I never read Scarlett Letter but I am familiar with the story. This was supposed to be the background story for Hawthorne's inspiration of writing it, while loosely being a retelling? A story of a talented woman, abandoned in a new world that is shrouded in fear of witchcraft, and all alone. She meets Hawthorne and they develop a relationship....maybe that is how he became inspired for Scarlett Letter? Isobel had to hide her condition known as Synthesia so that she wasn't accused of witchcraft. Interesting idea for the story and one not really explored often.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2022 - if the "Scarlet Letter" association has you flashing back to high school English and worrying "Hester" might be a slog, rest assured it is not. To be very honest, the book it most reminds me of is "The Witch of Blackbird Pond," and if you knew me in the late 80s / early 90s, you would know this is the highest praise. Colorful outsider from across the sea attempts to make her way in an insular, New England town, and builds a family of people on the margins of her strait-laced community... if you loved Kit's when you were young, you'll love Isobel's now. A beautifully-written, immersive story of Salem, Massachusetts, a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the determined, spirited heroine who might have inspired his most famous work.

Good story that was well told and really draws the reader in. The main character was well done and the story was easy to fall into.

I love retellings and reimagining's, so when I saw that a Scarlet Letter reimagining was coming out that was inspired by Hester Prynne, I knew I had to read this!

This is very much like a "prequel" and I loved reading more about Hester's "background". What I enjoyed most was the strong, wise women who willingly risked everything to help not only each other but those whose only desire was to live free.

Great book!

Oh this was a wonderful exploration of the motivation behind The Scarlet Letter. The character development, relationships, double standards were all wonderfully written and brought the story to life. The author did a fantastic job and bringing us to that time period - it was well researched and a great example of historical fiction. Anyone, regardless of their feelings regarding the Scarlet Letter, will enjoy this book if they enjoy historical fiction. The magical realism, incorporation of racial prejudice, and emobroidery.

An interesting exploration of the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's heroine of the Scarlet Letter. Hester brings alive the times in which she lived in Colonial Salem. The narrative was richly described and colorful. Being a reader who lives not far from Salem, MA, I found the historical details of the city and society fascinating.

Historical fiction used to be one of my go-to genre's and recently it's been less so, but I'm so glad I picked up Hester. While it's been decades since I read The Scarlet Letter, I really enjoyed this interpretation of Hester, or the possibility of the story that might have inspired Hawthorne's novel. This imagining felt very possible to me, and it was good timing, because I was thinking of rereading The Scarlet Letter in 2024, so I'm sure this book will be in the back of my mind as I pick that one up again.

Overall, Hester is a deeply enjoyable narrator, and the story digs into the prejudices and power structures of the original text, in a way that is compelling and enjoyable.

Oh my gosh I am so sorry I thought I left a review when I didn't see the title anymore on my list. I loved it so much. I love a good book that's either set in Scotland or has Scottish characters. I also love the Victorian era as well. I highly recommend this and will get a physical copy very soon as I am currently on a book buying ban.

As a huge fan of The Scarlet Letter, I was a little leery of this title yet couldn't seem to resist. Thankfully, HESTER was so much more than I could have hoped for and I loved every aspect of this novel. The author did a superb job of integrating the story of young Nathaniel Hawthorne in this novel, without playing too much into the tale of its origin story, and I was intrigued throughout. I don't feel like it received as much attention/praise as it deserved and I would highly recommend it to any fans of historical fiction!

I love a retelling. While I never really was a fan of The Scarlet Letter (one of my least favorite books read for school) I did enjoy this different take on the story. So original and great for spooky season.

4.5 stars. I have read the Scarlet Letter and really enjoyed it. So I was very intrigued by this book when I first heard about it. You do not have to have already read The Scarlet Letter to fully understand and appreciate this book but I loved the possible inspiration and backstory of its creation. I thought the story was interesting and enjoyed the characters as they were well developed.

Such an interesting take on the Scarlet Letter. I loved what was kept the same and loved what was changed. This was overall soo good and I want to read more from this author b

I don't know if I was in need of a cry or if this book just perfectly nested itself in my heart, but this was a deeply emotional read. I am familiar with the original story of Hester Prynne, but viewing the trickle down effects of the witch trials through the perspective of a young Scottish woman in Salem was an entirely fresh approach. It was so easy to love and cheer for Isobel, and I found her work as a seamstress—and the expression of her synesthesia—to be fascinating. I also found that the intersection of the main storyline with references to the underground railroad to be an unexpected (but not unwelcome) addition. Finally, I am curious to know more about the experience of Scottish immigrants in early America, and interested to know whether Isobel's individual condemnation of slavery was a widely held belief.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book lives in my mind rent free. It’s not an earth shattering sort of story, in fact it’s one that we’ve all heard before in many iterations and many different ways. But this book is a quiet imaginging of who might have inspired The Scarlett Letter and a retelling of Hester’s story from her perspective. It’s a story for every person who knows what it’s like want something or someone who society tells us we cannot or should not, for every person who has given their heart to someone who did not treasure it as they should have, treated as a muse more than a person, and for every woman who had to fight against societal expectations to live the life they imagined and fight for their right to happiness.

