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gaypoetree's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 stars: I liked it better than expected and would read it again!
Who decides what is wrong, and for whom? What is the “right” way to approach guilt? What are the consequences of accountability, and lack thereof? Can (and should) one take “accountability” for a wrong that wasn’t even all that wrong? These are the questions that most compelled The Scarlet Letter for me.
I’ve read some people talk about this book in terms of the relationship between the supposed sinners; to me, that may be the least important part. The narrative begins after the affair is concluded because, for Hawthorne, scandal is the least interesting part of the story; what he really cares about is interested parties cope afterward. I think that perspective is what makes this book worth reading over 200 years later. The scale of Hester Prynne’s sin seems even more minute now than it did in 1850. If anything, I think that helps the experience. In an age where everything is online forever, a metaphorical scarlet letter can get pinned to anyone at any time; the question of how harsh a treatment such a person might deserve, as well as how to go about living with it, is an important one to consider.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy
impla77's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
was it really that deep
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Racism
jwells's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
Read with the book club of Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone podcast.
I definitely got more out of it this time around than I did in high school. Interesting to see the distance between Hawthorne and the characters he's writing about.
It's hard to take the story seriously in terms of characters. It's constantly popping the reader up to the level of allegory or message, in a somewhat heavy-handed way. Chillingworth in particular is such a caricature of a villain.
Podcasters resisted discussing symbolism or character layers, and therefore didn't have much to say about the book. Lol
I definitely got more out of it this time around than I did in high school. Interesting to see the distance between Hawthorne and the characters he's writing about.
It's hard to take the story seriously in terms of characters. It's constantly popping the reader up to the level of allegory or message, in a somewhat heavy-handed way. Chillingworth in particular is such a caricature of a villain.
Podcasters resisted discussing symbolism or character layers, and therefore didn't have much to say about the book. Lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Racism
Briefly mentioned period typical racist attitudes toward Native Americans.eve81's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Ableism
Moderate: Torture
kelisabeth's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
sydsmith23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism
sulfurandbrimstone74's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
erins_bookshelf_'s review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
If I am being completely honest, I only actually read the first half of this and a few chapters in class, but the final four or so were me reading the cliffsnotes summaries because reading this was just so tedious. I didn’t hate it and I kind of liked the story (I love when things call out religious hypocrisy) but it was just okay. I know it’s an older book and a classic so the language and pacing wasn’t exactly like how books are now, but there was far too much description of things for me to handle. The chapters (and the book) would have been much shorter if Hawthorne had just cut out about half the descriptions. The story itself was interesting and pretty good, but it was a bit difficult to get through (hence the use of cliffsnotes towards the end).
ALSO if Dimmesdale was really feeling that guilty WHY DIDNT HE JUST CONFESS like he ranted about “oh Hester you’ve had it much easier than I” and blah blah blah as if he wasn’t the most beloved man in the town while she was shunned by literally everyone 🙄
Honestly, Pearl was my favorite part of the book because she was funny and just the most relatable (yes I know she’s 7)- doesn’t like people, hates affection unless it’s from someone she’s close to/ affection she starts, prefers to play with animals/ by herself rather than other children, etc. Pearl is the best and everyone else can go away (Hester can stay cus she’s her mom and also she pushed through everything so she’s cool)
Honestly, Pearl was my favorite part of the book because she was funny and just the most relatable (yes I know she’s 7)- doesn’t like people, hates affection unless it’s from someone she’s close to/ affection she starts, prefers to play with animals/ by herself rather than other children, etc. Pearl is the best and everyone else can go away (Hester can stay cus she’s her mom and also she pushed through everything so she’s cool)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Infidelity, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
Minor: Pregnancy and Racism
emilyreadsthings's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, and Sexism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Racism
ambdocksey22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence