The Scarlett Letter was one of my favourite books when I was in high school and read it for the first time. So clearly I was excited when I saw that Hester was meant to be a retelling/prequel to it.

To be completely honest, I loved this MORE than I did The Scarlett Letter. This is beautifully written and entirely mesmerizing.

Without any spoilers, if you want a historical, magical, retelling with a strong female main - read Hester. It’s beautiful and you won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about Nathaniel Hawthorne; an imagining of the woman and the affair that might have inspired The Scarlet Letter, but it's much more than that. It's a richly-imagined period coming-of-age tale, full of visual and historical detail, sharply-drawn characters, and emotional weight. It's about love and how its meaning changes as we grow; the weight of privilege on those who don't have it; the meaning of safety and freedom and strength. It's beautifully written and, while not a light novel by any means, a joy to read.

Hester is the story of Isobel Gamble, a seamstress who travels from Scotland to Massachusetts in the mid-1800s, bringing with her the legacy of generations of gifted, persecuted ancestors. On arriving in Salem, her husband abandons her and she becomes besotted with a young writer - whose love for her is tinged with the fascination and fear of his own witch-hunting ancestors. Isobel meets escaped slaves and bounty hunters; rich women who pay to keep their secrets and poor women who protect one another out of love; men who view women as property, or temptresses, or friends. When her love affair reaches its inevitable fruition, she must learn to see the true colors of those around her in order to weave her own colors safely.

I loved this book so much. Perfect for Halloween or anyone who loves a good witchy book. I highly recommend this one

I choose to read this book because of the setting. I am related to one of the women hanged at the Salem witch trials. Isobel is able to see colors when people talk. That is such a cool thing! Sadly it doesn't help her protect herself from rough choices. She is talented with a needle and supports herself when her husband leaves her with no money. She meets interesting people with life stories that add to the story. I thought the book was a good historic drama that shares how rough life could be in the early days of America.

I've loved every encounter where an author has woven synesthesia into their work and Albanese does this richly as well, giving us a view into how Isobel sees colours in every letter, how every voice carrying a cadence of lie and truth has their own hue and creating dresses, pieces of clothing, and banners to match the vocation or personality of neighbours and friends allows her to bring her ability into the physical world.

Albanese fleshes out her characters by building their stories around the Witch hunts in Scotland and New England, stirred up by men who feared the passions, knowledge, and independence of women. Isobel herself comes from a line of women who have been blessed to intuit the colours that live within letters and the spoken word, a power or ability that would certainly see them branded Witch. But each woman finds a way to infuse that part of themselves into their work.

In Salem, Isobel must use her wits to make a living as she has been abandoned by a husband who leaves to pursue his dreams and passions on board a ship, seeking his fortune without a thought for his wife. Her experiences with the social structure and dark festering history of the town teach her how to thrive and also presents her an opportunity to satisfy her desires. And yet she is not safe from jealousy and persecution, turning to those who occupy just as much a precarious existence as she does, to fight to make her living and showcase her talent without repercussions from the greedy and the rich.

It is a remarkable story that Albanese has carved for a woman who was used and abandoned twice by men who claimed to have loved her, but chose their name or success, how she fought to maintain her identity and ability against threat of persecution, and the bonds she forged with women who themselves carry a touch of Witch within their hearts. Hester stands apart from The Scarlet Letter even as it stands beside it.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read The Scarlet Letter (I assume that was back when I was in high school) and my memories of that are vague, although I remember feeling bad for Hester, the poor woman who was condemned and forced to wear an A to show her sins…. I love that this flips the script (no pun intended) and allows the story to be told from the other point of view. It is a bit reminiscent of Wicked in that respect.

I think that Isobel was an extremely likeable character- woman of strength and resilience. I love that she continually rebounded from every hardship. I also love that she seemed to draw people to her, people that were willing to support her and help her.

It goes without saying that Nat was not a likeable guy at all. I won’t say more at risk of spoiling.

Excellent read! Thanks to net gallery for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

A historical novel set primarily in 1829--with flashbacks to the 1600s--imagines how Nathaniel Hawthorne may have created the character of Hester Prynne in “The Scarlet Letter.” Isobel Gamble, a gifted seamstress and embroiderer, arrives in Salem for a fresh start with her opiate-addicted husband. When he leaves on a sea voyage, Isobel supports herself with her needle and becomes acquainted with the haunted and aspiring local writer, Nat Hathorne.

