![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ArchiveImages/LJR/2011/11/OrangeReviewStar.png)
The protagonist of this novel from Albanese (
Stolen Beauty) is mesmerizing and believable as the inspiration for Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne. Isobel Gamble and her husband Edward leave Scotland and head for America after Edward’s opium addiction has ruined his finances and reputation. Upon arrival in Salem, Edward promptly abandons Isobel and heads back out to sea, working as a medic. While Isobel is a talented seamstress, she must now depend on her needle to survive. Living in America is not what she imagined. Her skills and immigrant status earn her suspicion, forcing her to carefully conceal her synesthesia, and the accusations of witchcraft in her ancestral history. Despite her vulnerable situation, Isobel strikes up an acquaintance with a young Nat Hathorne, which quickly develops into a spellbinding passion, resulting in Isobel’s becoming the inspiration for one of the most well-known and controversial novels ever written.
VERDICT This generously researched and compelling novel will draw readers deep into Isobel’s refusal to be suppressed and her determination to live life on her own terms. It is a seductive, ambitious, and triumphant story of resilience and courage.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!