The House of the Seven Gables: Amazon.ca: Nathaniel Hawthorne: Books

Product Description

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up. Hawthorne's tale about the brooding hold of the past over the present is a complex one, twisting and turning its way back through many generations of a venerable New England family, one of whose members was accused of witchcraft in 17th century Salem. More than 200 years later, we meet the family in its decaying, gabled mansion, still haunted by the presence of dead ancestors: Hepzibah, an elderly gentlewoman fallen on had times; her ineffectual brother, Clifford; and young Phoebe, a country maiden who cheerfully takes it upon herself to care for her two doddering relations. There's also Holgrave, a free-spirited daguerreotypist, who makes a surprising transformation into conventional respectability at the story's end. These people seem to be symbols for Hawthorne's theme more than full-bodied characters in their own right. As such, it can only be difficult for today's young adults to identify with them, especially since they are so caught up in a past that is all but unknown to present day sensibilities. Talented Joan Allen, twice nominated for Academy Awards, reads the tale in a clear, luminous voice. Because she has chosen not to do voices, however, it is sometimes difficult to tell which character is speaking. Still, she is more than equal to the task of handling Hawthorne's stately prose in a presentation that will be a good curriculum support for students of Hawthorne or those seeking special insight into this work of fiction.?Carol Katz, Harrison Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A large and generous production, pervaded with that vague hum, that indefinable echo, of the whole multitudinous life of man, which is the real sign of a great work of fiction."
—Henry James

From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Product Description

Inside This Book (Learn More)

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

34 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A mixed review from this Hawthorne fan, Jun 24 2004

By

abt1950 "abt1950" (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of the Seven Gables (Mass Market Paperback)

What can you say about Nathaniel Hawthorne's "House of the Seven Gables" that hasn't been said before? It's dark; it's Gothic; much of it is depressing; and the language is dense 19th century prose. Those who read primarily for plot will find it slow going, and those who look for likeable characters may be largely disappointed. In other words, for modern readers, this book may be a tough sell. Personally, I found it a little dull and a letdown after having recently reread (and enjoyed) "The Scarlet Letter."

Nonetheless, "The House of the Seven Gables" has its pleasures. Hawthorne, the scion of an old Massachusetts Puritan family, injects an unusual sense of historical depth into his writings. This is certainly true of "The House of the Seven Gables," which explores the idea of character flaws, evil and retribution passed down from generation to generation in a single family. Of course not everyone in the family is guilty, but the sins of a few taint the lives of all. As in much of Hawthorne's work, the supernatural, sometimes implied and sometimes explicit, plays a role in the workings of the plot. Even the daguerrotypist--nothing but an early photographer to us--must have given the 19th century reader a frisson because of his combination of mesmeric powers and miraculous ability to produce telling images out of pure light.

Hawthorne is a master of description, an expert at using his words to create images that convey far more than simple visuals. Even when the plot seemed stale and the characters wooden, the author's use of the language made it worth continuing. Hawthorne's descriptions of a little boy's love of animal-shaped cookies, of the garden with Maule's bitter well, and of the dead Jaffrey unmoving in his chair, to mention just a few, made the book well worth reading. "The House of the Seven Gables" may or may not be Hawthorne's best work (that's always a matter of opinion--try some of his short stories too), but it is an interesting book nonetheless

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but not spectacular, May 31 2004

By

Rachel (Dousman, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of the Seven Gables (Mass Market Paperback)

Though there were definitely times when this book was slow or difficult to understand, Hawthorne's writing, through the use of metaphors, allusions and other rhetorical devices is a wonderful accomplishment. It was hard for me to get into the book at the beginning and especially through the long discussion of the Pyncheon family but it payed off to know this information when the climax arose. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but was not totally impressed by the story, reguardless of the universal themes that apply to us today.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for short attention spans, July 15 2002

By

La Fornarina "La Fornarina" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of the Seven Gables (Mass Market Paperback)

A slow, leisurely, and deep read. Hawthorne has a wonderful prose style that is uniquely him. He has a poetic way of taking things that seem small or insignificant and making them large and thoughtful. The plot does not move along quickly, but I found that the reading did. The characters seem to move in slow motion for a great majority of the book, and every movement has volumes of meaning. I feel this book is very representative of the emergence of american values of equality, of a disdain for the importance previously placed on pedigree or heritage and of course, of the emphasis on things like virtue, humility, etc. A delicious read.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 34 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 87 reviews 3.8 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Eloquent Reading of Hawthorne's Classic Reflections on the Book of Ecclesiastes
"'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.'
What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun? Read more

Published 5 months ago by Donald Mitchell

2.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to imagine why this needs to be read
For modern readers, this is a difficult read. And once you are finished, you will likely have difficulty arguing that it was worth your while. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Rodge