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Unbound #2
A Touch of Scarlet
The compelling heroine of Eve Marie Mont’s novel A Breath of Eyre returns to find truth and fiction merging through the pages of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic, The Scarlet Letter…
Emma Townsend is back at prestigious Lockwood Prep, but her world has altered immeasurably since her tumultuous sophomore year. The best change of all: her boyfriend, Gray. And though Gray is leaving for Coast Guard training, Emma feels newly optimistic, even if the pain of her mother’s long-ago death still casts a shadow.
Yet Emma isn’t the only one who’s changed. Her friend and roommate, Michelle, is strangely remote, and old alliances are shifting in disconcerting ways. Soon Emma’s long-distance relationship with Gray is straining under the pressure, and Emma wonders if she’s cracking too. How else to explain the vivid dreams of Hester Prynne she’s been having since she started reading The Scarlet Letter? Or the way she’s found herself waking in the woods? As her life begins to echo events in the novel, Emma will be forced to choose between virtue and love. But can she forge a new future without breaking her heart?
Emma Townsend is back at prestigious Lockwood Prep, but her world has altered immeasurably since her tumultuous sophomore year. The best change of all: her boyfriend, Gray. And though Gray is leaving for Coast Guard training, Emma feels newly optimistic, even if the pain of her mother’s long-ago death still casts a shadow.
Yet Emma isn’t the only one who’s changed. Her friend and roommate, Michelle, is strangely remote, and old alliances are shifting in disconcerting ways. Soon Emma’s long-distance relationship with Gray is straining under the pressure, and Emma wonders if she’s cracking too. How else to explain the vivid dreams of Hester Prynne she’s been having since she started reading The Scarlet Letter? Or the way she’s found herself waking in the woods? As her life begins to echo events in the novel, Emma will be forced to choose between virtue and love. But can she forge a new future without breaking her heart?
319 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2013
7 people are currently reading
1105 people want to read
About the author
Eve Marie Mont
4 books168 followersI'm a high school English teacher and author whose young adult debut, A BREATH OF EYRE, was released by Kensington Books in April, 2012 as the first in the Unbound trilogy. The sequel, A TOUCH OF SCARLET, will be released in March, 2013.
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dnf
September 17, 2021I received an advanced reader copy from Kensington Teen via Netgalley
I love retellings. Especially of my favorite books. Unfortunately, A Touch of Scarlet wasn't the retelling for me. Quickly I discovered the style of writing just didn't flow well. I became disinterested in the story and the characters. I believe the content was just a bit too young for my preference.
I love retellings. Especially of my favorite books. Unfortunately, A Touch of Scarlet wasn't the retelling for me. Quickly I discovered the style of writing just didn't flow well. I became disinterested in the story and the characters. I believe the content was just a bit too young for my preference.
March 23, 2013
This review was originally posted at The Overstuffed Bookcase.
*Warning: This is the second book in a series. While I really don't like spoilers, you might find some slight Book 1 spoilers in this review.*
**Actually, I might get a bit spoilery about Book 2 in this review. There are some things that just NEED TO BE SAID. You have been warned.**
Not Quite The Same...
I LOVED A Breath of Eyre, so I knew that I would enjoy A Touch of Scarlet. But I figured that I wouldn't love it as much, because I've never read The Scarlet Letter. I debated reading it before reading A Touch of Scarlet, but I decided against it for a few reasons. First, I just really wasn't interested in reading an old classic at the time. Second, it seemed too long and I was just ready to jump into A Touch of Scarlet. And third, I thought that it would be good for my review to come from the perspective of someone who hadn't read the original work, because surely a lot of the reviews will be written by people who had read The Scarlet Letter and will therefore compare the two. But I thought it would be good to have a bit of variety.
And I have to say that, for part of the book, I just wasn't loving it as much as A Breath of Eyre. And I think that was partly because of the fact that I hadn't read The Scarlet Letter, but I think another big reason was because there wasn't as much of, well, what's the word for this? Spatial travel? Basically in A Breath of Eyre, Emma is in Jane Eyre for a large chunk of the book. And I liked that aspect of it. I do remember, in my review, saying that I was happy when Emma returned to her own time, because at times it seemed like it was "going to be nothing but a slightly altered Jane Eyre." But I do feel like, for the most part, there was a good balance between Emma being in her own time and being within the world of Jane Eyre. But in A Touch of Scarlet, Emma really doesn't spend that much time in the world of The Scarlet Letter. Yes, there are quite a few scenes where she is thrust into that book, but I felt like it was quite unbalanced, with a lot more scenes with Emma in her own time.
Now, it's not horrible that A Touch of Scarlet spends much more time within Emma's own time, but I feel like the fact that she travels into these books is the major concept of this series, and I felt a bit let down by the fact that it wasn't as big of a part of this book. So I was starting to think that I really wasn't going to love A Touch of Scarlet.
But Then Came the Awesomeness...
Now here's where it's going to get a bit spoilery. Some people who have read this book might not think of this as a spoiler at all, but I'm one of those crazy spoilerphobes who doesn't want to know hardly ANYTHING about a book before I read it, so if you're like me in that aspect, read on at your own risk.
I was worried about loving this book--but that was SO unnecessary. Because Eve Marie Mont turned this book into something extremely awesome. So, a bit more back story about this series: in both A Breath of Eyre and A Touch of Scarlet, Emma not only gets transported into classic works, but she also has something going on in her own life that reflects the theme of the story that she inhabits. And with A Touch of Scarlet, as you can guess, there is a bit of adultery going on and Emma herself feels outcast just as Esther does in The Scarlet Letter. (I haven't read The Scarlet Letter but I do know the gist of it.)
But instead of stopping there and having Emma's story be only about cheating and feeling the backlash of being the cheater or the cheatee, Mont takes it to another level and incorporates gay rights into the plot. So another "scarlet letter" is thrown into the mix, and the story becomes not only about being outcast because of being an adulterer, but it becomes a crusade for equal rights as well as a story about feeling like an outsider for any reason whatsoever. And, as a staunch supporter for gay rights myself, I couldn't keep this part of the book out of my review, even though it doesn't happen until later on in the book. I just couldn't keep from applauding Eve Marie Mont for this aspect, which just fits in so well with the concept of the series. I loved A Breath of Eyre for its originality and cleverness, and after reading A Touch of Scarlet, I've become a fan of Eve Marie Mont for life.
My rating for A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont: Five HUGE stars. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, as well as anything else Eve Marie Mont writes in the future!
My review of A Breath of Eyre (Unbound #1) by Eve Marie Mont
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review (Thanks, Kensington Books and NetGalley!). I was not compensated in any other way for this review.
*Warning: This is the second book in a series. While I really don't like spoilers, you might find some slight Book 1 spoilers in this review.*
**Actually, I might get a bit spoilery about Book 2 in this review. There are some things that just NEED TO BE SAID. You have been warned.**
Not Quite The Same...
I LOVED A Breath of Eyre, so I knew that I would enjoy A Touch of Scarlet. But I figured that I wouldn't love it as much, because I've never read The Scarlet Letter. I debated reading it before reading A Touch of Scarlet, but I decided against it for a few reasons. First, I just really wasn't interested in reading an old classic at the time. Second, it seemed too long and I was just ready to jump into A Touch of Scarlet. And third, I thought that it would be good for my review to come from the perspective of someone who hadn't read the original work, because surely a lot of the reviews will be written by people who had read The Scarlet Letter and will therefore compare the two. But I thought it would be good to have a bit of variety.
And I have to say that, for part of the book, I just wasn't loving it as much as A Breath of Eyre. And I think that was partly because of the fact that I hadn't read The Scarlet Letter, but I think another big reason was because there wasn't as much of, well, what's the word for this? Spatial travel? Basically in A Breath of Eyre, Emma is in Jane Eyre for a large chunk of the book. And I liked that aspect of it. I do remember, in my review, saying that I was happy when Emma returned to her own time, because at times it seemed like it was "going to be nothing but a slightly altered Jane Eyre." But I do feel like, for the most part, there was a good balance between Emma being in her own time and being within the world of Jane Eyre. But in A Touch of Scarlet, Emma really doesn't spend that much time in the world of The Scarlet Letter. Yes, there are quite a few scenes where she is thrust into that book, but I felt like it was quite unbalanced, with a lot more scenes with Emma in her own time.
Now, it's not horrible that A Touch of Scarlet spends much more time within Emma's own time, but I feel like the fact that she travels into these books is the major concept of this series, and I felt a bit let down by the fact that it wasn't as big of a part of this book. So I was starting to think that I really wasn't going to love A Touch of Scarlet.
But Then Came the Awesomeness...
Now here's where it's going to get a bit spoilery. Some people who have read this book might not think of this as a spoiler at all, but I'm one of those crazy spoilerphobes who doesn't want to know hardly ANYTHING about a book before I read it, so if you're like me in that aspect, read on at your own risk.
I was worried about loving this book--but that was SO unnecessary. Because Eve Marie Mont turned this book into something extremely awesome. So, a bit more back story about this series: in both A Breath of Eyre and A Touch of Scarlet, Emma not only gets transported into classic works, but she also has something going on in her own life that reflects the theme of the story that she inhabits. And with A Touch of Scarlet, as you can guess, there is a bit of adultery going on and Emma herself feels outcast just as Esther does in The Scarlet Letter. (I haven't read The Scarlet Letter but I do know the gist of it.)
But instead of stopping there and having Emma's story be only about cheating and feeling the backlash of being the cheater or the cheatee, Mont takes it to another level and incorporates gay rights into the plot. So another "scarlet letter" is thrown into the mix, and the story becomes not only about being outcast because of being an adulterer, but it becomes a crusade for equal rights as well as a story about feeling like an outsider for any reason whatsoever. And, as a staunch supporter for gay rights myself, I couldn't keep this part of the book out of my review, even though it doesn't happen until later on in the book. I just couldn't keep from applauding Eve Marie Mont for this aspect, which just fits in so well with the concept of the series. I loved A Breath of Eyre for its originality and cleverness, and after reading A Touch of Scarlet, I've become a fan of Eve Marie Mont for life.
My rating for A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont: Five HUGE stars. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, as well as anything else Eve Marie Mont writes in the future!
My review of A Breath of Eyre (Unbound #1) by Eve Marie Mont
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review (Thanks, Kensington Books and NetGalley!). I was not compensated in any other way for this review.
June 14, 2013
Amazingly, I read the second one as well. It was even worse. I'm embarrassed to say that I read this, and don't recommend it to a single soul. But I have to record it for posterity...
December 24, 2015
Summary:
It’s Emma Townsend’s junior year at Lockwood, an exclusive prep school that she attends on a scholarship, and nothing is going right for her. Her boyfriend has broken her heart; her roommate is now hanging out with the school’s ultimate Mean Girl; and an innocent kiss turns the entire student body against her. (And that’s still only scratching the surface.) To escape the drama, Emma goes for runs around campus. But when she crosses the old bridge in the woods, she is transported to the world of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” This is where she meets Hester Prynne, a woman banished from her Puritan village for committing adultery…
My Thoughts:
Mont has done it again. With this second installment of the Unbound trilogy, she breathes new life into another literary classic whose themes perfectly complement modern social issues like bullying and sexual discrimination. Although the story centers on high school students and the typical teenage dilemmas – cliques, cat fights and sexual awakenings – this book will resonate with readers of all ages because of its central message: namely, the only way you stand a chance in this life is to find the courage to stay true to yourself and fight for what you believe in, despite the obstacles you face.
Each of Mont’s characters struggle with growing up and accepting change because of the fear of ridicule, isolation or simply making the wrong choice. Emma is the perfect embodiment of this as her social and academic lives spiral out of control when she can’t move on after the breakup. One bad thing leads to another as she tries to keep everything the way it’s “supposed to be,” not understanding that people and relationships aren’t meant to stay the same forever.
This stubborn denial of reality is what leads her to cross into Hester’s Puritan world. Unlike “A Breath of Eyre,” where Emma slips into the role of Jane Eyre, this time Mont allows Emma to interact with Hester and her daughter as herself, though not with both at the same time. This forces Emma to acknowledge the child within her who will always long for normalcy in the wake of her mother’s suicide, and to embrace the woman she’s slowly becoming. Furthermore, she is inspired by Hester’s inner strength. Although it’s much easier to cower before the judgmental townsfolk who only see her for her indiscretion, Hester knows she is more than that and always holds her head high. She is determined to make a good life for herself and her daughter and reinvents herself to rise to the occasion, just like Emma must do.
These brief encounters offer a fresh and sophisticated twist on “The Scarlet Letter”, a book considered difficult because of its complicated prose. But for those who either haven’t read this classic or didn’t care for it when they did read it, it helps to see the plot unravel alongside this modern one. In short, both demonstrate how individuals are supposed to conform to an unspoken, though universally accepted, set of rules which, if violated, results in punishment and outrage by the rest of society. Therefore, nothing much has changed.
All in all, “A Touch of Scarlet” is another excellently-written and insightful literary work from Mont who encourages readers to follow their hearts even when it’s safer to remain a nameless face in the crowd.
It’s Emma Townsend’s junior year at Lockwood, an exclusive prep school that she attends on a scholarship, and nothing is going right for her. Her boyfriend has broken her heart; her roommate is now hanging out with the school’s ultimate Mean Girl; and an innocent kiss turns the entire student body against her. (And that’s still only scratching the surface.) To escape the drama, Emma goes for runs around campus. But when she crosses the old bridge in the woods, she is transported to the world of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” This is where she meets Hester Prynne, a woman banished from her Puritan village for committing adultery…
My Thoughts:
Mont has done it again. With this second installment of the Unbound trilogy, she breathes new life into another literary classic whose themes perfectly complement modern social issues like bullying and sexual discrimination. Although the story centers on high school students and the typical teenage dilemmas – cliques, cat fights and sexual awakenings – this book will resonate with readers of all ages because of its central message: namely, the only way you stand a chance in this life is to find the courage to stay true to yourself and fight for what you believe in, despite the obstacles you face.
Each of Mont’s characters struggle with growing up and accepting change because of the fear of ridicule, isolation or simply making the wrong choice. Emma is the perfect embodiment of this as her social and academic lives spiral out of control when she can’t move on after the breakup. One bad thing leads to another as she tries to keep everything the way it’s “supposed to be,” not understanding that people and relationships aren’t meant to stay the same forever.
This stubborn denial of reality is what leads her to cross into Hester’s Puritan world. Unlike “A Breath of Eyre,” where Emma slips into the role of Jane Eyre, this time Mont allows Emma to interact with Hester and her daughter as herself, though not with both at the same time. This forces Emma to acknowledge the child within her who will always long for normalcy in the wake of her mother’s suicide, and to embrace the woman she’s slowly becoming. Furthermore, she is inspired by Hester’s inner strength. Although it’s much easier to cower before the judgmental townsfolk who only see her for her indiscretion, Hester knows she is more than that and always holds her head high. She is determined to make a good life for herself and her daughter and reinvents herself to rise to the occasion, just like Emma must do.
These brief encounters offer a fresh and sophisticated twist on “The Scarlet Letter”, a book considered difficult because of its complicated prose. But for those who either haven’t read this classic or didn’t care for it when they did read it, it helps to see the plot unravel alongside this modern one. In short, both demonstrate how individuals are supposed to conform to an unspoken, though universally accepted, set of rules which, if violated, results in punishment and outrage by the rest of society. Therefore, nothing much has changed.
All in all, “A Touch of Scarlet” is another excellently-written and insightful literary work from Mont who encourages readers to follow their hearts even when it’s safer to remain a nameless face in the crowd.
