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ClareR (5824 KP) rated The Scarlet Letter in Books

Sep 29, 2018  
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne | 1850 | Fiction & Poetry
4
6.8 (24 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not a book I'd normally choose to read...
This book came up on the list of recommended reading for my 14 year old son in preparation for his GCSE English course. What a way to make a child hate reading - I was in danger of it myself! It's long-winded, convoluted (same thing, I know), dreary and the language is so complicate! How can anyone actually read this with even an ounce of enjoyment?!
It's interesting to see how times have changed: Hester Prynne (rhymes with 'sin' - you'll see what I mean in a minute) is forced to wear a bright red 'A' for 'Adulterer' on her dress for the rest of her life, for the crime that is/ was sex out of marriage. And she had the cheek to have a baby. But where I though her life would be made unbearable, she is ignored and eventually, even accepted. Not very '17th century Puritan' I feel. Not that I wanted blood and gore, you understand, but a bit of accuracy wouldn't have gone amiss. It would've been a much shorter book though - and that's not a bad thing. I got caught up with reading the authors introduction, which was interminable, and time that I'll never get back.
So, in conclusion, I won't be forcing the 14 year old boy to read this. I'm not that cruel. I have however noticed that Good Omens is on the list. Now that IS a book he'll probably like when he gets over the fact that it's a book recommended by a teacher!