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    Hester: A Novel
    Hester: A Novel
    Hester: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    Hester: A Novel

    Written by Laurie Lico Albanese

    Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    "This well-written, well-researched, and masterfully performed novel provides satisfying listening."- AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner)

    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.

    Who is the real Hester Prynne?

    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 Edinburgh 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.

    A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

    Editor's Note

    Independent nature…

    In “Hester,” Albanese imagines Nathaniel Hawthorne’s inspiration for his classic “The Scarlet Letter.” Seamstress Isobel Gamble emigrates from Scotland to Salem, Massachusetts in the early 19th century, where her creativity and independent nature make many enemies and one friend — Hawthorne. Albanese uses their evolving relationship to explore how American “freedom” is often limited to a select few, and how women’s idiosyncrasies are used against them.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateOct 4, 2022
    ISBN9781250868794
    Hester: A Novel
    Author

    Laurie Lico Albanese

    Laurie Lico Albanese has published fiction, poetry, journalism, travel writing, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Her books include Blue Suburbia: Almost a Memoir, Lynelle by the Sea, and The Miracles of Prato, co-written with art historian Laura Morowitz. Laurie is married to a publishing executive and is the mother of two children. To learn more visit her at LaurieLicoAlbanese.com.

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    Reviews for Hester

    4/5

    245 ratings11 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      In this imagining of Hawthorne's inspiration for The Scarlet Letter, we dive head first not only into the Salem of Hawthorne's time, but the history of witches and persecution of the other that has haunted women and people of color across continents and time. The story may focus on Isobel Gamble, a young Scottish woman trying to make her way in America, but we also learn about her ancestress Isobel Gowdie, a suspected witch in 1660s Scotland, and Hawthorne's ancestor, an unrepentant judge at the Salem witch trials. Their stories weave together to create a well-researched immersive experience that questions what role our family history plays in our lives and what we can do to break the mold.
    • 5/5
      Amazing parallels to Hawthorn ‘s Scarlet Letter ! Loved this story so much!
    • 4/5
      I liked it very much but was distressed about learning about the witches of Salem and their horrid deaths
    • 5/5
      Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese
      (An audiobook read on Scribd)

      This book is about gives an interesting perspective told from the woman behind Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s character Hester in the Scarlet Letter

      The main character is a young woman from Scotland whose name is Isobel Gamble. Isobel is a seamstress who sees everything in color (a fascinating gift now known and accepted as Synesthesia) and is told to hide her gift as it would give people the idea she is a witch . Isobel has an ancestor who was accused of being a witch but escaped the gallows .

      Isobel arrives in Salem years after the witch trials and is left to fend for herself after her husband quickly leaves her to make them a fortune sailing. While he is gone, Isobel will meet and fall in love with Nathiel Hawthrone. His grandfather was one of the judges who prosecuted supposed witches in Salem . What follows is the story of what happens to Isobel as a consequence of this meeting.

      Would i buy it? Yes

    • 4/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to read and review Hester.

      Author: Laurie Lico Albanese
      Published: 10/04/22
      Genre: Historical Fiction - Literary Fiction - Women's Fiction

      Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter and Hester was a character, according to the synopsis. I didn't read and never had a desire to read The Scarlet Letter. I went into Hester knowing it was categorized historical fiction. The research on the historical portion appeared spot on to everything I knew. The dates and times given are period appropriate.

      I was mesmerized from the opening line. The story is told through Isobel's eyes. We go through her being married to a much older man, fleeing to America, and surviving .

      The time period was rough from Salem Witches to Slave Trading. The author writes a solid woman who does not give up and takes care of herself. Her struggles are real and the solutions are believable. Isobel was taught a beautiful skill of sewing as a child. She worked hard to master the stitching and the use of colors. The entire book is centered around a needle, and the success she garners.

      My review does not do this book justice. It is a solid five star read for me. I love how it was written; it moved seamlessly, and the ending left me feeling amazing.
    • 5/5
      The book is so riveting— the details, the story, and how it enmeshes with ‘the Scarlett Letter’ left something deep in my heart.
    • 5/5
      This is a powerful book about hiding secrets as a means of surviving. It’s a love story set in the 1800s between Isobel and Nathaniel that serves as the inspiration for the book, The Scarlett Letter.
    • 5/5
      A retelling if The Scarlet Letter. Isabelle develops a relationship with Nathaniel Hawthorne when she moves to Salem, Massachusetts after immigrating from Scotland when her abusive husband appears lost at sea.
    • 1/5
      This retelling was not the best I would skip the book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      I truly do not understand the hype around this book. It’s just about a girl with a talent for embroidery and nothing else.

      1 person found this helpful