April 2, 2013
A Touch of Scarlet, from its title, is about The Scarlet Letter. It is not a retelling, far from it, but the main protagonist, Emma, ends up in a parallel world, the one from The Scarlet Letter, by entering a dreamlike state. This happens every time she ends up going near the place where she got struck by lightening (and survived). This book is also set in Emma's boarding school where she is entering as a Junior. The beginning of the book showed us that she is finally in relationship with Gray who was in A Breath of eyre. The plot does not slow down one bit, where there are a lot of romantic anguish concerning our couple along with some possibility of a love triangle, as well as a very surprising yet satisfying ending.
If you guys have read my review of A Breath of Eyre you would know that I enjoyed it but wasn't that impressed by it. Even with that I thought I would give A Touch of Scarlet a try and I am glad I did. In a Touch of Scarlet, you really feel that the characters are wearing an extra layer, whether it be emotional baggage or finding a friend in a person you least expected it from. Emma and Michelle's friendship was strained and challenged throughout the novel but at the same time new friendships were formed from two of the "fearsome four" in A Breath of Eyre, if you guys remember them, they are basically Emma and Michelle's mortal enemies. I love that Eve allowed us to find the good in some of these people and that they could repent for their wrongdoings and aren't all a bunch of heartless mean girls, though the other half of that crew proved just that. As for Emma and Gray, I just have to say that I was very disappointed in how Gray handled the relationship and felt very sorry for Emma. I felt that Gray, at 19, was too immature and made some decisions that you could tell were stupid from a mile away. However the star in this book is Emma; she was forgiving, a good friend, and wasn't the type that was consumed by any relationship troubles she was facing.
You are all wondering where The Scarlet Letter fits into all this, unlike A Breath of Eyre, Emma didn't spend as much time in the parallel world. I honestly REALLY appreciated that because I was more concerned with the development of Emma's actual life. The Scarlet Letter was more like a guiding hand, steering her in the right direction as well as opening her heart and mind to the things around her. A Touch of Scarlet
If you guys have read my review of A Breath of Eyre you would know that I enjoyed it but wasn't that impressed by it. Even with that I thought I would give A Touch of Scarlet a try and I am glad I did. In a Touch of Scarlet, you really feel that the characters are wearing an extra layer, whether it be emotional baggage or finding a friend in a person you least expected it from. Emma and Michelle's friendship was strained and challenged throughout the novel but at the same time new friendships were formed from two of the "fearsome four" in A Breath of Eyre, if you guys remember them, they are basically Emma and Michelle's mortal enemies. I love that Eve allowed us to find the good in some of these people and that they could repent for their wrongdoings and aren't all a bunch of heartless mean girls, though the other half of that crew proved just that. As for Emma and Gray, I just have to say that I was very disappointed in how Gray handled the relationship and felt very sorry for Emma. I felt that Gray, at 19, was too immature and made some decisions that you could tell were stupid from a mile away. However the star in this book is Emma; she was forgiving, a good friend, and wasn't the type that was consumed by any relationship troubles she was facing.
You are all wondering where The Scarlet Letter fits into all this, unlike A Breath of Eyre, Emma didn't spend as much time in the parallel world. I honestly REALLY appreciated that because I was more concerned with the development of Emma's actual life. The Scarlet Letter was more like a guiding hand, steering her in the right direction as well as opening her heart and mind to the things around her. A Touch of Scarlet
March 28, 2013
Emma used to just dream when she slept or when she got seriously hurt, now she seems to be dreaming while awake. This time she lapses into The Scarlet Letter. In A Breath of Eyre, Emma is depressed at several points and is trying to deal with what happened to her mother and how alone she feels, so I felt like her dreams were her way of coping with those things. In this second book she begins lapsing into things when her life doesn't seem to be quite so tumultuous. It's only later, when she feels heartbroken, that I could see her needing that escape, but by then she had already had a few lapses. I almost feel like she was becoming extremely depressed even when she shouldn't have been. How she acted in the dreams and reacted to them was also quite a bit different from last time, so I felt there was some consistency missing.
I also thought that her time with Gray would really open her up a little and give her more confidence. I thought it would also make her much happier. However, she almost seems more reserved and less confident than in the first book. She also doesn't really stand up for herself.
Her friend, Michelle, does something that she feels really guilty about. Then Emma does something that is just as bad. However, it seems like it all gets blown way over proportion and is one-sided. Cheating is just cheating regardless of how it happened or who it was with. It just bothered me how it was really no big deal, but other things were stressed more. I felt like some subjects that deserved more of a spotlight weren't delved into enough and could have been handled a little bit better. Smoking, drugs, and drinking are completely acceptable, except that Emma doesn't participate. Michelle becomes friends with their arch-enemy and a lot of that just seemed so wrong to me. Even in the last book, Michelle didn't seem extremely loyal or consistent, but in this one I just didn't even understand why Emma was friends with her at all or why Michelle acted like she did. I actually didn't really care for Michelle in this one at all or really any of the characters, except Owen. He seemed to be the only consistent character and he's just a great guy.
There was a lot of drama, gossiping, this person not talking to that person, this person liking that person and this person not liking that person....I'm definitely not a teenager anymore and I was fairly mellow so a lot of that stuff just annoyed me. I also thought Gray was more involved in Emma and the other girls' lives, who are all juniors, unrealistically after graduating and moving on. So, this probably just isn't the type of book I would enjoy reading.
That being said, I think Emma and the other characters showed how many changes occur during those teen years. Most teens are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do. There are crazy hormones, lots of mistakes, and losing or gaining friends. It's just was a lot to absorb because in this story there are several different individuals all making these changes at the same time and it seemed like a decision would be made and then changed.
Content: Some innuendo, a few swear words, homosexual content (if that bothers you)
Source: NetGalley ARC
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free by an author or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss in exchange for my review. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review.
I also thought that her time with Gray would really open her up a little and give her more confidence. I thought it would also make her much happier. However, she almost seems more reserved and less confident than in the first book. She also doesn't really stand up for herself.
Her friend, Michelle, does something that she feels really guilty about. Then Emma does something that is just as bad. However, it seems like it all gets blown way over proportion and is one-sided. Cheating is just cheating regardless of how it happened or who it was with. It just bothered me how it was really no big deal, but other things were stressed more. I felt like some subjects that deserved more of a spotlight weren't delved into enough and could have been handled a little bit better. Smoking, drugs, and drinking are completely acceptable, except that Emma doesn't participate. Michelle becomes friends with their arch-enemy and a lot of that just seemed so wrong to me. Even in the last book, Michelle didn't seem extremely loyal or consistent, but in this one I just didn't even understand why Emma was friends with her at all or why Michelle acted like she did. I actually didn't really care for Michelle in this one at all or really any of the characters, except Owen. He seemed to be the only consistent character and he's just a great guy.
There was a lot of drama, gossiping, this person not talking to that person, this person liking that person and this person not liking that person....I'm definitely not a teenager anymore and I was fairly mellow so a lot of that stuff just annoyed me. I also thought Gray was more involved in Emma and the other girls' lives, who are all juniors, unrealistically after graduating and moving on. So, this probably just isn't the type of book I would enjoy reading.
That being said, I think Emma and the other characters showed how many changes occur during those teen years. Most teens are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do. There are crazy hormones, lots of mistakes, and losing or gaining friends. It's just was a lot to absorb because in this story there are several different individuals all making these changes at the same time and it seemed like a decision would be made and then changed.
Content: Some innuendo, a few swear words, homosexual content (if that bothers you)
Source: NetGalley ARC
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free by an author or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss in exchange for my review. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review.
April 21, 2013
Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
It is safe to say I wasn't particularly fond of Eve Marie Mont's A Breath of Eyre, but I honestly think my experience with book one helped me to better enjoy the time I spent with book two, A Touch of Scarlet.
