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Title: Gripping
Review: This novel is an Opera, pure and simple.Granted it is not the easiest novel to read, and Hawthorne can be slightly repetitive with the metaphors, similes and analogies that sometimes go on for several lines. Not to mention you could probably read half of each chapter and still keep up with the plot.Nonetheless, the themes are so strong it is no wonder The Scarlett Letter has been deemed a classic. The story tackles the issues of how one deals with his/her sins, and how honesty, for some, comes at the price of great shame.The novel does take patience, but it moves along at a very neat pace. Had the novel been written with more scenes, and less exposition, it could have been even more gripping.I read the Reader's Digest edition, which comes with about 12 lovely illustrations, which capture the essence and the mood of the novel. So that was nice eye candy.Look out for the last three chapters - talk about a fall-to-the floor, clutching-at-the-heart climax; it's all here! Breathtaking!Enjoy.
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