I received a free copy of this novel from Penguin Group in exchange for my honest review.

The House of Hawthorne is a fictional, yet fascinating, look on the life and romance of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophie Peabody. From the day they met, Sophie and Nathaniel were kindred spirits. Their love had no bounds. Even when their daughter Una was sick for months with Roman fever, the family closeness kept them going. This was a fantastic glimpse into the life of the Hawthornes, as well as several authors from that era. One that I thoroughly enjoyed. ( )

I was pleased to receive this book for review through the Goodreads First Reads program. I became less and less pleased as I read the book.

I've been on a little kick of reading books by and about writers from this time period. This book has made up my mind: I can't tolerate another word of the narcissistic hyper-idealism of these blasted Transcendentalists and their friends.

Although I found Nathaniel Hawthorne slightly more entertaining and down to earth than the sad-sack slacker Bronson Alcott or the egomaniac Ralph Waldo Emerson, Hawthorne's moodiness and self-absorption drove me crazy. As did Sophia's insistence on making endless excuses for his selfishness. ('I can't marry you for a couple of years because my mommy and my sisters are unnaturally attached to me and it would hurt their feelings if I weren't available for them to spoon-feed me my dinner?' Cowboy up, jerk. And spend a few hours on Freud's couch while you're at it.) These people preached the equality of the sexes, yet the men expected the world to revolve around them, like any other man of the era, and the women daily fell on their swords in martyrdom to their husband's 'talent'. The fact that Sophia could sometimes show some spunk and Hawthorne could sometimes appreciate it is what bumped this book up to three stars instead of one.

The story of the Hawthornes was compelling and would have been much more enjoyable if the author hadn't had her rose-colored glasses glued to her eyes while she wrote. The entire book is packed with gems like "By the holy angels, I feel my soul at once aflame and reaching through my breast toward him" and "I have tasted the rich, intoxicating beauty of love's full communion". I love a good five-dollar word as much as the next guy, but there are limits. I wash my hands of pre-Civil War era New England writers and their groupie wives. ( )

4.5 ★

The House Of Hawthorne

The marriage of celebrated author Nathaniel Hawthorne
and artist Sophia Peabody was far from traditional.
Discouraged by health problems, Sophia was encouraged to remain single and explore further her gift for drawing.
Upon meeting Nathaniel, we see beginnings of an intense, creative love that would supersede any obstacles.
We're given a snapshot of their lives from the 1830's to the Civil War.

"A forgotten woman in history who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature." (publishers note)
Performed by Mary Robinette Kowal, the audio added to the
enjoyment of this read. ( )

First, let me say how excited and grateful I was to receive an advanced reading copy of this book from the Good Reads giveaway. Now that I have finished the book I feel even more fortunate. The author, Erica Robuck, is a gifted writer and I am anxious to read some of her other books. The story of the Hawthornes is told from the viewpoint of Sarah Peabody Hawthorne and is written in a style in which one might expect someone who lived in the mid-1800s to write. The writing style truly creates the appropriate atmosphere and adds greatly to the story. This is an amazing story of two people who truly loved each other their entire lives. In addition, the Hawthornes' lives were touched by many well-known historical figures such as Franklin Pierce, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Herman Melville, and others. Their experiences with all of these people made for a very interesting view of history at the time. Ms. Robuck has done an admirable and accurate job of incorporating historical facts into this book while at the same time writing a novel that will hold a reader's interest throughout. I loved this book!!


Sharon
( )

This books greatest strength was the characters. Personalities shine with distinction, and every character’s voices ring with truth and vitality. I loved that I could truly know these people, they were that three-dimensional. Extreme shyness, passion about art, sacrifice for family, and jealousy over missed opportunities all make an appearance to create the framework for our characters.

I especially enjoyed the main character, Sophia. Her struggle to balance her growing family’s demands and to create her art drove the story. I liked that even though she couldn't have both in the full measure that she wanted, she found contentment in what she had and experienced the joy that that brings. I found her to be just a shining example of how well this author pulled off the characterization card.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Nathan and Sophia. From the beginning, they have this intense connection that I as a reader felt in my bones. These two had the feel of soul mates to me which the author pulled off very well. Nathan and Sophia balanced each other out, with varying personality types but with the same drive towards their art and family.

The author did a fantastic job in creating a vivid look at mid-19th century life in a way that her readers experienced the setting, not just read about it. The settings were as varied as plantation-rich Cuba, stark industrial urban Britain, and the bucolic peace of rural east coast America. The author’s research on details from the time period show through in her descriptions of the rising tension towards slavery and the intimate details of early Victorian life.

This novel was my first introduction of Robuck, and I felt like it was a fantastic one. She blew me away with her superb characters, beautiful relationships, and careful attention to details and scene setting. This was one of the books I was most looking forward to in the coming year, and I am extremely happy I was able to experience it early. Definitely look into this one if you enjoy historical fiction and living the past.

Note: Book received for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Good Reads First Reads program. ( )