For one thing, I came to this book knowing it wouldn't be a traditional retelling. That Mont would utilize elements from the classic fiction, rather than the entire plot, as platform to explore concepts and ideas that pose difficulties to modern teens. In this case, Mont dissects Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter to examine both sexuality and social acceptance. The result? Well, it isn't Easy A, but it isn't all that bad either. In point of fact the creativity Mont exhibits here, as well as the subject matter as applied to her target audience, were probably my favorite parts of the book.
Another thing I learned was not to reread the original. Let's flashback to A Breath of Eyre. Knowing exactly how much of the original was left out, the extent to which Mont butchered one of my favorite classics for her own gains, really upset me. I means really upset me. Not wanting to repeat the experience, I decided to forgo revisiting Puritan Boston and relied solely on my memories of Hester's story. Ultimately I was still disappointed, but here again I was much less annoyed as I wasn't constantly holding to an unrealistic expectation.
Without a doubt, keeping an open mind and relaxing my attitude towards Mont's premise helped me better appreciate her work but taking the story for what it is rather than what I'd hoped it to be didn't work entirely in her favor. New aggravation took form in Lockwood's study abroad program. I get that the final installment will be set in France and I'm trying not to shudder thinking what revisions are being done to Leroux's masterpiece, but I am not particularly pleased that book two of the Unbound series placed such emphasis on what is essentially the groundwork for book three. This needed to be a story in and of itself but it came off as more of a stepping stone between points A and B.
My conclusion? I think these books have a specific target audience and present that audience with a lot of interesting material. As for me though, I found this series while looking for creative retellings and in that sense I am still only partially satisfied.
It is safe to say I wasn't particularly fond of Eve Marie Mont's A Breath of Eyre, but I honestly think my experience with book one helped me to better enjoy the time I spent with book two, A Touch of Scarlet.
For one thing, I came to this book knowing it wouldn't be a traditional retelling. That Mont would utilize elements from the classic fiction, rather than the entire plot, as platform to explore concepts and ideas that pose difficulties to modern teens. In this case, Mont dissects Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter to examine both sexuality and social acceptance. The result? Well, it isn't Easy A, but it isn't all that bad either. In point of fact the creativity Mont exhibits here, as well as the subject matter as applied to her target audience, were probably my favorite parts of the book.
Another thing I learned was not to reread the original. Let's flashback to A Breath of Eyre. Knowing exactly how much of the original was left out, the extent to which Mont butchered one of my favorite classics for her own gains, really upset me. I means really upset me. Not wanting to repeat the experience, I decided to forgo revisiting Puritan Boston and relied solely on my memories of Hester's story. Ultimately I was still disappointed, but here again I was much less annoyed as I wasn't constantly holding to an unrealistic expectation.
Without a doubt, keeping an open mind and relaxing my attitude towards Mont's premise helped me better appreciate her work but taking the story for what it is rather than what I'd hoped it to be didn't work entirely in her favor. New aggravation took form in Lockwood's study abroad program. I get that the final installment will be set in France and I'm trying not to shudder thinking what revisions are being done to Leroux's masterpiece, but I am not particularly pleased that book two of the Unbound series placed such emphasis on what is essentially the groundwork for book three. This needed to be a story in and of itself but it came off as more of a stepping stone between points A and B.
My conclusion? I think these books have a specific target audience and present that audience with a lot of interesting material. As for me though, I found this series while looking for creative retellings and in that sense I am still only partially satisfied.
May 1, 2013
The premise of this series is one of my favorites- a girl gets whisked away to different stories and different classic novels. I find them to be realistic and believable (as much as getting whisked away to a novel can be realistic!) In this second story we pick up immediately after the end of the first book. Gray and Emma are finally together and are VERY close.
As the summary above says, the people around Emma are changing rapidly- Gray, Michelle, Elise, pretty much everyone in the book changes in some way during this novel. Emma and her friends go through a lot of tough stuff in this book. I really think teen readers will find this relatable and very conscious of the trials that teens go through. This book is darker and deeper than the first. It is not a fluffy book- the characters have real problems and are really learning how to grow up.
I have to say- as much as she makes mistakes- I REALLY liked Emma in this book. I liked the choices she was making, and that she was learning from the mistakes she made. I liked that she wasn't a total pushover or unable to make decisions without others. Emma is independent and in a smart and intelligent way. She is really growing up in this story.
This was an enjoyable read. I am really looking forward to the third book in this series!
As the summary above says, the people around Emma are changing rapidly- Gray, Michelle, Elise, pretty much everyone in the book changes in some way during this novel. Emma and her friends go through a lot of tough stuff in this book. I really think teen readers will find this relatable and very conscious of the trials that teens go through. This book is darker and deeper than the first. It is not a fluffy book- the characters have real problems and are really learning how to grow up.
I have to say- as much as she makes mistakes- I REALLY liked Emma in this book. I liked the choices she was making, and that she was learning from the mistakes she made. I liked that she wasn't a total pushover or unable to make decisions without others. Emma is independent and in a smart and intelligent way. She is really growing up in this story.
This was an enjoyable read. I am really looking forward to the third book in this series!
February 25, 2013
This is such a cool idea! I'm not a huge Scarlet Letter fan, but I really liked this book. Full review to come at www.1bookaddict.com
November 2, 2018
Not for me smut
Read
December 28, 2025Even though I had some issues with A Touch of Scarlet it was still an enjoyable read.
Emma is faced with a lot of change in A Touch of Scarlet. She struggles with her identity and is desperate to cling to her past. There's a strain in her friendship with Michelle, the "fearsome four" are acting weird, and as if things weren't already bad enough her relationship with Grey is really stretched to the limits. As the story progresses she discovers new things about herself and those around her, but is she ready to move forward?...
The friendship between Emma and Owen is beautiful. Owen is a lovely guy who's always there for Emma, through thick and thin he stands by her. However, as much as I adore him his character seemed a little too unbelievable at times. No guy I know would let themselves be treated the way he did, which essentially, is like a door mat. He knows Emma is hung up on Grey, but despite this he still thinks he has a chance with her, and while I certainly get why (see below) I still felt like shacking some sense into him. I felt sorry for him as he deserves so much better.
The thing that most frustrated me about A Touch of Scarlet was Emma. Her mopey attitude in the first half of the novel was incredibly maddening. I appreciate the growth she went through, but it took her far too long to snap out of it. Her thoughts and actions towards Owen also annoyed me. She knows she's leading him on, and even though she thinks it, she doesn't tell him outright that she doesn't have feelings for him. However, when she finally did, she was back to being the strong and intelligent mc I fell in love with in book 1.
As with A Breath of Eyre Eve Marie Mont effortlessly weaves the classic (The Scarlet Letter) into the story. This is probably one of the few boarding school stories that I've enjoyed as it's not overly dramatic and it deals with real issues.
I like how Mont portrays the characters as more than just black and white stereotypes. For example there's more to the mean girls than just being mean. The layers and depth she adds to the characters -even the secondary ones- makes for an interesting read. And I have to admit that the new found friendships completely took me by surprise!
Overall, while A Touch of Scarlet didn't quite blow me away like the previous book, it was a solid sequel.
Emma is faced with a lot of change in A Touch of Scarlet. She struggles with her identity and is desperate to cling to her past. There's a strain in her friendship with Michelle, the "fearsome four" are acting weird, and as if things weren't already bad enough her relationship with Grey is really stretched to the limits. As the story progresses she discovers new things about herself and those around her, but is she ready to move forward?...
The friendship between Emma and Owen is beautiful. Owen is a lovely guy who's always there for Emma, through thick and thin he stands by her. However, as much as I adore him his character seemed a little too unbelievable at times. No guy I know would let themselves be treated the way he did, which essentially, is like a door mat. He knows Emma is hung up on Grey, but despite this he still thinks he has a chance with her, and while I certainly get why (see below) I still felt like shacking some sense into him. I felt sorry for him as he deserves so much better.
