Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Hester

I rated this book a 9 out of 10. I really enjoyed the blast to the past, reminding me of The Scarlet Letter and the Salem Witch Trials. Having the history woven into the fictional storyline makes it feel more real. It is clear so much research was put into the writing of this story.

The way Isobel's Synesthesia was written really captured me. This beautiful visual that she learns to embrace privately. With such an experience many people today can not fully understand, it hurts to know Isobel was practically afraid of herself.

My favorite parts to read were the scenes Isobel was sewing, All the details of the dresses and clothing and the descriptions of embroidery in the gloves created the images in my mind. I love it. So much description went into it, but it felt light like music.

While we watch Isobel grow, we see the women supporting women every step of the way. Nell and Mercy take different approaches to help Isobel, but both women warm my heart.

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mels_reading_log's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“It’s not that we are witches or faeries or that we deny God. It is that we are more beautiful and strong together than apart.” Men are scared of things they don’t understand. During the Witch Trials they hunted and murdered anyone who was different or skilled in a way they were ignorant to, all the while standing behind God as if He would endorse such foolishness. This story is the fictional story of the real Hester Prynne of the Scarlet Letter. I loved the strength, grit and determination of the outcast characters. They saw who they could trust and stuck together. This was such a good book!

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kimveach's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this fictionalized version of the writing of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Even without the ties to the classic book, it was a wonderful historical novel set in Salem in the 1600s.

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spineofthesaurus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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kates_books's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I didn’t love this book, but it was an interesting concept. I enjoyed the light touches of magical realism, the range within the historical accounts (Scotland, the Salem witch trials, Americas slavery, etc), and the message of the power possible when women come together. I think it was an honest reflection of the darkness and cruelty of men. However, it moved pretty slowly for me. It really picked up in the last third but getting there was tedious.

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