First I want to say I absolutely love the fact that Albanese has taken Nathanial Hawthorne and his massively popular book The Scarlett Letter and weaved it into her story. I am a big fan of Hawthorne's work and at first, was a bit skeptical about reading Hester, but the author wrote a beautiful story.

She uses Synesthesia, a sensory phenomenon that allows the main character Isobel to see colors, in this case, letters and stitches she sews. I had to look it up, I had never heard of it before, I found the explanation interesting, but am still not sure I have a complete grasp on it, but I did enjoy the author using it in the story.

Isobel has had the phenomenon since she was four but her mother warned her to suppress it for the fear of being accused of witchcraft. Isobel travels to Salem from Scotland with her husband, a failed apothecary and opium addict, hoping to find a better life. While she is there she meets Nathanial Hawthorne. They instantly form a connection that will unravel both of their lives. You can imagine the judgments of people when a married woman takes up a friendship with a single man.

Isobel is likable, she is strong and independent, making her the perfect subject for this book. Her character could travel across time and still find herself in the same situation, as the subjects the author writes about can still be found today. The story deals with social issues of class distinction, judgment, and addiction, but also love...it is a love story on many different levels

Again I will say that Hester is beautifully written. You will feel intense feelings of sadness as you read parts of it, but you will also find hope and love in the pages. I could go on gushing about Hester, but I will just end by telling you to read it, it is magical, and the writing will bewitch you.

#Hester #LaurieLicoAlbanese #MacmillanAudio #StMartinsPress #SaskiaMaarleveld #NetGalley

This was an intriguing premise at who might have been the inspiration behind Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter".

Past and present are interwoven, tracing the lineage of Isobel, a young seamstress in 18th century Scotland, who had synesthesia, like her grandmother, which is the experience of one sense through another.

Words, voices and letters bloomed into vibrant colors in her mind, which she transposed into her sewing, the results of which were extraordinary examples of her craft.

Terrified of being accused of witchcraft, her mother, who did not have this ability, entreated her to tone it down to neutral shades of black and gray.

Isobel marries Edward Gamble, an apothecary, and sets sail for the New World. Settling down in Salem of all places, they start life together.

The infamous mass hysteria of the witch trials was still a very recent memory there.

Edward with an unfortunate addiction to opium sets a desperate course and takes off leaving young Isobel to fend for herself.

Her superior craftsmanship helps her survive. It was then that she meets and falls in love with a young Nathaniel Hawthorne who is looking for his muse.

What follows is an all too familiar tale of selfish exploitation and blame where certain men use whatever they can to suppress and keep women in their place.

The narrator does a great job.

This was an ALC and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press / Macmillan Audio for early access to the audiobook and eARC of Hest by Laure Lico Albanese in exchange for an honest review.

CW: racism, slavery, addiction, emotional abuse, physical abuse, violence, abortion, pregnancy, death of a parent, suicidal thoughts, abandonment, see growing list on StoryGraph

Isobel Gamble marries Edward, a man she does not love, and travels with him to America, leaving their home in Scotland and everything they know. Upon arrival in America, Edward promptly leaves on a departing ship as a medic, leaving Isobel to fend for herself in this foreign place. A talented seamstress, she acquires a job and begins crafting beautiful embroidered gloves under the supervision of the town's seamstress in secret. Isobel also happens to meet Nathanial Hawthorne. The two fall into a dangerous and seductive affair, embroiled in passion and creating their art together. Set against the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600s, Isobel, her talents, and her relationship with Nat put her at great risk of being accused and tried as the women before her.

This story was so vibrant! I have no idea how much of this story was inspired by true events, and if true, how much of this story influenced Hawthorne's writing of The Scarlett Letter, but it was a fascinating alternate history. I loved the author's inclusion of synesthesia and how this condition may or may not have been dangerous in the time of witches. I really enjoyed the ache and beauty that this book evoked. I hope people are drawn to pick this book up, because it is definitely worth the read!

This had potential to be really good. The story of the Scarlet Letter told from the position of what if Nathaniel Hawthorne had a mistress and that’s where the story came from.
The premise had me hooked from the outset. The problem I had with it is that there is so much excessive wording that it drags and drags and I felt like it was never going to end. The issue with it dragging is weird too because there’s a lot that it tries to cover. And there were also the flashback chapters which were necessary to provide the historical aspects needed to set up the next chapter but it felt choppy and just didn’t seem to flow the way historical fiction books typically do.
I did like the narrator though. She did a great job keeping me listening even when I felt like I couldn’t keep going.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and found the orator to be a great fit.
There were many ancillary characters that I was afraid would feel like loose ends, but the author tied up their stories well enough that I wasn’t left wanting to know more.
My only negative feedback is the repetitive use of a couple phrases in the book like her mother told her to hide her colors- we know, it’s been said many times and it didn’t add to the scenes to be reminded over and over.
I thought the element of synesthesia was very new and interesting, especially making the divergence a magical element. And of course the Nathaniel Hawthorn twist was wonderful. I loved the ending!

This one is billed as a vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne’s character in The Scarlet Letter, and a look at the New England witch trials and their legacy. Full disclosure, I have not read The Scarlet Letter since maybe high school, and even then I probably didn’t pay much attention. Perhaps we’ll add it to my TBR to revisit.

This story follows Isobel Gamble, who is a seamstress living in Edinburgh in the early 1800s. Some of the women in her family possess a form of synesthesia, a physiological and psychological phenomenon, in which she interprets some words, and phrases as colors. Shout out to @ImSarahRice from the @BrainCandyPodcast for teaching all of us Brainiacs about this.

Isobel learned to use this unique gift in her needlework. However, this gift is also a bit of a curse as it was the bases for previous generations of women to be convicted of witchcraft. Because of this enduring legacy, Isobel was raised to suppress her gift at all costs.

Eventually, Isobel meets and marries an apothecary, Edward, who through his work to find an elixir for everlasting life becomes addicted to opium. In order to outrun Edward's debts and shame, the couple decides to flee Scotland for a fresh start in the New World, specifically Salem. Only a few days after arriving, Edward decides to join a departing ship’s crew as a medic and leaves Isobel in this new land penniless and alone.

While trying to figure out how she can turn her needlework skills from the old world into an income in Salem, she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose ancestors were largely responsible for sending innocent women to the gallows as witches. When Isobel receives news that Edward may not return, she begins pursuing a deeper relationship with Hawthorne, that becomes dark and fantastical. However, who is bewitching whom, becomes unclear and potentially dangerous.

While the story mainly focuses on Isobel Gamble, there is a second storyline of Isobel Gowdie which takes place earlier in the 17th century. This Isobel also moves from Scotland to Salem and is related to Gamble. She too possessed synesthesia and it was used against her as evidence for persecution during the Salem Witch trials.

I really appreciated how this novel explored the idea of who is a “real” American, how that is defined, what it even means, and how it's often used as a tool to hold and restrict power.

The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and she does an absolutely fantastic job. She performs with a Scottish accent, which feels very true to Isobel’s character, and she easily flows into others to distinctly transition to other characters. It's a really riveting performance and made for such an enjoyable listen.

Book Title: Hester
Author: Laurie Lico Albanese
Audiobook Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Publisher: Macmillan Media
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: October 4, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars!
Story is told in two storylines.
17th century: Isobel Gowdie in Scotland and then Salem
Late 18th Century: Isobel Gamble leaves Scotland with her husband Edward whose debts have forced them to travel to the New World. However, once they arrive in Salem he sees the opportunity to serve as a medic and joins a departing ship.

In both instances, women who are seen as different face persecution
Yes they are related and yes they both see people and/or hear words as color – now called Synesthesia. (At the beginning of this novel there is a detail explanation of Synesthesia).
Isobel Gowdie was prosecuted for practicing witchcraft and was part of Salem Witchcraft left with no money trials.

Isobel Gamble is left with no money but her talent with needlework gives her the opportunity to earn a living.
She is attracted to Nathaniel Hawthorne (who is the author of “The Scarlet Letter” which was published March, 1850 ~ link to more information on Nathaniel Hawthorne
http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/
~ interesting that his great grandfather Nathaniel Hathorne (slight change in the spelling) was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials.

This story is inspired by Hester Prynne the heroin in “The Scarlet Letter”; it is a prequel and a retelling of Hawthorne's classic novel.
There is also a connection to Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” which featured the prosecution for what was believed as practicing witchcraft.
I did read Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible’ many years ago and struggles a bit with it.
However, when the high school drama department where I was a HS Counselor did a production of the play, I totally enjoyed the performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBx-vZRpqcs&list=PLr5Ldfa82LR5GWMUjRSwjoBq1MyfQFcJ4&index=1&t=56s


Narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a fantastic job in performing these characters. Her voice is so pleasant; she made this Historical Fiction very enjoyable.