The thing that most frustrated me about A Touch of Scarlet was Emma. Her mopey attitude in the first half of the novel was incredibly maddening. I appreciate the growth she went through, but it took her far too long to snap out of it. Her thoughts and actions towards Owen also annoyed me. She knows she's leading him on, and even though she thinks it, she doesn't tell him outright that she doesn't have feelings for him. However, when she finally did, she was back to being the strong and intelligent mc I fell in love with in book 1.
As with A Breath of Eyre Eve Marie Mont effortlessly weaves the classic (The Scarlet Letter) into the story. This is probably one of the few boarding school stories that I've enjoyed as it's not overly dramatic and it deals with real issues.
I like how Mont portrays the characters as more than just black and white stereotypes. For example there's more to the mean girls than just being mean. The layers and depth she adds to the characters -even the secondary ones- makes for an interesting read. And I have to admit that the new found friendships completely took me by surprise!
Overall, while A Touch of Scarlet didn't quite blow me away like the previous book, it was a solid sequel.
February 6, 2013
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the ARC through NetGalley and Kensington Books, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
***
Plot overview:
Emma Townsend from A Breath of Eyre is back!
This time, she's starting her junior year. Even though she has to say good-bye to her boyfriend Gray, who's training to join the Coast Guard, she feels like this year will be a significant improvement over her chaotic sophomore year.
However, Emma soon realizes that things aren't as improved as she may believe. Her best friend/roommate Michelle is behaving weird (and making friends with the enemy!), while Emma starts hallucinating again. This time, she's literally running between realities - running from her own world at Lockwood Prep, straight into the fictional world of Nathaniel Hawthrone's The Scarlet Letter.
Can she figure out what's going on before it's too late?
***
Okay. Let me start of this review by saying:
I didn't really like A Breath of Eyre. I thought the idea was clever, but the overall execution was flawed.
So at first, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to read A Touch of Scarlet. But when I realized that the book was incorporating The Scarlet Letter,I became intrigued and requested a copy.
And boy, am I glad I did.
***
Things that worked:
Characterization:
All of the characters, but especially Emma, are much stronger this time around.
I think that having Emma's family back story already established in this book, made it easier readers to sympathize and identify with Emma's journey. Even when Emma goes into ultimate!moping!mode! after being dumped by Gray (a.k.a the Bella Swan effect), we can understand why she's troubled by the end of their relationship, and how her fear of ending up like her mom is impacting her decisions.
(Though, to be fair, Emma's actually very strong and actually isn't that bogged down by thoughts about her mom. While she recognizes that this is a constant worry for her dad, she keeps marching forward.)
Aside from Emma, I think the evolution of some of the other characters - e.g. Melissa and Jess's relationship; Elise's transformation - all added to the plot. The characters felt more well-rounded, and made Emma's life a little more colorful and rich.
Plotting:
Unlike A Breath of Eyre, Emma's not strictly hallucinating/acting out passages from The Scarlet Letter this time.
Instead, it's more of a spiritual and emotional evolution - she's learning what it is to "walk a mile" in Hester's shoes, and how someone can't really understand what anyone else is going through, until they've actually been there. It's an important point that could strongly benefit a lot of YA readers.
I also liked the incorporation of Michelle and Jess's story. While I felt that the student body/administrative response to their relationship was a little ridiculous/heavy-handed at times (especially the random revelation about Overbook's teacher days), I did strongly appreciate the fact that Marie Mont acknowledged how difficult it could be for young women to come out, especially in the face of strong prejudice.
Writing
It's constantly strong, and easy to read. If anything, I think the writing has significantly improved from book one.
***
There were two significant points that I didn't like about A Touch of Scarlet, and this is why I'm deducting two stars.
First, it was the fact that all of the boys/men in the book, were by and large, jerks.
(Strong word, I know. But there really is no other way to describe their behavior.)
Gray pulls an Edward Cullen several chapters into the book, and dumps Emma for her own good. His reasons are kind of silly - lots of the "you're better off without me!" types of comments - and leaves Emma broken-hearted.
However, he shows up at Emma's house several chapters down the line, and acts like a jerk when he realizes that Emma's friend Owen has spent the night - at the invitation of Emma's grandmother.
Owen's a good friend to Emma when she's feeling down, but also acts like a pretty big jerk when Emma (mistakenly) kisses Flynn.
Even Emma and Gray's reunion at the of the book feels kind of...jerky. Gray first acts offended that Emma's not willing to forgive him immediately. However, Emma instantly forgives him, after some random comments about wanting to attend her prom.
I don't know. I think we're supposed to find their behavior ~romantic~ and ~self-sacrificing~, but I just thought that Gray was a jerk to Emma who shouldn't be forgiven, and Emma was an idiot for letting him back into her life so quickly.
Quite honestly, my mental train of thought went something like this: "Dude. Emma. You're better off without him. You're fabulous and you're going to Paris...nooooo! Don't take him back! What are you thinking?!"
***
The second thing that I didn't like, was the fact that a lot of the characters behaved in a way that just felt incredibly over-the-top and unrealistic.
E.g. Ms. Brewster yelling at her students in class; and telling Elise off TO HER FACE.
While it's satisfying to see antagonists get their due, the whole thing just felt kind of... hard to believe. I kept thinking that if this happened in real life, Ms. Brewster would totally be served with a lawsuit in a split second.
(And yes, I know fiction doesn't necessarily equate real life, but shouldn't contemporary settings at least resemble real life, at least a little?)
Same goes for Overbook's random rants about insubordination. Again, if this was real life, he would totally have a lawsuit on him ASAP. And yes, while he did end up resigning in the end - even though it was for a really bizarre and unclear reasons - the whole sub story line just felt really unrealistic.
***
Final verdict:
I really enjoyed Eve Marie Mont's attempts to bring together The Scarlet Letter with a more contemporary setting. I felt that her attempts to juxtapose Hester's life with Emma's life, allowed me to see themes and symbolism about The Scarlet Letter which I wouldn't have saw before.
I also really liked the fact that Emma's shown considerable growth between A Breath of Eyre and now. She's shown strength, courage and intelligence that she wouldn't necessarily have shown in the first book. If only a lot of her decisions didn't revolve around Gray...
Ultimately, I'd definitely recommend this book for fans of The Scarlet Letter, and other historical YA fiction fans. I'm looking forward to book 3.
***
Plot overview:
Emma Townsend from A Breath of Eyre is back!
This time, she's starting her junior year. Even though she has to say good-bye to her boyfriend Gray, who's training to join the Coast Guard, she feels like this year will be a significant improvement over her chaotic sophomore year.
However, Emma soon realizes that things aren't as improved as she may believe. Her best friend/roommate Michelle is behaving weird (and making friends with the enemy!), while Emma starts hallucinating again. This time, she's literally running between realities - running from her own world at Lockwood Prep, straight into the fictional world of Nathaniel Hawthrone's The Scarlet Letter.
Can she figure out what's going on before it's too late?
***
Okay. Let me start of this review by saying:
I didn't really like A Breath of Eyre. I thought the idea was clever, but the overall execution was flawed.
So at first, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to read A Touch of Scarlet. But when I realized that the book was incorporating The Scarlet Letter,I became intrigued and requested a copy.
And boy, am I glad I did.
***
Things that worked:
Characterization:
All of the characters, but especially Emma, are much stronger this time around.
I think that having Emma's family back story already established in this book, made it easier readers to sympathize and identify with Emma's journey. Even when Emma goes into ultimate!moping!mode! after being dumped by Gray (a.k.a the Bella Swan effect), we can understand why she's troubled by the end of their relationship, and how her fear of ending up like her mom is impacting her decisions.
(Though, to be fair, Emma's actually very strong and actually isn't that bogged down by thoughts about her mom. While she recognizes that this is a constant worry for her dad, she keeps marching forward.)
Aside from Emma, I think the evolution of some of the other characters - e.g. Melissa and Jess's relationship; Elise's transformation - all added to the plot. The characters felt more well-rounded, and made Emma's life a little more colorful and rich.
Plotting:
Unlike A Breath of Eyre, Emma's not strictly hallucinating/acting out passages from The Scarlet Letter this time.
