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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
Finished reading this again for the umpteenth time. Such a remarkable allegorical work that contrasts the Romantic preoccupations and views on Nature and the importance of the individual outside society's constraints to the strict and narrowly moralistic views of the Puritan past; Hester is an important feminist icon as well, and she deserves what the "A" becomes. Her view that good works can redeem us anticipates (for her character) the Enlightenment views that eventually changed the course of Puritan thinking (that of the individual as helpless and at the whim of God's mercy) and Pearl seems the very picture of the Romantic love of rebellion and sympathy with the natural world. And also, behind all the obtuse language, this is a pretty kick-ass novel about love and revenge and guilt and crazy impish kids doing freaky stuff!
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the few books I completed in high school & one of the only ones I ever remember liking. I wondered how I would feel as an adult & I can confidently say that, in my opinion, this is an excellent book. I really love this book a lot & intend to read it again one day…probably when the kids are in high school we will all read it together. It is a book that I think really benefits group discussion chapter-by-chapter.
I will admit that I was spending so much time underlining & making notes in the margin of the physical copy that I decided to switch to the audiobook. The audio narrator, Travis Gilbert, did a fantastic job helping to hear the emotion each character was expressing in the moment.
Content Warnings: adultery, single-parenting, abuse of women, spiritual abuse, death, torture
challenging
dark
sad
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3 stars strictly for the Hawthorne's unnecessary use of metaphors and similes and exaggerated language. It was hard, almost painful to get past the first chapter, but if you take that away all of that, the story isn't half bad, it's actually pretty good
dark
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes