Through the novel Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese, we are introduced to a character by the name of Isobel who is imagined to have been the inspiration behind Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorn's famous, The Scarlet Letter.
Having sailed from Scotland with her husband, Edward, Isobel lands in the new world knowing no other soul. Edward is very quickly whisked away on another sea voyage, leaving Isobel on her own to navigate this new world, penniless.
Thankfully, she is very skilled in the art of embroidery and is able to slowly find work in the small town of Salem.
There is so much that happens in this novel, my mind is a whirlwind of trying to write a succinct review without spoiling any of the fun and not-so-fun moments woven throughout, but I will certainly try. Beginning with the fact that this novel wove together quite a few different ideas together throughout the course of the story.
I saw many reviews online that said this was one of their least favorite aspects of the novel, that there were too many ideas and it made the novel feel confused. For me, however, I actually enjoyed this aspect. It reminded me of real life. Often, a lot of events are happening all at once and we have to figure many different things out at the same time. Kind of like that saying that goes, "When it rains, it pours," this novel doesn't shy away from the layered issues happening within Salem during the early 1800s. Could some of the issues been tackled in greater depth or with more nuance? Sure. But the fact that the author tackled many of them at once was something I thought worthy of celebration.
My favorite character of the entire novel, hands down, was Mercy, though I feel she didn't get enough time on the page. I would have loved to have seen her even more and to have her story woven throughout Isobel's. I especially loved every bit of her advice to Isobel and really wished we could have seen her advice--especially the bit about being invisible while still making waves--actually realized within the plot. The one time in which Isobel heeds Mercy's advice felt like a lost opportunity.
How Albanese incorporates Isobel's synesthesia, from the descriptions to the burst of colors and even the loss of said colors during periods of grief, I found mesmerizing. The descriptions transported me and it felt as if they transported this novel into the realm of magical realism, even though this is a very real condition that people can experience. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this phenomenon and how people might experience it as well.
Another character trait I enjoyed reading about was Isobel's talent with embroidery. As someone who personally loved all things needlecraft, I am always delighted when I come across a character who specializes in a specific aspect of the art form. And to have her synesthesia tie so beautifully with embroidery? Perfection. However, I really really would have loved to have seen the subversive acts of embroidery featured more prominently and to have actually led somewhere through the course of the novel. It was commented on here and there about how Isobel's work was seen as very enchanting and almost magical, but I felt there was so much more that could have been said or done through the act of the embroidery itself, especially as both she and Mercy used their embroidery in different yet powerful ways. And there was even a mention near the end of the story about women's craft being underestimated but a powerful driver of positive change and rebellion against the status quo! Yet not much actually happened through the embroidery, especially Isobel's, that really propelled much change.
Ok, this might be a bit nit picky (sorry!), butI would have really loved for the front cover of the book to have been a photograph of actual embroidery. I've seen other books do this and I think it is a beautiful nod to such an impressive craft form. As it was, I literally didn't realize the cover was supposed to be representative of embroidery until I read the author's notes and acknowledgements. Whoops.
So, this story had a lot going on in it, as you can already see, and the largest portion of the novel was dedicated to Isobel & Nathaniel Hawthorn's relationship turned affair. First of all, it took me almost the entire story to realize just how young Isobel actually was. The entire time I was reading, I felt very thrown off by how she was reacting to her feelings for Nathaniel. It reminded me a lot of how a teenager might feel towards their crush in high school. Turns out, Isobel was actually nineteen almost the entire time she resided within Salem. So her feelings and those severe swings between high and low and longing made perfect sense...except for the fact that I didn't know her age until the very end.
Circling back to Nathaniel, I've always felt a bit weird reading about a fictionalized version of an actual person. It can be good fun to read, but I'm always struggling to remind myself that everything I am reading is purely fiction and conjecture, and what is being said may not be true to the actual person's thoughts, ideas, or mannerisms. This is especially tricky when it comes to famous people where a lot may already be known about them. I don't know, it just feels slightly off for some reason? Oftentimes, I'd rather read about the real person through a biography or some other researched means rather than a fictionalized tale about a portion of their lives, but this might just be me! I honestly had a similar issue while reading about Sylvia Beach in The Paris Bookseller.
Finally, my last gripe, I swear: I didn't understand the background snippets from both Isobel and Nat's ancestor's pasts. Much of what was said in these brief interludes had already been covered or hinted at in the present. I don't really feel that these little snippets added to the overall story in any significant way. Some parts of it were downright confusing, too.
However, this is still very much a story I would recommend. It was immersive and captivating and tackled some incredibly interesting subjects. It also made me want to learn more about this time period in this specific place and to dive deeper into the history of needle craft. And in the end, isn't that what reading is all about? Learning and expanding your own worldview?
Interested in diving into this book yourself? You can find a copy right here!