Instead, it's more of a spiritual and emotional evolution - she's learning what it is to "walk a mile" in Hester's shoes, and how someone can't really understand what anyone else is going through, until they've actually been there. It's an important point that could strongly benefit a lot of YA readers.
I also liked the incorporation of Michelle and Jess's story. While I felt that the student body/administrative response to their relationship was a little ridiculous/heavy-handed at times (especially the random revelation about Overbook's teacher days), I did strongly appreciate the fact that Marie Mont acknowledged how difficult it could be for young women to come out, especially in the face of strong prejudice.
Writing
It's constantly strong, and easy to read. If anything, I think the writing has significantly improved from book one.
***
There were two significant points that I didn't like about A Touch of Scarlet, and this is why I'm deducting two stars.
First, it was the fact that all of the boys/men in the book, were by and large, jerks.
(Strong word, I know. But there really is no other way to describe their behavior.)
Gray pulls an Edward Cullen several chapters into the book, and dumps Emma for her own good. His reasons are kind of silly - lots of the "you're better off without me!" types of comments - and leaves Emma broken-hearted.
However, he shows up at Emma's house several chapters down the line, and acts like a jerk when he realizes that Emma's friend Owen has spent the night - at the invitation of Emma's grandmother.
Owen's a good friend to Emma when she's feeling down, but also acts like a pretty big jerk when Emma (mistakenly) kisses Flynn.
Even Emma and Gray's reunion at the of the book feels kind of...jerky. Gray first acts offended that Emma's not willing to forgive him immediately. However, Emma instantly forgives him, after some random comments about wanting to attend her prom.
I don't know. I think we're supposed to find their behavior ~romantic~ and ~self-sacrificing~, but I just thought that Gray was a jerk to Emma who shouldn't be forgiven, and Emma was an idiot for letting him back into her life so quickly.
Quite honestly, my mental train of thought went something like this: "Dude. Emma. You're better off without him. You're fabulous and you're going to Paris...nooooo! Don't take him back! What are you thinking?!"
***
The second thing that I didn't like, was the fact that a lot of the characters behaved in a way that just felt incredibly over-the-top and unrealistic.
E.g. Ms. Brewster yelling at her students in class; and telling Elise off TO HER FACE.
While it's satisfying to see antagonists get their due, the whole thing just felt kind of... hard to believe. I kept thinking that if this happened in real life, Ms. Brewster would totally be served with a lawsuit in a split second.
(And yes, I know fiction doesn't necessarily equate real life, but shouldn't contemporary settings at least resemble real life, at least a little?)
Same goes for Overbook's random rants about insubordination. Again, if this was real life, he would totally have a lawsuit on him ASAP. And yes, while he did end up resigning in the end - even though it was for a really bizarre and unclear reasons - the whole sub story line just felt really unrealistic.
***
Final verdict:
I really enjoyed Eve Marie Mont's attempts to bring together The Scarlet Letter with a more contemporary setting. I felt that her attempts to juxtapose Hester's life with Emma's life, allowed me to see themes and symbolism about The Scarlet Letter which I wouldn't have saw before.
I also really liked the fact that Emma's shown considerable growth between A Breath of Eyre and now. She's shown strength, courage and intelligence that she wouldn't necessarily have shown in the first book. If only a lot of her decisions didn't revolve around Gray...
Ultimately, I'd definitely recommend this book for fans of The Scarlet Letter, and other historical YA fiction fans. I'm looking forward to book 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2020
It's like a lot of flailing around trying to tie in The Scarlet Letter to some high school stuff. Doesn't work very well. Also, Emma (the main character) is flailing around getting all involved in other people's shit, but also not getting involved, and that amounts to the same thing which is her being told off, and then she says I'M SORRY and everything is fine.
And as usual, everyone is more interesting than the main two people. How does that keep happening?!
And as usual, everyone is more interesting than the main two people. How does that keep happening?!
June 8, 2017
This book helped alleviate a lot of my concerns from the first book with the development of Emma's relationship with Gray and the vague sensation of "love can cure depression" that A Breath of Eyre left me with. Overall I enjoyed this, including the transformation of several of the characters.
April 23, 2018
This books are cute. I like the characters, for the most part, but so often the plots are contrived and the same thing sort of happens repeatedly in the same book. They're charming though so I am finishing out this series.
May 21, 2019
It was an okay book. I really wasn't as into it as I was the last one.
March 7, 2013
I love the covers for this series. There is something very beautiful about them. From the beginning, I could tell that it had some sort of ties to the past. So, these books are definite eye candy and the stories back up the beauty of the covers with its own beautiful story.
A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont continues the story of Emma Townsend but this time instead of diving into Jane Eyre, she submerges the characters into the Nathanial Hawthorne book, The Scarlet Letter. After the crazy sophomore year, Emma is ready to just have a good year at school and be normal or at least seem like it. Her summer was one of love, her relationship with Gray growing to a deep bond of love. It seems like everything might be perfect for her but suddenly her life seems to be falling apart at the seams. Her perfection turned into hell in the blink of an eye. Can she hold herself together against the constant turmoil that has become her life? Will her vivid dreams of a different life be the one thing that keeps her sane or the key to her insanity?
Emma is a beautiful young woman who is conflicted with her past and the world she keeps having vivid dreams about. The resounding question is for the main character is: What does she want to be real? Her personality dominates the story with her outspoken words and untimely actions. The untimely nature of her actions makes it so she has the 'foot-in-mouth' syndrome and also the curse of 'kiss-everyone-at-the-wrong-time'. But there is something that makes all of her wrong actions okay. It's the fact that she doesn't seem to have a negative intention or bone in her body. She is frequently trying to do what she thinks is best for everyone else and forgets the things that she wants or needs along the way. I love her selflessness and the fact that she wants what makes everyone else happy. She has one simple thing that she wants, to love and be loved. Of course, she just has a hard time showing it and sometimes she picks the wrong moment to show it. Her character grew a lot over the course of the book.
Michelle was her best friend during the previous book but over the summer, they seem to have fallen out. There is something growing between them, an animosity that shouldn't exist between friends in the first place and Emma doesn't know what happened to make their friendship change. Suddenly her perfect best friend isn't so perfect. Their fallout seems to influence more than just them as certain girls such as Elise take aim at Emma because of it. A new friendship that developed during the book is between Emma and Jess, a girl who used to not even acknowledge the existence of our lovely main character during the previous book. It turns out that Jess is going to be the best support that Emma could ever have and she illustrates the true pattern of a good friend. To stand by them despite their differences.
Gray, the love interest, is the type of guy that I want to slap for being stupid. It's like a running case of stupidity among the young adult novel love interests. If a guy jerked me around like these guys do, I would definitely never speak to them again. I had a lot of hope for the blossoming relationship between Gray and Emma but suddenly, it just wasn't good enough. The love between the two of them goes from teenage love to serious adult love. It was as if they were signing their marriage certificate already. So, in that way, I guess I wasn't surprised when it fell apart but I had hoped that there would be some sort of scenario where these two could've been happy.
I really think Owen is a good guy, he is loyal and faithful. It's obvious that he had a crush on Emma even though she never noticed which caused some strain on the friendship between Michelle and her as well. He is the type of guy that we all want to date and in fact, I bet most of us know a guy like him but he is also the type of guy that gets friend-zoned and never gets a chance.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was a great story and I can't wait for the next book!
A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont continues the story of Emma Townsend but this time instead of diving into Jane Eyre, she submerges the characters into the Nathanial Hawthorne book, The Scarlet Letter. After the crazy sophomore year, Emma is ready to just have a good year at school and be normal or at least seem like it. Her summer was one of love, her relationship with Gray growing to a deep bond of love. It seems like everything might be perfect for her but suddenly her life seems to be falling apart at the seams. Her perfection turned into hell in the blink of an eye. Can she hold herself together against the constant turmoil that has become her life? Will her vivid dreams of a different life be the one thing that keeps her sane or the key to her insanity?
