A review by alicialexandr_a
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

2.0

The plot was interesting and the overall story was a wonderful insight to both puritan ideals and the issues of modern day society. Based on these two things alone, it would be a five star book, but Hawthorne really does not know how to shut up. I think he was the Alexander Hamilton of American literature during this time. He often goes on tangents for pages that have no real meaning or significance to the story, and never lets the reader infer anything for themselves. He aggressively points out every little detail, which is absolutely obnoxious and makes reading the book slow and tedious. He does not leave anything up to interpretation. He tells you exactly what something symbolizes or foreshadows, which I believe takes the fun away from reading. If anything, listen to this on an audio book. You can zone out for hours and barely miss anything important. I would read it again for the story, but I think sparknotes is best for this novel.