Review: The Scarlet Letter

Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Pages: 272 pages

Published: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Genre: Classic/Fiction

Cover Score: B+

Overall Rating: C-
ISBN-10: 9780142437261

The Scarlet Letter is the story of three New England settlers at odds with the puritan society in which they live. Roger Chillingworth, an aging scholar, arrives in New England after two years' separation from his wife Hester to find her on trial for adultery. For refusing to reveal her lover's identity, she is condemned to wear a letter 'A' sewn onto her clothes. Roger resolves to discover and destroy the man who has stolen his honor.

For the next seven years the participants in this bizarre love triangle privately suffer the consequences of betrayal, cowardice, and humiliation. Slowly but surely, the need for redemption grows in each as the story hastens toward its dramatic close.

I came into this book with excitement and high hopes, only to be slightly let down. This book was supposed to be a master piece, however I found it to be dull and a little hard to follow. I did enjoy the plot however I liked how it explained the Puritans view on adultery and how they choose to punish Hester. I think the main reason I did not like this book was because I had to read it for school (no one likes to be forced to do anything), but I also felt like I did not like it because of how everything was just dragged on. I also think part of my let down was because of the fact that so many people through out the world raved about this book, and I just assumed it was going to be great. It had a good plot however it was just hard to follow, well I guess we cant love them all!