Isobel has synesthesia, a condition in which she experiences words and voices as having colors. Her mother warned her as a child to be careful about revealing her ability lest she be accused of witchcraft. Instead, Isobel incorporates the colors and letters into her exquisite needlework.

Readers will have fun spotting references to “The Scarlet Letter” while at the same time discovering a bit about the slave experience in New England. I especially enjoyed how the author developed the power of the needle as a theme. A needle could heal by lancing wounds and stitching cuts; a needle was a source of livelihood; with a needle a woman could tell her stories.

Like Hester, her fictional counterpart, Isobel is an early feminist. She looks for ways to be independent of an abusive husband, at a time when few options were open to women. This is an engrossing tale with memorable characters.

very interesting retelling of the Scarlett Letter. It is told from Hester's point of view. I enjoyed the story as I had to read the Scarlett Letter in high school.

I read The Scarlet Letter in high school and I love how this story was imAgined based on Hester Pryne. Rich in historical detail, this story kept me captivated.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Although, for me, this started out slow I am glad I kept going. I was rooting for Isabelle to succeed alone in Salem. The twists in the story were unexpected and satisfying. I recommend this story. One will love some characters and dislike others just as one should.

This book did not connect with me as much as I hoped it would. The writing is beautiful but I just didn't feel myself connecting to the plot or characters unfortunately.

Isobel, a talented seamstress, married Edward Gamble, an apothecary. Edward, who became addicted to his own opium and put his practice into debt, caused both him and Isobel to have to flee Glasgow for the New World. Soon after arriving in Salem Edward sets sail as the doctor on a ship, leaving Isobel behind without any money and to fend for herself in this strange new place. Isobel now has to find a way to survive on her own.

Isobel meets Nathaniel Hathorne, a struggling writer, shortly after arriving in Salem. Nat and Isobel have this strong affinity for each other. Nat, troubled by his family's past; Isobel, troubled by her strange talents. Over the weeks of her husband being gone, with his return seeming less likely, Isobel and Nat grow closer. But who is the temptor and who is the tempted?

Hester is such a beautifully written novel. In the first few pages you are transported back in time to Scotland, then to Salem where you follow the truly enchanted, colorful life of Isobel. I don't think that I've read a book with such a mesmorising, powerful female protagonist as Isobel. It was an eye-opening, powerful experience to seeing things from Isobel's perspective. Nat and the supporting characters were written with just as much thought and care as Isobel. They added so much depth and background to this novel. Laurie Lico Albanese did a remarkable job mixing pieces of The Scarlett Letter, the Underground Railroad, witch trials, and her own story of Isobel and Nat to create this masterpiece. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this book and found myself completely enthralled and enchanted by every word on the page. I never wanted Isobel's sorry to end.

This is the best, most creative work of historical fiction that I have read in a while. The characters are vividly written and have depth. Isobel’s life story is fantastically told. She is a strong woman in a time when women weren’t supposed to be strong or independent. I found myself rooting for Isobel to succeed and ultimately, she did. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

What an enchanting, mesmerizing and eerie read this was that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story starts out in Scotland in the 1600s where women were accused of being witches and murdered for it. The story then goes to the early 1800s where Isobel Gowdie is a young girl who is being taught sewing and intricate needlework by her ailing mother. Isobel has a condition called Synesthesia where a person experiences one of their senses through another. When someone spoke, Isobel saw colors. Her mother warned her not to tell anyone about it for fear of being labeled a witch. Isobel's mother dies and she meets and marries Edward Gamble who is an Apothecary but later passes himself off as a doctor. Edward develops a dependency on opium and soon they are banished to the poor house. They set sail to America aboard the ship, The New Harmony, captained by William Darling. They land in Salem where people are not very welcoming to foreigners with an accent. Edward signs on as a doctor to sail on the ship to Bermuda with Captain Darling. He steals Isobel's money and she is forced to get a job sewing. When the ship returns, William is not on it. Isobel meets an odd, quirky man who wears a long cape and wants to be an author. His name is Nathaniel Hathorne and soon they fall for each other.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this fascinating book that keep me up way past my bedtime. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story about the history surrounding witches and Salem.

