Everybody seems to be familiar with Hep A, B, and C. However, this particular book has a case of Hep P, and it's all because of its main character, Hepzibah Pyncheon. Or, if you like, Hep Z. Bah!

What exactly makes Hep P such a "killer"? According to the author, it's her scowl. A frown with a "deadly import" that is apparently mentioned 33 times in the book. But, when I think about it, I probably had an unflattering scowl myself while reading this. So, I can kind of sympathize with old Hep and her wrinkled face.

More than anything else, I scowled at the never-ending rambling of the narrator. A significant portion, perhaps 60 - 70 percent of the book, is just prattle. Whole chapters are dedicated to idle thoughts about things like chickens, shafts of light, and physiognomy. The continuous stream of babble, blabber, and jibber-jabber got to me to the point where I resorted to something I'd never done before. I started skimming around the halfway point.

It's really too bad that I had to stoop to this way of reading. Because the book and the titular house actually have a great foundation. It's a foundation that was poured over the bones and ghost of the land's owner, who was hanged for witchcraft. His malevolent death brought with it a multi-generational curse on the family of one of Hepzibah's prominent ancestors. This ancestor wasted no time in seizing the dead wizard's land and building a mansion on it. The opening is exquisite, but the plot gets muddled with the endless meandering that follows.

There is plenty of beautiful language and old words (like grimalkin, quidnunc, scapegrace) to enjoy in this book. But just be aware from the start that there's nothing really scary about it. A house with so many gables surely has a lot of windows too. And it seems that the spookiness that this story promised at the beginning must have leaked out of one of those windows, while the dullness remained inside.

A digression-free version

Another ridiculously wordy book by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The story is supposed to be oh so creepy and gothic, but all I saw was a bunch of sad people living in a big old dusty house. And then along comes a sunny young woman, and things begin to change.

We are introduced to the history of the House of the Seven Gables right at the very beginning of the book. It commences with a terrible crime, perhaps inspired by the story of Naboth’s vineyard in the Biblical book of 1 Kings. It all reaches a climax with a romance that reminds one of the golden age of Hollywood. There’s some silly nonsense about mesmerism tossed into the middle of the story, but that’s characteristic of its time.

Overall, it was just okay. It didn't really grip me as much as I had hoped. The wordiness sometimes made it a bit of a slog to get through. However, there were still some interesting elements and the setting was quite atmospheric. It's a book that has its merits, but it's not one that I would rave about.

Another "great American novel" that truly earns its place among the Great American Novels, this book offers a surprisingly swift reading experience.

It alternates between being charming and creepy, featuring a small yet superbly delineated cast of characters. From the comically tragic yet dignified Hepzibah to the gracefully mysterious Holgrave, each character is brought to life vividly.

An unforeseen plot twist at the start of the book's final third gives rise to two chapters of outstanding writing. One chapter details Clifford and Hepzibah's flight on a train and Clifford's almost psychotic breakdown while conversing with a fellow traveler, a scene very much in the style of "CRIME AND PUNISHMENT". The other chapter details the passage of time from the perspective of a corpse.

Smaller characters make appearances in deftly crafted portraits, and fantastic and wise passages and quotes are scattered throughout the novel like precious gems in a treasure trove of gold coins.

This is an absolute must-read for everyone with an interest in early American literature, gothic romances, and great books in general. It offers a captivating and unique reading experience that will leave readers both entertained and思考.

Now, before I embark on my review, I must warn you that I read this book in fifth grade entirely of my own free will. Just think about that for a moment. I was nowhere near mature enough to grasp the subtleties and themes of the book. Not when Black Beauty was more in line with my reading level at that time.

I absolutely loathed this book. After an initially intriguing introduction that led me to purchase the book, it quickly devolved into descriptions that I couldn't have cared less about. The one chapter dedicated to the Judge's "missed appointments" made me want to hurl the novel into a blazing fire. A really hot fire. There might even have been a dance involved in my imagined act of destruction.

Fast forward over fifteen years, and I have re-read it. To my dismay, I still have the same reaction to the book. Wait, no, that's a lie. Now the dancing seems a lot more sexualized. The pacing of the book pissed me off to an extent that is The Sun Also Rises proportions times infinity. While Hemingway merely bored me during Book One, Hawthorne managed to inspire a seething hatred within me that made me seek out YA fiction as an antidote. Contemporary Young Adult Urban Fantasy, to be precise. I literally had to stuff myself with fast-paced trashy novels to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

If the first part of The Sun Also Rises was too fast-paced for you, then this is the book for you, my friend. Enjoy.