Emma is a beautiful young woman who is conflicted with her past and the world she keeps having vivid dreams about. The resounding question is for the main character is: What does she want to be real? Her personality dominates the story with her outspoken words and untimely actions. The untimely nature of her actions makes it so she has the 'foot-in-mouth' syndrome and also the curse of 'kiss-everyone-at-the-wrong-time'. But there is something that makes all of her wrong actions okay. It's the fact that she doesn't seem to have a negative intention or bone in her body. She is frequently trying to do what she thinks is best for everyone else and forgets the things that she wants or needs along the way. I love her selflessness and the fact that she wants what makes everyone else happy. She has one simple thing that she wants, to love and be loved. Of course, she just has a hard time showing it and sometimes she picks the wrong moment to show it. Her character grew a lot over the course of the book.
Michelle was her best friend during the previous book but over the summer, they seem to have fallen out. There is something growing between them, an animosity that shouldn't exist between friends in the first place and Emma doesn't know what happened to make their friendship change. Suddenly her perfect best friend isn't so perfect. Their fallout seems to influence more than just them as certain girls such as Elise take aim at Emma because of it. A new friendship that developed during the book is between Emma and Jess, a girl who used to not even acknowledge the existence of our lovely main character during the previous book. It turns out that Jess is going to be the best support that Emma could ever have and she illustrates the true pattern of a good friend. To stand by them despite their differences.
Gray, the love interest, is the type of guy that I want to slap for being stupid. It's like a running case of stupidity among the young adult novel love interests. If a guy jerked me around like these guys do, I would definitely never speak to them again. I had a lot of hope for the blossoming relationship between Gray and Emma but suddenly, it just wasn't good enough. The love between the two of them goes from teenage love to serious adult love. It was as if they were signing their marriage certificate already. So, in that way, I guess I wasn't surprised when it fell apart but I had hoped that there would be some sort of scenario where these two could've been happy.
I really think Owen is a good guy, he is loyal and faithful. It's obvious that he had a crush on Emma even though she never noticed which caused some strain on the friendship between Michelle and her as well. He is the type of guy that we all want to date and in fact, I bet most of us know a guy like him but he is also the type of guy that gets friend-zoned and never gets a chance.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was a great story and I can't wait for the next book!
April 8, 2013
I was very excited to receive this book through NetGalley, because I really enjoy re-tellings of other stories I’ve already read (even though I didn’t exactly enjoy or even understand The Scarlet Letter when I decided to read it by myself in 9th grade). A Touch of Scarlet was a great read and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. I expected a frivolous love story somehow taking place back in Hester Prynn’s time, but what I experienced was so much better. A story of making the right choices, standing up for what you believe in and becoming who you truly are despite what others may think is at the heart of A Touch of Scarlet.
Having not read the previous book, A Breath of Eyre, in Eve Marie Mont’s series, I was still able to enjoy this story on its own because the background information from the previous novel wasn’t necessary to enjoying the plot, but probably would have added to the overall effect (if I had more time I would have read A Breath of Eyre first). I’m sure the reader would feel even stronger connections to the characters having read the first book in the series also. (I am adding to my TBR list!!)
Emma, the main character has had some traumatic experiences; a rough sophomore year of high school, dealing with the suicide of her mother, however she perseveres and is having the summer of her life with the boy of her dreams, Gray. Having helped him out of a rough patch the previous year, they seem to share an uncanny even telepathic? bond. However, their love will be tested, just like Hester Prynn’s and Dimmesdale’s, but is their love doomed from the start? And while Emma tries to sort out her love life she seems to be making mistakes at every turn, putting all of her relationships with friends and family in danger of falling apart.
Her best friend and roommate, Michelle, has isolated her and become friends with their once arch enemy Elise. Emma doesn’t even know who she is anymore and to top it all off, she keeps going into trances when she goes running and ending up in The Scarlet Letter, but when she wakes up from these subconscious side-trips she finds herself lost with no recollection of getting there. Alongside dealing with all of the difficult relationships that come with high school, Emma also has to deal with a difficult and close-minded principal who has the power to make her life miserable.
Not only does this story deal with Emma’s tumultuous relationships and problems, it also hits on the topic of same-sex couples and the difficulties and hardships of being gay in high school. I think this book did a great job of opening my eyes to this issue as it is the first Young Adult book I have read involving lesbians. It was a wonderful way to introduce people to the subject and making them understand how important it is to be supportive to people who are struggling to come to terms with who they are.
All in all I loved this book, at times it was bit slow, but overall the messages were outstanding and I feel I gained something from reading it!
Having not read the previous book, A Breath of Eyre, in Eve Marie Mont’s series, I was still able to enjoy this story on its own because the background information from the previous novel wasn’t necessary to enjoying the plot, but probably would have added to the overall effect (if I had more time I would have read A Breath of Eyre first). I’m sure the reader would feel even stronger connections to the characters having read the first book in the series also. (I am adding to my TBR list!!)
Emma, the main character has had some traumatic experiences; a rough sophomore year of high school, dealing with the suicide of her mother, however she perseveres and is having the summer of her life with the boy of her dreams, Gray. Having helped him out of a rough patch the previous year, they seem to share an uncanny even telepathic? bond. However, their love will be tested, just like Hester Prynn’s and Dimmesdale’s, but is their love doomed from the start? And while Emma tries to sort out her love life she seems to be making mistakes at every turn, putting all of her relationships with friends and family in danger of falling apart.
Her best friend and roommate, Michelle, has isolated her and become friends with their once arch enemy Elise. Emma doesn’t even know who she is anymore and to top it all off, she keeps going into trances when she goes running and ending up in The Scarlet Letter, but when she wakes up from these subconscious side-trips she finds herself lost with no recollection of getting there. Alongside dealing with all of the difficult relationships that come with high school, Emma also has to deal with a difficult and close-minded principal who has the power to make her life miserable.
Not only does this story deal with Emma’s tumultuous relationships and problems, it also hits on the topic of same-sex couples and the difficulties and hardships of being gay in high school. I think this book did a great job of opening my eyes to this issue as it is the first Young Adult book I have read involving lesbians. It was a wonderful way to introduce people to the subject and making them understand how important it is to be supportive to people who are struggling to come to terms with who they are.
All in all I loved this book, at times it was bit slow, but overall the messages were outstanding and I feel I gained something from reading it!
February 16, 2013
I am starting this one out by diving right into my thoughts on the book. In two words: major disappointment. And this makes me extremely sad because I really liked the first one and thought the premise was great. I had seen nothing similar to it in YA books, so I was excited to see the follow up. I really appreciated the character development with Michelle and former enemies Jess and Elise. I thought that the plots pertaining to them were by far the strongest in the book. I also liked that Emma finally got a back bone and did what she knew was right for her. The only catch is that it took most of the book for her to manage this. And by the time she did, I was so frustrated and disgusted with her weak willed choices/character that I wanted to knock her out and promote someone else to MC status. I also thought that the scenes with Emma (and Gray this time too) in the plot of The Scarlet Letter were very melodramatic and didn't really make much sense to the plot - at least for me personally as a reader. I thought that they made their relationship a Romeo & Juliet thing, when really they were just two dumb teenagers who needed to get over themselves. Emma's lack of personality without Gray for the first 2/3 of the book was angering. It harkened back to New Moon for me and the complete helplessness displayed by Bella Swan. But the kick-ass attitude that she gains near the end did have me cheering. The action seriously lagged and I felt like the book could have been somewhat shorter than it was in actuality. A lot of the pointless introspection could have been axed by a good editing decision. The next book will hopefully have a distinct lack of Gray, because he is in Coast Guard training and Emma will be in Paris - with someone that readers of the first book would never have thought to be a potential friend. I will be reading the next book, as it's the conclusion to the series. But I hope that it escapes from the lazy plotting and Mary-Sue tendencies that this one displayed. I recommend it to those who read the first book, if they are brave enough to stomach it.