It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and feels very much like a true historical account of who Hester might have been. And the beautiful way the author explores Hester’s synesthesia is so eyeopening - something that is unique but perfectly normal today would likely have been considered witchy and otherworldly.

I would definitely recommend for lovers of historical fiction, retelling, and strong independent women characters.

What a fun imagining of the story behind The Scarlet Letter! Weaving in details from the original novel and details from Hawthorne’s own life, this book is a charming take on what a fascinating woman Hester could have been to inspire such a strong, female protagonist.

Hester is the perfect book for spooky season or really any time! Steeped in witchy folklore of Scotland and early America, Hester blends elements of magical realism with history, feminism, and literature, Synesthesia is real, but even today, it is looked upon as something other than mainstream, I always enjoy books which fictionalize how a historical event or pop culture icon may have come to be. In this case, it is Nathaniel Hawthorne and his famous work The Scarlet Letter. Where did this red letter come from, and why is it specifically scarlet? Hester paints a picture of an alternative meaning and how the famous story came to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I think we all have some kind of heinous memory of reading a classic novel in high school. For many, myself included, it’s gotta be The Scarlet Letter.

Hawthorne’s novel is the peak look into a puritanical society. Laurie Albanese’s Hester, is a look into the creation of Hawthorne’s novel.


Part historical fiction, part romance, Hester looks at the “real” Hester Prynn, Isobel Gamble. Isobel has gambled her future on the new world: Salem, Massachusetts. When her husband abandons her upon their arrival, she is left struggling as a needleworker, till she meets young writer, Nationiel Hathorne.

Haunted by the past of his ancestors who sent innocent people to the gallows, Nationiel is trying to change his name in Salem. *real life sidenote: Hawthorne actually changed his last name in order to separate himself from his family’s history during the Salem witch trials.*

Isobel is facing her own troubles, as a suddenly single immigrant in a new world. She should be scared. But instead, she views the world not only bravely, but in color. Isobel’s synesthesia makes the world magical, a curse in a society that hates the different. As she and Nationiel begin a forbidden romance, they are left to wonder: how much has really changed since the witch trials?

Albanese does a superb job at describing synesthesia. She shows the reader what Isobel is seeing incredibly well. You are seeing the world how Isobel sees it: full of unseen color.

Albanese’s book has been named the most anticipated book of the fall by Goodreads, which, in my humble opinion, lives up to the hype. It’s the perfect erasure to the Scarlet Letter trauma of our teens.

Hester challenges many of the notions portrayed in The Scarlet Letter. Albanese looks at many topics that Hawthorne didn’t touch upon. I’d like to note here that I don’t think you need to have read the Scarlet Letter in order to enjoy Hester. While Hester references the book and is about the writing of it, you don’t need to crack open your Hawthorne to understand Hester.

Some trigger warnings include drug use/addiction, talk of slavery and the slave trade, and xenophobia.

As spooky season begins and we begin consuming mass amounts of witchy media (Hocus Pocus 2, anyone?) Hester is a must read.

This book did take a bit to get into, however once I was in, I was hooked. I could not put the book down during the last half and read until the wee hours of the morning to finish this. I was really enthralled by the word colors and the enchantments throughout this book. I found them to be very original and fitting for this character. I really loved this take on Salem during this time period. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

So this book has been confused of being the backstory of Hester Prynne. Which, in a way it is, it is the fictional story of the inspiration of Hester Prynne. I loved it! I thought the author did amazing job with character building. I loved how she love accurate historical facts into her imagination of the character. The story started a little slow for me, but once Isobel and Nathan begin meeting, it really sped up. And the ending, oh the ending! I left be both disappointed and exactly what I wanted.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

I loved this book.
It was such a cool take on a how the Scarlet Letter came to be. Where I didn't really enjoy how Nathaniel Hawthorne writes, I did really enjoy Laurie Lico Albanese. I was able to also listen to the audiobook, which I would also recommend. It was done by my favorite narrator, Saskia Maarevald.
This story was about Isobel, who came to Salem for a better life with her HORRIBLE husband. He leaves her for "work" and takes all her money. She is left to figure it our on her own and meets Nat Hawthorne, who truly steals her heart.
You can't help but root for Isobel. Maybe it's my Scottish heritage, but I just felt so connected to her. And the use of color in this story gives it the magical realism that I love!
This is a solid historical fiction and I think a perfect fall read.