2021 Review
In this particular work, there is an entire chapter that is dedicated to mocking a certain individual who has passed away. It seems rather unkind and perhaps a bit unnecessary.

2013 Review
The writing in this piece is way tooooooo mannnnnny worddddssss! While the story itself was actually good and enjoyable, it took an incredibly long time to get to the point. There were adjectives piled upon bizarre adjectives and paragraphs upon paragraphs just to describe a kid eating cookies or chickens. It felt like an eternity waiting for the Judge to die. Seriously, I was so frustrated that I was ready to take a knife to him myself, just to put an end to that endless list of what needed to be finished 'that day'.
Surprisingly, despite these flaws, the work is still worth reading. However, it is not for the faint-hearted. It requires a certain level of patience and a willingness to wade through the overly verbose descriptions to get to the heart of the story.

EL marketing has really damaged this novel.

It is not necessary to treat it as a horror story and always use a gloomy old house as the image. There is nothing terrifying about it.

It very slowly narrates how in the present, a family has been cursed because of their ancestors who built such a house. And everyone tends to end up in that mansion, as if attracted by a magnet. Always ending badly.

Highlight the good writing, descriptions, and food. It is simply a relaxing novel.

Overall, this novel has its own charm despite the misrepresentation by marketing. It offers a unique story that unfolds at a leisurely pace, allowing readers to沉浸 in the details and atmosphere. The author's writing style is engaging, and the descriptions of the house and the family's experiences add depth to the narrative. While it may not be a traditional horror novel, it still manages to hold the reader's attention and provide an enjoyable reading experience.

So, don't be misled by the marketing. Give this novel a chance and discover its true beauty for yourself.

Few men in our era have written with such genuine originality and genius as Nathaniel Hawthorne.

He captured the dry and barren aspects of New England life, which most people thought lacked any poetic or romantic elements. However, with the magic of his imagination, he transformed them into beautiful realms and chronicles of wild mystery that are hard to surpass in any fictional work.

If you listen to his stories, the lonely pastures and dull towns of our dear old New England will suddenly become as graceful and tragic as any place or time.

I have a deep interest in Hawthorne and his works. The quote from 'Appleton's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art' (1870) expresses the reason better than I can.

'The House of the Seven Gables' was different from what I expected. It had lengthy descriptions and sometimes seemed to drag, but I couldn't stop reading. Hawthorne's writing style is beautiful, and he often surprises with passages full of wonderful and tender beauty.

There were a few things that made me uncomfortable, like the daguerreotypist's interest in mesmerism and my initial worry that Clifford had murdered Judge Pyncheon. But the ending was great and cleared everything up.

I'm also reading 'The American Notebooks' and it's amazing to see how his everyday experiences influenced his stories. The passage about the monkey in 'The House of the Seven Gables' sounded familiar because it was based on an entry in his journal six years earlier.

I debated whether to give this book 4 or 5 stars but decided to round up to 5 because I love Mr. Hawthorne. :)

I've seen the actual house of the seven gables. I absolutely love The Scarlet Letter and Young Goodman Brown.

But what the hell was this, Nate?

I feel like Hawthorne had some kind of survivor guilt. His shame at having an ancestor who was a judge at the Salem Witch Trials led him to change his last name's spelling. He came back, again and again, to condemn the venality and prejudice of humanity, especially that of the Puritans. And yet, he himself is so Victorian. His work is terribly classist and sexist. Women are only worthy of his praise if they are delicate maidens or useful wives. Spinsters, the "haughty," and the childless are objects of mockery. The family who stole the house through an accusation of witchcraft are humiliated at every turn as a punishment. And that humiliation? Having to open a shop! Being forced to wait upon a bride who is "the daughter of a laborer" on her wedding day! Can you imagine? It's so gross!

Oh, and there's an entire chapter about how pitiful their chickens are now. A once proud race of ancient and noble lineage, now scruffy and - worst of all - only occasionally actually laying a single tiny egg. (Yep, useless women are so awful, aren't they?) (Yes, I'm aware the chickens are a metaphor.)

