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3.2 AVERAGE
3.2 AVERAGE
This story isn't bad - worthwhile themes, well-developed characters and pretty interesting plot - IF you have the patience to wade through Hawthorne's mind-numbing descriptions. Just really not a fan of Hawthorne's writing style!
How I struggled to get through this. How glad I am to be finished!
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There aren't a lot of writers who are like Hawthorne and it takes a little bit of time and reading to get into sync with what he is doing-- it takes a third of the book to introduce the major characters here, and there are only four characters in this book!
But once you get underway, the book's atmosphere builds and builds to the final chapters, with a shortish chapter about Hepzibah and Clifford on the train and the following longer chapter on a day in the front room with Judge Pyncheon, both of which are masterful and eccentric and chapters only Hawthorne could write.
And along the way, there are a lot of odd things here worthy of note: the inset story by Maule/ Holgrave is incredible and strange. Hawthorne's interest in a character like Clifford, who's a classic aesthete, is also surprising but revealing of what Hawthorne cares about.
I don't think this is a perfect book-- it doesn't quite come together the way Scarlet Letter does and it's scope feels narrower, to one strange family. But there's also an appealing sense that anything can happen here-- there's a log line story, that of Holgrave and Phoebe-- but it hardly feels like the real story here, and that's strange enough on its own. A good, but challenging read.
But once you get underway, the book's atmosphere builds and builds to the final chapters, with a shortish chapter about Hepzibah and Clifford on the train and the following longer chapter on a day in the front room with Judge Pyncheon, both of which are masterful and eccentric and chapters only Hawthorne could write.
And along the way, there are a lot of odd things here worthy of note: the inset story by Maule/ Holgrave is incredible and strange. Hawthorne's interest in a character like Clifford, who's a classic aesthete, is also surprising but revealing of what Hawthorne cares about.
I don't think this is a perfect book-- it doesn't quite come together the way Scarlet Letter does and it's scope feels narrower, to one strange family. But there's also an appealing sense that anything can happen here-- there's a log line story, that of Holgrave and Phoebe-- but it hardly feels like the real story here, and that's strange enough on its own. A good, but challenging read.
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nathaniel Hawthorne's dark and brooding tale of the Pyncheons and their family curse covers a lot of different ideals of the time, but the messages tend to get lost in Hawthorne's exaggerated, long-winded writing style rather easily. The messages about Puritan lifestyles, class/status, and the afterlife are powerful, however, if you're able to decipher them. On the other hand, the language and writing style is very poetic and beautifully structured, using a wide variety of complex vocabulary not seen in a lot of modern-day literature. It's not the easiest read, but if you can focus enough to pull out the messages, moods, descriptive scenes, and other writing perks, it'll be worth your time.
I decided that I had to read the classic after reading the play version with my students. I LOVE Hawthorne, but this was hard to get through for me. I did really enjoy it but I would recommend it only if you have a lot of free time to devote :)
I like a couple parts of this but it seems to confirm that Hawthorne's works and me just don't mix well :/ Ive been to the house several times and feel that it helped me not all together dislike this book, it's a decent work just not my style for enjoying it.
I’m sure if I read this 150 years ago I would have loved it