I can honestly say I was never curious about the inspiration behind a high school reading assignment - that is until I saw this book blurb and realized it would be intriguing to read a theory about how such a famous story came about. This is a generous work of fiction, but it was so enjoyable to read. If you are a huge Nathaniel Hawthorne fan, this doesn't paint him in a good light; that's the risk with historical fiction based around real people. At it's core, though, this is a story about the power of women supporting women, regardless of race, nationality, wealth, or family name. This is a love story but not about a couple coming together - it's about the love of strong friends and the quiet (and sometimes loud) understanding amongst women that we are often fighting the same battles and we don't have to fight them alone. We can help each other with our unique gifts and talents. We can help makes things better through each generation. We can unknowingly inspire greatness and make an impact we hadn't anticipated. I truly enjoyed reading this take on how a classic story came to be; Albanese is a talented writer with an impressive imagination for the true possibilities of stories.

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC**

- 4.5 Stars -
This book was a beautiful portrayal of a feminist story. It gave light to the creativity of women that has been ignored, shunned and used for man’s gain throughout history. It was a stunning book. There are so many layers to this book and it leads it to be one of the loveliest books written that I have ever read. I don’t know if I have the words to describe how deliriously wonderful this book really is.

This book is a historical fiction book that is written as the true life story of the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Hester Prynn from his famous book “The Scarlet Letter.” I knew to expect this but also didn’t know how well this would be done - I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of this combination of historical fiction books.

Watching Nathaniel and Isobel become more enraptured with one another and their respective talents - Nathaniel’s storytelling and Isobel’s needlework - was so interesting to be a part of and to witness unfolding on the page. It was also fascinating how both of them needed to wrestle with their families' pasts. Isobel’s familial talents that have passed through the generations in a place where being different will unravel everything she has built for herself. Nathaniels family's past of engaging in the witch trials of Salem. All roads lead to one another and leave you absolutely gasping for breath as you read through this beautiful book.

⚠️TW: addiction, drug abuse, infidelity, racism, slavery, domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts

Thank you, @netgalley & @stmartinspress for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

DNF at 20%

I normally love books that retell classic stories from a different angle, especially when they bring to light women's issues of the time. However, there is something about the detached style of this particular text that makes me feel distant from this character and from the text. So far, everything has been so plot-driven and what plot we have has been fairly uninteresting. Considering how busy I am and how many other books I have to read, I have made the decision to DNF this.

Inspired by the heroine of The Scarlet Letter, we follow Isobel Gamble as she flees from Scotland to Salem with a new husband. When he leaves her to go to sea, she becomes enamored by a young writer, Nat Hathorne.

I loved the combination of historical fiction and literature that this book was. It really is true historical fiction. The language and way it is written plops you immediately in that time period. It’s one of those reads that is a time travel. If you haven’t read the Scarlet Letter, you will still enjoy this book. It’s it’s own story but does tie in to the classic in small ways outside of the main plot. It’s really a character driven novel and you will fall for Isobel.

“… they are the women who help one another and come together in ways that can be seen and invisible ways that can’t be known. It’s not that we are witches or faeries or that we deny God. It is that we are more beautiful and strong together than apart.”

Hester comes out 10/4.

An enchanting retelling of the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, this book is set in the early 1800s and tells the tale of Isobel Gamble who travels to the New World in hopes of a new life. When her lush of a husband leaves her penniless and alone, she finds forbidden comfort in a friend.

Full of vivid imagery and a fluid writing style, I could not put this book down. I was completely entranced by Isobel, her needle work, and her story. As I was reading I could picture the scenery and the beautiful work Isobel was creating, and I just felt completely connected to her.

Even though I can’t remember much of The Scarlet Letter (read it forever ago as required reading for English class), I don’t think that took away from the story at all. I still know what the Salem Witch Trials were and the hysteria of that time, so I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. There was also some mention of the beginnings of the Underground Railroad, and I appreciated that aspect of history as well.

I really enjoyed this book, it was perfect on a cold rainy fall day. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Will be shared on my IG @manis.and.manuscripts during pub week!

HESTER is a beautiful and vivid piece of historical fiction, one that evocatively depicts 17th-century and 19th-century Salem in vivid detail. Laurie Lico Albanese deftly weaves two stories together: that of the Salem witch trials that destroyed a community and hundreds of lives in the 1690s, and that of Salem 200 years later, and how the traumatic past still shapes the present through the eyes of a recent arrival from Scotland, Isabel. Though shunned from Salem society, Isabel forms a bond with Nathaniel Hawthorne, another outcast from Puritan society. This is a beautiful book about art, and seeing, and love, and magic, and the indistinct boundaries that link rather than separate these big concepts. An absolutely lovely and imaginative rendering of the woman who may have inspired The Scarlet Letter.