*I know, I know, it's only Victorian if it comes from the British Empire. Otherwise, it's just sparkling prudery.

A Tale of Greed and Crime in 19th Century New England Society

This is a narrative that vividly portrays the society of New England in the 19th century, filled with greed and crime. It follows the drama of the Pyncheon family, who have lived for generations under the curse of a deceased man. The curse seems to linger over them, casting a shadow on their lives.

However, hope arrives with the sweet Phoebe. Her presence has the potential to break the curse and bring much-needed joy to the inhabitants of the house. One would have expected the story to provide more details about the house, showing just how haunted it is. Instead, it offers yet another analysis of these tormented characters, who are deeply affected by the crime that occurred.

The story thus unfolds, revealing the complex web of emotions, desires, and the struggle to overcome the past. It makes one wonder if Phoebe will truly be able to bring about the change and liberation that the Pyncheon family so desperately needs.

A Somber Tale

This is a rather somber tale that delves into the Pyncheon curse and its ties to a somewhat ponderous house. There is an abundance of description along with in-depth character studies of the five main characters (and seven if we include Uncle Venner and Alice). About half of the book is dedicated to events of the past, while the other half focuses on the present day. It lacks a great deal of action but is filled with reverie. In fact, there is even a chapter that centers on what should be happening in the mind of a corpse.

Hawthorne's portrayal of Hepzibah seems overly harsh. He judges her based on her appearance and introverted behavior. She truly deserves sympathy and understanding. (The other characters are extroverts. One wonders where Hawthorne himself fell along this spectrum.)

Inheritance, both monetary and genetic, forms the very basis of the story.

A good many years ago, when I spent a couple of days in Salem, I had the opportunity to visit the House of Seven Gables. Wondering about its connection with this novel, I decided to check the museum's website. The real tale of the house is a story in and of itself. Here are a couple of sentences from the site: "Ingersoll died at sea leaving the [house he'd built] to his daughter Susanna, a cousin of famed author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne’s visits to his cousin’s home are credited with inspiring the setting and title of his 1851 novel, The House of the Seven Gables."

This is the second time I've read this classic, and I may very well read it again someday. It continues to hold a certain allure and mystery that keeps drawing me back.

I’ll admit that I am not a big fan of some of Hawthorne’s writing.

At the very beginning of the book, the pace was extremely slow, and it was really hard for me to get fully immersed in it.

However, I decided to stick it out and continue reading.

The things that I did find quite interesting about the story were the gothic undertones that were present throughout.

If only Hawthorne had chosen to focus more on those captivating gothic elements, I firmly believe that I might have liked the story a whole lot better.

Nevertheless, I am not giving up on Hawthorne just yet.

I have the determination that eventually, I will get around to reading his “Marbel Faun” and perhaps have a completely different perception of his works.

Who knows, maybe that particular piece will change my view and make me a true admirer of Hawthorne’s writing.

Another review with a huge delay. "The House of the Seven Gables" was a book that we read in the @lectoresinsurgentes club last year, and it was quite a discovery :D

The story tells us about the Pyncheon family and the curse that has accompanied them for several generations, consuming them and reducing them to wretched beings. The family house was built on illegally acquired land, and its true owner, during his execution for witchcraft, will utter the phrase that will begin the decline of this family: "God will make him drink blood." But all is not lost for the Pyncheons. Perhaps their luck will start to change with the arrival of a distant relative who seems immune to the oppression of the house and the curse itself.

The first part of the book is a bit dense, but it serves the function of placing the reader in that oppressive and suffocating atmosphere that invades the house, thus enabling us to understand how Hepzibah and Clifford were raised. These two characters are extremely melancholic and fearful of what surrounds them. The exhaustive description of the house, clearly another character within the book, shows us not only the decadence of its walls but also that of its inhabitants.

After getting through the first part, the book reveals a glimmer of hope in Phoebe Pyncheon and makes us stick to the reading. It was also interesting that the author touched on the theme of the decline of the aristocracy and the emergence of the bourgeoisie.

For me, this was a very complete book that makes us reflect on other people's sins, those that we carry throughout our lives even though they are not ours, and that in many cases do not allow us to move forward or deviate from a certain path. Let us remember that the sins of the family are not ours, and that as individuals we can break those chains whenever we want... we just have to want it.