The Scarlet Letter

If you last read THE SCARLET LETTER in high school, this production of the classic novel of adultery, repentance, hypocrisy, and the boundaries of Puritan law will remind you why your English teacher assigned it. Hawthorne's ageless story focuses on Hester Prynne, a young wife accused of adultery and forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her bosom. Much of this morality tale investigates the interior tensions of characters as complex as any in literature. The novel is given an artful reading by Annie Wauters. Wauters creates a Hester Prynne of enormous heroism. Hester's strength, when surrounded by false piety and righteousness, is humbling. Wauters's smooth, calming voice gives the simpering Dimmesdale and the vengeful Roger Chillingworth more humanity than they deserve. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

Who does not know how the Puritans of colonial Boston forced the spirited adulteress Hester Prynne to wear a red "A" on her bosom as punishment for her sin? Former cinema ingenue Elizabeth McGovern essays this abridgment of Hawthorne's somber, unabridgeable romance of 1850. She delivers the narrative in a quiet, patrician mezzo. Her characterizations are broad. The overall effect is Apollonian and sophisticated, far more so than the text. A satisfactory, if not outstanding, rendition. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

In the early days of Puritan Boston Hester Prynne braves the stigma of adultery by wearing the embroidered scarlet "A" on her clothing. Hill's reading captures the story's pathos and gives the reader empathy for the characters while clarifying Hawthorne's views. Hill distinctly portrays each character and reads the narration clearly and swiftly. The pace conveys a sense of urgency and breathlessness. After hearing this novel, readers will understand why it continues to be a classic. P.A.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Gibson reads Hawthorne's story with a gravelly, yet gentle voice. Although most of her characterizations are fine, her voice for the child, Pearl, sounds distractingly affected. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Hawthorne's classic tale of pride, guilt and revenge comes to life through the gifted voice of Allison Green. She heightens interest by easily differentiating, not only the many emotions of the characters, but the ages and gender as well. Her sprightly tempo keeps Hawthorne from getting tedious. Because the pace is so swift, the listener is occasionally aware of the sound of Green's breathing. The autobiographical "The Customs House" is complete on Tape 1 with the novel beginning on Tape 2. The listener has the option of hearing the introduction after completing the novel, a way in which some teachers assign material. C.J.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Katinka Wolf's voice resonates as if she were reading in a house owned by one of the story's historic characters, with the slightly cavernous echo lending an earthy and homespun feel to the text. The story of how rote religion and religiosity can betray true faith is penned expertly by Hawthorne. It appears less an attack on Christianity than on those who would take the name but not the responsibility. The abridgment is evenhanded and unforced. This is a story that should be heard more than once as its message may elude many contemporary readers. Wolf's meticulous performance helps to infuse the theme into the mind's eye of the listener. S.M.M. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

This production of Hawthorne's classic about sin, guilt, and retribution begins with an introduction called "The Customs House," which tells of the discovery of the pages that contain the title story. (Hawthorne worked in a custom house and sometimes wrote there.) In the novel itself, protagonist Hester Prynne is required to wear a scarlet "A"--for adultery--on the bosom of her dress. Narrator Shelly Frasier fails to bring to life the setting or the characters of either piece. Individual voices have accents that seem affected and do not fit with the characters or the time in which they live. For the introduction in particular, a male narrator would be more appropriate. Overall, Frasier seems bored by the production and is not able to engage the listener. S.S.R. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Narrator Donada Peters gives a sense of immediacy to this classic 1850s novel featuring Hester Prynne, an unmarried young mother who must wear an embroidered scarlet "A," denoting her commission of adultery. Peters's portrayals of the matrons who wait outside the jail for Hester's appearance set the tone for 1642 Boston--a place of cruel judgments, whispery gossip, and occasional gentleness. Through strong character portrayals, Peters depicts the torment of preacher Arthur Dimmesdale, who has not admitted to fathering Hester's child, and the agony of Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband, who presents himself as a healer but, in truth, is vengeful and cruel. Throughout the story, Peters steadily illuminates Hester's essential goodness. S.W. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

With a sympathetic, straightforward approach, narrator Adam Sims allows listeners to discover for themselves the many layers of keen observation, humor, history, and social commentary that Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 classic has to offer. The story is familiar. Single, dignified Hester Prynne is punished for having become pregnant by having an "A," for adultery, sewn on her dress in 1640s Puritan New England. Finding the sly wit in Hawthorne's words, Sims excels at capturing the voices and emotions of the loutish governor, the dithering minister, and the precocious child. All that holds us back is the wordy nineteenth-century prose, and here is the beauty of audiobooks: You can sit back, listen, and allow Sims to do the heavy reading, bringing you all the hidden treasures of this American original. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine