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A review by annsbibliotherapy
Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese
4.0
Seeing a whole new aspect of the Salem witch trials and what happened after is what I'd been missing all these years. The idea that all of these families stayed intertwined coming and going from Salem throughout generations makes my skin tingle and my mind spin.
Accusers and descendents find themselves in the same spaces over and over again, history being repeated, families becoming blended and the past never being forgotten all while trying to just survive day to day and some days not knowing how you'll get to the next, who you can trust, or who will betray you in the worst way possible.
With moments that range from dark and dastardly to loving and pure the lives we see our characters living in both times makes them seem human, more than just characters. It made me think about what the next generation or two could have looked like.
Each of our characters has good and bad to them, they're complex and relatable and my very favorite type of character to read, they make you think and wonder and process all while keeping you engrossed in this story that wraps you up in it's pages and won't let you go.
The symbolism in this book is fascinating and beautiful, the way nature is woven into the story, the embroidery Isobel puts into her cloak and everything else she makes tells a story, is created with magic and memories and leaves a legacy for the people she trusts enough to let in.
I found myself rooting for the women in every aspect of this story, I can't imagine living in a time where a man can go from being an apothecary to calling himself a Doctor and just have it accepted, but where women had to have introductions in order to just walk into certain situations.
Through marriage and birth, life and death we see these women who cross worlds and generations learn from one another, teach one another and try and leave the world and their families a little better than they were when they leave it, whether that's by fates hand or the hangman's.
All in all this is a beautiful tale, told with compassion for the characters while giving all of them the strength and determination they needed to survive hopeful and horrendous times. Even knowing some about the Salem and Scottish witch trials the ending of this one gave me goosebumps and made me want to cry.
This is a solid 4.5 star book and I would love to read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an advance copy of this book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Accusers and descendents find themselves in the same spaces over and over again, history being repeated, families becoming blended and the past never being forgotten all while trying to just survive day to day and some days not knowing how you'll get to the next, who you can trust, or who will betray you in the worst way possible.
With moments that range from dark and dastardly to loving and pure the lives we see our characters living in both times makes them seem human, more than just characters. It made me think about what the next generation or two could have looked like.
Each of our characters has good and bad to them, they're complex and relatable and my very favorite type of character to read, they make you think and wonder and process all while keeping you engrossed in this story that wraps you up in it's pages and won't let you go.
The symbolism in this book is fascinating and beautiful, the way nature is woven into the story, the embroidery Isobel puts into her cloak and everything else she makes tells a story, is created with magic and memories and leaves a legacy for the people she trusts enough to let in.
I found myself rooting for the women in every aspect of this story, I can't imagine living in a time where a man can go from being an apothecary to calling himself a Doctor and just have it accepted, but where women had to have introductions in order to just walk into certain situations.
Through marriage and birth, life and death we see these women who cross worlds and generations learn from one another, teach one another and try and leave the world and their families a little better than they were when they leave it, whether that's by fates hand or the hangman's.
All in all this is a beautiful tale, told with compassion for the characters while giving all of them the strength and determination they needed to survive hopeful and horrendous times. Even knowing some about the Salem and Scottish witch trials the ending of this one gave me goosebumps and made me want to cry.
This is a solid 4.5 star book and I would love to read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an advance copy of this book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.