Hester

"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 crosses cultural and generational borders to embody a timeless existential quest for the freedom to love and live as one pleases." -Shelf Awareness

"A standout historical... Even those unfamiliar with the classic will be hooked by this account of a capable woman standing up to the sexist and racial prejudices of her time." -Publishers Weekly

"Hester is a vividly reimagined portrayal of the tragic heroine in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. "Full of lush and colorful prose, this is a tale of one woman's determination and self-reliance amid the 'new world' of 19th-century Salem, which teems with festering secrets and alluring prospects. A message of resilience, Hester proves that a woman will do whatever she must to prosper, even when she is left with nothing but courage-and a few secrets of her own." -Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary .