call the women bewitching and enchanting, the language in the book is the same. It’s really lovely, and the passages are a joy to read. Im always intrigued by the book within a book-ish premise, so I thought learning more about the woman who inspired Hester Prynne was a really cool concept. I would recommend this novel for sure.

I really like this trend of stories being rewritten from the perspective of the women. (See also Beautiful Little Fools). This is exactly that, but it's an exploration of what could have made Nathaniel Hawthorne write The Scarlet Letter. I loved the character of Isobel and found her interesting and likable. I liked many of the other characters too, but there were some duds as well. One thing that didn't really seem convincing to me was how wrapped up in the past some the characters actions were. And not the recent past, which would make sense to me, but the 200 year old Salem Witch Trials. I didn't really buy the fact that these families were still acting based on what those ancestors had done. Overall, this is a good book and I think it's a worthwhile read. It is a bit slow moving though so be prepared for that.

A lovely book with the perfect amount of references to history to add a layer of reality that really brought the story to life. While she faces trials and tribulations, her fire and resilience carries her through. Hester lives in a difficult period for poor women. She is forced into situations not her fault and carries on with dignity and patience. She does not allow life to make her lose faith in love or chance. She is good to people and, like all my favorite stories, good people are tested but not doomed. Loved the book.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book as it is my first by this author, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I was engrossed by the characters and drawn into the story very early on.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital review copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As an English teacher, I could not resist checking out Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese. My first encounter with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter was as a high school English student. While my teacher hammered away at all of the symbolism in the book, I was really wondering about how Hester was surviving around all of these low down dogs calling themselves her man in public and private (or not). The preacher was the worst! But so was her husband lurking around town like a creep.

The Woman Who Inspired Hester
Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese tells the story of Isobel and her ancestors intermittently throughout the novel. Isobel’s ancestor of the same name was accused of being a witch in Scotland, but escaped the torture and ran away which is why Isobel exists today. Isobel is the woman that Albanese crafts the novel around as being the one who inspired the character of Hester in The Scarlett Letter.

You can quickly see the parallels between the two women. But Isobel is different, she can see colors everywhere and she is a keen businesswoman who figures out how to survive when her no-good husband leaves on a ship with her money. She is a beautiful, young redheaded Scottish woman who also has to be careful to abide by the rules of society and hide her gifts.

I am a big fan of Isobel because she is such a strong female protagonist. It’s easy to forget that she is only 19 because she deals with being abandoned by her husband and being left destitute like a pro. She knows her skills, she knows her own worth and she blinks back the tears quickly and moves onto to surviving and making a living for herself.

Overall Thoughts
I thought this was a very intriguing novel of historical fiction. There are so many layers of female empowerment, immigration, the effects of slavery on society and more that I might even do a re-read to try and capture more from it. Beautiful writing, great story, awesome characters!

In Hester, Laurie Lico Albanese has created an interesting prequel story to Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" from the perspective of Isobel (Hawthorne's Hester).

Isobel is a Scottish immigrant newly arrived in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband. He soon leaves her penniless and she must make her way in a place that does not value a person of her gender, class, or ethnicity. Isobel is a complex character. While she makes some questionable personal choices, Isobel is also strong and independent. She manages to support herself with her keen mind and exceptional talent for needlework. She experiences synesthesia, seeing words as colors. This is both a gift and a curse as the synesthesia inspires her creativity but also puts her in danger. The Salem witchcraft trials are in the not too distant past and Isobel must keep her ability to see colors hidden fearing persecution if her secret is revealed.

As with The Scarlet Letter, the story has a lot to say about societal mores. Albanese deftly intertwines many early 18th century historical threads, including the constraints put on women, the slave trade and the Underground Railroad, opium addiction, and discrimination toward immigrants from Ireland and Scotland. It's an especially fascinating look at women's history. I appreciated the author's note at the end detailing the author's research.

It's not necessary to read The Scarlet Letter before reading Hester, but it would add to the experience.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Hester tells the story of the inspiration behind The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne by telling us the story of a young Scottish woman, Isobel, who moves from Scotland to Salem, MA, and meets Hawthorne.

There were times when I loved Isobel and felt for her, and there were times when I got so frustrated with her. But I ended up giving her a lot more grace when I was reminded later in the book that was barely out of her teens when the majority of this story takes place. Her love for Hawthorne even though he has some truly questionable opinions and treats Isobel poorly bothered me, but the reminder of her youth reminded me that we all make poor choices about love when we're young. My favorite character in the whole book was Captain Darling, who was a true darling, and I wish there'd been more time for him in the story.

All in all, this was a great fall read with more storylines than I expected and a book I would recommend to others. (3.5 stars rounded up to 4)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I wanted to love this one, but after starting and stopping several times before finally finishing, I can say that while I'm glad I did finish it, I would likely not read it again. Its well written and I don't necessarily want to discourage anyone from giving it a shot, just wasn't my cup of tea. 2.5 stars for me, but rounding up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book.

Isobel marries an apothecary and sees it as her opportunity to get out of her father’s home and create a home of her own. But she doesn’t anticipate her new husband to be hiding a great secret- a growing addiction to opium. When debts force them to flee, America seems like a safe haven for them. Hester is hiding a hidden talent that she has though. Letters and words, especially in her needlework, hold colorful meanings, which in the past have led to accusations of witchcraft towards her ancestors. Hester meets Nathaniel Hawthorne as soon as they land in America. She is intrigued by this bookish man. As a forbidden relationship ensues, they are both inspired, but it is a dangerous game they play. An interesting look at who could have inspired Hawthorne’s character, Hester.

I was very intrigued by this story, but I felt as though it just got bogged down the farther we got. By the end I just wanted it to be over and didn’t even care that much about how it ended. It was a creative telling of the inspiration, but I wish I felt more invested in it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.