I love audiobooks! However, sometimes they don’t include the author’s notes or acknowledgements which I always love to read.
In this case, I was curious as to what was author, Laurie Lico Albanese's motivation. It is obvious she did a lot of research.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Media for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 4, 2022

A huge THANK YOU to Netgalley and the publishers Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for granting me early access to Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese — on of my anticipated releases of 2022! This was an audio arc and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Hester is out October 4, 2022.

I knew I’d HAVE to get my hands on this one because, as I’ve mentioned, I love The Scarlet Letter and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work (especially his short stories). This is a reimaging of the woman who inspired The Scarlet Letter’s heroine, Hester. The woman we follow is Isobel Gamble who comes from Scotland with her husband who works in Apothocary. She is a seamstress of great talent and possessing Synesthesia, which at the time was unknown to science and considered witchcraft if known by the wrong person. Nathaniel Hawthorne is a character in the story and we watch as Isobel navigates her understanding of America and it’s dark past, the secrets of her family lineage, being a “muse” to this enchanting writer, and navigating the troubles upon her by the actions of her husband.

I think the author truly wanted to give the Hester character a more nuanced and rich history, a voice and a mind and passions. I found the inclusion of Synesthesia and her sewing to be interesting and helped give Isobel a sense of uniqueness of self and perspective. There are chapters from her grandmother’s time, when she was tried as witch. I loved that and could have read a whole book following her.

In the end I found the narration compelling, the story interesting and was glad to see this thoughtful take on a work I love. I’m glad I read it and would read from the author again in the future.

I want to be honest and say that I have never read The Scarlet letter but growing up in a cult until I was 24 was often referred to as the main character in order to shame and control me and other women and non-binary folks. This was a very interesting fiction book and I would certainly categorize it as a beautiful and heartbreaking historical fiction.

3.5 A fun spin off/retelling of Hester from Nathanial Hawthorne's book, The Scarlet Letter.

It's the early 1800's and we meet Isobel and her husband traveling from Scotland to Salem. Soon after arrival, Isobel is left alone to fend for herself. She does beautiful hand work, tries make her way in a new world, and makes a few friends. She becomes close to the not yet famous, Nathanial Hawthorne. We see a beautiful story of historical fiction of the time. There were moments where I felt like it wasn't staying true to it's time frame with some progressive and current day opinions.

The story would then flash to the 1600's with the telling of life during the witch trials. Hawthorne's great great grandfather was one of the powerful judges that oversaw the Salem witch trials. This tidbit of information is interesting and fascinating to know and see how the author put Hawthorne into this book as a character.

I listened to this and I was never really clear on the switch. It would narrate the date adjustment to Isobel in the 1800's, but not reference back to the 1600's very clearly. The narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a beautiful job with the accents and flow of the story.

As the story progressed it made me wonder about Nathanial Hawthorne. As Hawthorne addressed morality, religion, freedom and societal expectations and behaviors, so too did Albanese in her writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook of Hester.

I thought the synopsis of this story was very interesting, so I thought I would give it a shot despite historical fiction not being my cup of tea. The narrator of the story is from Scotland, and the audiobook narrator uses a scottish accent and I found it extremely difficult to follow. The writing is beautiful, but the narrator combined with a subject matter I'm not particularly interested in made it difficult for me to focus, so I'm stopping at 20%. I will definitely be recommending it for those who like historical fiction in print, however!

This was a really fun historical fiction, bringing Hester to life. I liked the back and forth in time jumps, and the drama was wonderful.

Hester follows the story of Isobel Gamble, who moves to Salem, Massachusetts from Scotland with her husband Edward, to escape the terrible debt he has incurred due to his opium addiction. When, Edward immediately embarks on an ocean journey after their arrival in Salem, taking Isobel’s hidden gold with him, Isobel must use her skill at embroidery to make ends meet. This skill is bolstered by Isobel’s synesthesia: she sees color in letters and the sounds of people’s voices. She keeps this hidden from others as her mother warned her it may be viewed as witchcraft. Isobel meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, who is haunted by the part his ancestors played in the Salem witch trials.

The author paints vivid pictures of the scenes and people. I was fascinated by Isobel’s synesthesia and her skill at embroidery. I enjoyed the relationships Isobel formed with other women in the story and the glimpses back to the Salem witch trials and the story of Isobel’s grandmother. The story is a slow-moving one and I became bored at times.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did an excellent job and has a beautiful voice. Befitting our Scottish heroine, Maarleveld speaks with a Scottish accent, but seamlessly moved into different accents for different characters. Listening on audio was a good experience, I’m not sure that I would have made it through some of the slower moments in this book had I been reading it myself.

Hester was such an imaginative book and an interesting spin on Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter". Isobel Gamble is a young Scottish seamstress that is plagued with family secrets. She leaves to the New World with her husband, Edward, only to be quickly separated after he leaves to be a ship's medic. Alone in Salem, Isobel must learn to cope in a foreign place. But, she soon meets a not-yet famous Nathaniel Hawthorne. Drama ensues!

I'm always down for a retelling (of sorts) on a classic novel, and I liked how we learned "what if?" Hawthorne had a muse for his most famous story, and what kind of person that would be. The details of the book are rich and beautifully written, and I really got a great sense of setting from this book. I don't read historical fiction very often, but I am pleased to have picked up this enthralling audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job of portraying Isobel.

Such a unique and exciting idea of where Hester came from. I loved the imagery and back and forth between ancestors. Highly recommend for a fun historical fiction/fantasy piece.

Hester is an absolutely remarkable work of historical fiction, weaving together fact and fiction to create an origin story for Nathanael Hawthorne's muse. Hester is a Scottish woman forced to flea her homeland along with her dispondent and abusive husband. They land in Salem, and she quickly discovers an avenue to sell her intricate needlework. Soon after, her husand leaves the mainland for a journey at sea. During that time, Hester begins to develop a secret romance with the aspiring young author Nathanael. The backdrop of slavery, witchcraft, puritanism, and alternative medicine all come together to form the book's rich historical backdrop. Albanese writes beautifully, with a sharp, benevolent, and feminist centering of Hester. This story will stay with me for a while, for its tragedy and creativity alike.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook copy. This copy was received in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts below are my own.

Isobel faced hardship when she married her husband, Edward, and sought a new life
in America. America is not all it promised as Isobel faces many hardships when Edward decides to leave on a ship to find his own fortune. Salem holds a young Nathaniel Hawthorne and the two are drawn together.

As an adult I really enjoyed The Scarlet Letter. This book is fiction but written from the viewpoint of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne. I stayed engaged throughout the book as Isobel's story unfolds. I really appreciate that her backstory is given more time to develop so that the reader better understands how awful Edward is. Throughout the story I could see myself in Isobel’s place and understand why she made the choices she made. It’s interesting how Salem’s historical events are also weaved into the storyline.

The narrator did a wonderful job throughout the audiobook. I was engaged and entertained the entire time.

This book was a miss in characters, storyline and everything. I’ll be steering clear of Salem Witches and Scarlet Letter type books for awhile.
I was super self hyped to enjoy this book and I feel like I am partially to blame for not enjoying this book. I feel like fans of Hester Fox this might be a goodie.
For fans of Alice Hoffman’s magic realism and also historical fictions this is probably miss.
It was a drag for me to get through this. The story just couldn’t keep me invested.


A big thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

From a historical perspective, I found this to be fascinating. I appreciated the obvious research the author did to have written this. I enjoyed the fact that Nathaniel Hawthorne was a character and that the plot revealed his inspiration for writing the Scarlett Letter. The author seamlessly wove the chapters through various time periods in which everything was effortlessly connected. The narrator of the audiobook did an excellent job of conveying the time period, as well the characters inner thoughts and apprehensions. Fans of Chris Bohjalian will enjoy this.

Hester is the fictional retelling of the woman that inspired The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book was a great listen, and the narrator makes the story come alive. The author's use of language is precise and lyrical and the story is extremely imaginative.

This book transports the reader to the days of the Salem witch trials in 17th century New England and the incredibly detailed research needed to create such a lifelike and descriptive story is evident throughout this book.

I highly recommend this book and especially the audio version.
Thank you to Netgally, the author and the publisher for this wonderful story provided to me in exhange for my review.