| Description |
1 online resource (1 audio file (9hr., 52 min.)) : digital. |
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digital digital recording rda |
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data file rda |
| Access |
Digital content provided by hoopla. |
| Performer |
Read by Saskia Maarleveld. |
| Summary |
"This well-written, well-researched, and masterfully performed novel provides satisfying listening."- AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner) A vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England's witchcraft trials. Who is the real Hester Prynne? Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Edinburgh for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic--leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible. When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows--while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which? In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country's complicated past, and learns that America's ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel's story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a "real" American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of "unusual" women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Laurie Lico Albanese's Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press. Laurie Lico Albanese has published fiction, poetry, journalism, travel writing, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Her books include Stolen Beauty, Blue Suburbia: Almost a Memoir, Lynelle by the Sea, and The Miracles of Prato, co-written with art historian Laura Morowitz. Laurie is married to a publishing executive and is the mother of two children. "Like the greatest historical fiction, Hester manages to make you believe utterly in its narrator, feel entirely that this story is real, and ground you in the day to day of a bustling 19th century world that promises the freedom of America while exacting its horrific steep price on the Native Americans it destroys, the slaves it brings in chains, and the women it crushes. It's a story about America itself, and the fury, righteousness and mercy in which it was formed." --Gillian Flynn, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Engrossing." --WBUR / NPR Boston "This thoughtfully researched tale shines a light on the barriers faced by 19th-century women who did not conform." --Washington Post "A unique take on a story that tackles what it costs to be an "unusual" woman." --BuzzFeed "Albanese's novel will engage readers seeking racial themes, a resilient heroine, and a feminist origin story for one of America's always relevant nineteenth-century classics." --Booklist "A lovely fictional look at the origins of [Hawthorne's] masterpiece…the rich details of life in Salem in the early 19th century, and especially about Isobel's creative work as a seamstress and designer, enliven the tale." --Kirkus "In Hester, Albanese has masterminded a thoroughly immersive drama and a memorable, spirited heroine for the ages. Albanese's elegant writing captures the dynamic, sensual energy between Isobel and Nat in breathtaking detail. Isobel's appeal cross |
| System Details |
Mode of access: World Wide Web. |
| Subject |
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864 -- Fiction.
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Salem (Mass.) -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction.
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Scotland -- History -- 17th century -- Fiction.
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| Added Author |
Maarleveld, Saskia, narrator.
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hoopla digital.
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| ISBN |
9781250868794 (sound recording : hoopla Audio Book) |
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1250868793 (sound recording : hoopla Audio Book) |
| Music No. |
MWT16147018 |
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