Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Scarlet Letter

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Scarlet Letter by Cindy Weinstein, Nathaniel Hawthorne

12 reviews

selfloathing_william's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Had to read this for a class and I largely enjoyed it. It was well-written and compelling, but I can't help but think Hawthorne lost the plot in the last few chapters LOL.

There's a big climax with Hester Pryne taking off the letter which is immediately spoiled by goddamn Pearl and I just think the book becomes very anticlimactic.

While I understand the rhetorical reasons for while Pearl would subverse the climax, I thought it was just lame. Other than that, it's an interesting read. Roger Chillingworth and Pearl can suck a toe though.

Content Warnings

maxthefish's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I don't really remember reading this but wanted to note it for a challenge. It didn't give a super big impact, but at least now I understand what Taylor Swift was referencing when she referred to "a scarlet letter" in that one song

Content Warnings

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Religion sucks.

Content Warnings

gandalf_a's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Content Warnings

music_girl93's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

gaypoetree's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4 stars: I liked it better than expected and would read it again!

Who decides what is wrong, and for whom? What is the “right” way to approach guilt? What are the consequences of accountability, and lack thereof? Can (and should) one take “accountability” for a wrong that wasn’t even all that wrong? These are the questions that most compelled The Scarlet Letter for me.

I’ve read some people talk about this book in terms of the relationship between the supposed sinners; to me, that may be the least important part. The narrative begins after the affair is concluded because, for Hawthorne, scandal is the least interesting part of the story; what he really cares about is interested parties cope afterward. I think that perspective is what makes this book worth reading over 200 years later. The scale of Hester Prynne’s sin seems even more minute now than it did in 1850. If anything, I think that helps the experience. In an age where everything is online forever, a metaphorical scarlet letter can get pinned to anyone at any time; the question of how harsh a treatment such a person might deserve, as well as how to go about living with it, is an important one to consider.

Content Warnings

teatunesandtales's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Finally finished. While the chapters were short, the book as a whole was a slow crawl. Hawthorne's excessive use of details created lengthy paragraphs that was easy to get lost in the story, and not in a good way. And I've never been more ready to finish the book, and never read the word "ignominy" again.

Puritanicalism is not for the faint of heart. If you can't be perfect, you won't make it in their world.

I loved Pearl's wild heart and imagination. It was a bright spot to the book.

Long love Hester Prynne's legacy.

Content Warnings