Book Review - Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

 

In the early 1800s, Isobel Gamble leaves Scotland with her husband, Edward, carrying generations of secrets with her. Edward was an apothecary who fell under the spell of opium and racked up more debt that he could pay. It forced them to flee Edinburgh and head to the New World to start a new life. Within days of arriving in Salem, Edward decides to join a departing ship as a medic while leaving Isobel alone and penniless in a new strange country. Isobel is forced to make her way and survive by any means possible.

Isobel tries to use her sewing abilities to make her name for herself in Salem. She crosses path with a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, and she finds herself drawn to him. He is haunted by the sins of his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows. Isobel is a gifted seamstress that is troubled by her own gifts. As the weeks pass and Edward safe returns seems unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel finds themselves growing closer.

I thought this was an interesting read. It was fun to see which parts of Isobel could have inspired Hester. I did feel that parts of the story did drag at times and felt repetitive. While I like reading about Isobel and Nathaniel I felt that there were too many "side stories". For example, in between the main story there were vignettes from the past that at times, I couldn't figure out the character or the relevance. I felt like it was just thrown in there and it ruined the flow of the main story. I did like that the author included some references to the original Hawthorne but, I wish they included more "proof" as to why "The Scarlett Letter" could have been derived from his life experience. Overall, it was an interesting retelling of a classic. I would read more books by the author.