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 26th, 2013.*
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 26th, 2013.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2013
I love retellings of different classics, so I was really excited to read A Touch of Scarlet. The way The Scarlet Letter was incorporated into the plot of A Touch Of Scarlet was amazing.
Emma, the main character, ends up falling into The Scarlet Letter at various points in the story. She lives in the story itself. Hester, the main character in The Scarlet Letter, was a parallel to Emma and who Emma could eventually become. Even though I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter, the book did a great job of giving you just enough information to understand both the plot and characters in it.
At the beginning of A Touch of Scarlet, I liked Emma as a main character. As the story progressed, she starts to try to find her identity. Along the way, I really didn’t like a lot of the decisions they made and how they hurt others. By the end, though, I think she changed for the better.
For the relationship between her and Gray, it was full of so many twists and turns. There were a lot of things that changed in their relationship and they each realized that they needed to be their own person. Owen, a close friend of Emma’s, was also a great person and such a nice guy.
The plot of the book was so entertaining. The incorporation of The Scarlet Letter also made things a lot more interesting. However, there were some themes later in the book that I didn’t enjoy reading about, based on my own personal beliefs. There was definitely a more serious tone to A Touch of Scarlet, with some characters who were constantly bullied throughout the book. I felt so bad for what they had to go through!
The ending was great, although I feel like there were some questions left unanswered. I’m very curious to see how things will turn out in The Phantom Enchantment, especially regarding Emma’s and Gray’s relationship. I hope that Emma will eventually get her happily ever after :)
Emma wasn’t the most likable character in A Touch of Scarlet, but the incorporation of The Scarlet Letter in the plot was great and the book was written beautifully. I’d give it 3 1/2 out of 5 flowers.
* Review also posted at http://www.thebookbelles.blogspot.com
Emma, the main character, ends up falling into The Scarlet Letter at various points in the story. She lives in the story itself. Hester, the main character in The Scarlet Letter, was a parallel to Emma and who Emma could eventually become. Even though I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter, the book did a great job of giving you just enough information to understand both the plot and characters in it.
At the beginning of A Touch of Scarlet, I liked Emma as a main character. As the story progressed, she starts to try to find her identity. Along the way, I really didn’t like a lot of the decisions they made and how they hurt others. By the end, though, I think she changed for the better.
For the relationship between her and Gray, it was full of so many twists and turns. There were a lot of things that changed in their relationship and they each realized that they needed to be their own person. Owen, a close friend of Emma’s, was also a great person and such a nice guy.
The plot of the book was so entertaining. The incorporation of The Scarlet Letter also made things a lot more interesting. However, there were some themes later in the book that I didn’t enjoy reading about, based on my own personal beliefs. There was definitely a more serious tone to A Touch of Scarlet, with some characters who were constantly bullied throughout the book. I felt so bad for what they had to go through!
The ending was great, although I feel like there were some questions left unanswered. I’m very curious to see how things will turn out in The Phantom Enchantment, especially regarding Emma’s and Gray’s relationship. I hope that Emma will eventually get her happily ever after :)
Emma wasn’t the most likable character in A Touch of Scarlet, but the incorporation of The Scarlet Letter in the plot was great and the book was written beautifully. I’d give it 3 1/2 out of 5 flowers.
* Review also posted at http://www.thebookbelles.blogspot.com
August 19, 2024
Utterly loved reading this book, it was such a great sequel, and I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to finish out the series!
February 22, 2013
I read A BREATH OF EYRE last year and was very happy to see that there was a sequel. A TOUCH OF SCARLET picks up where BREATH left off. It's summer and Emma and Gray are together. All seems great but then it's time for Gray to leave for Coast Guard training like he planned. Emma then goes back to Lockwood for another year of school. She and Michelle are roommates again this year but there is a tension between them that Emma can't really explain and doesn't try to.
Now I'll start getting nitpicky with Emma. In BREATH, she is strong and a very likeable MC. In SCARLET...not so much. She does things "just because" and doesn't think through her actions. She's not the same girl that I felt such an affinity towards. This was very frustrating to me, especially after several (no spoilers) things that happen in the book.
I think the odd thing about the book is that Emma travels into THE SCARLET LETTER, much as she did into JANE EYRE in book 1. Why is this odd? Well, the major theme of SCARLET LETTER is the fact that Hester Prynne is an adultress. Um...Emma is not an adultress. This connection was a stretch. (This may be because I was an English major in school and look at literature closely.) There are also references to "The Crucible" and, again, it's a stretch. I can see how Emma might see similarities between her choices and those of the fictional characters but...not really.
There are several side plots going on which took away from Emma's story. (No spoilers.) One of the characters even remarks to Emma that she's not really part of the events that are going on but Emma makes it about her and pushes her way in. I found these various plot lines to cloud the issues that Emma really should have been dealing with in her own life.
There is supposed to be a Book 3, which I really hope will be fantastic, since it's set in Paris, France.
I'd recommend this book to: older YA readers (there are *very* mature themes in this book) and fans of THE SCARLET LETTER and "The Crucible."
I received this advance review copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
Now I'll start getting nitpicky with Emma. In BREATH, she is strong and a very likeable MC. In SCARLET...not so much. She does things "just because" and doesn't think through her actions. She's not the same girl that I felt such an affinity towards. This was very frustrating to me, especially after several (no spoilers) things that happen in the book.
I think the odd thing about the book is that Emma travels into THE SCARLET LETTER, much as she did into JANE EYRE in book 1. Why is this odd? Well, the major theme of SCARLET LETTER is the fact that Hester Prynne is an adultress. Um...Emma is not an adultress. This connection was a stretch. (This may be because I was an English major in school and look at literature closely.) There are also references to "The Crucible" and, again, it's a stretch. I can see how Emma might see similarities between her choices and those of the fictional characters but...not really.
There are several side plots going on which took away from Emma's story. (No spoilers.) One of the characters even remarks to Emma that she's not really part of the events that are going on but Emma makes it about her and pushes her way in. I found these various plot lines to cloud the issues that Emma really should have been dealing with in her own life.
There is supposed to be a Book 3, which I really hope will be fantastic, since it's set in Paris, France.
I'd recommend this book to: older YA readers (there are *very* mature themes in this book) and fans of THE SCARLET LETTER and "The Crucible."
I received this advance review copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
January 19, 2014
I have to admit that, in the beginning, I found the protagonist’s convenient lapses into trancelike states or shunts into the lives of fictional characters a gripping premise if slightly unconvincing. Also, the ability of people around her to suspend belief and accept her outrageous claims to be living the lives of storybook heroines is rather unbelievable. Why doesn’t anybody recommend a good psychiatrist to sort out these obviously psychotic episodes? The girl’s mother was mentally unstable; does anybody not see Emma’s behavior as cause for concern?
But the first novel in this series, “A Breath of Eyre” called for suspending belief and the author manages to make her case that such events can occur in an otherwise mundane world. Emma’s “flights of fancy” aren’t necessarily the signs of a dementia but a reflection of her trying to figure out where she fits into the world. “A Touch of Scarlet” expands on this fight as it shows our heroine undergoing the mental confusion that is all too common in adolescence.
Emma’s boyfriend, friends and supposed enemies are changing in ways that she’s not quite ready to accept. Her friends point out that she’s changing as well even if she doesn’t realize it. Emma’s attempts to improve matters by interfering frequently backfire (which makes her seem more like a certain Austen heroine than a Hawthorne one). All this unwinds and intertwines with the story of Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne, a woman also battling with outward censure and the demands of her own passionate spirit.
The author’s writing never falls back on glib explanations or pat solutions. There are no storybook endings here, no ridings into the sunset with the stalwart hero, no new boyfriends appearing to take the place of old ones. Alliances shift, friendships change and romance conflicts with the needs of everyday life. In the end, Ms. Mont does reconcile her impossible device with Emma’s changing life. Her end isn’t an end, after all, but an exciting new beginning, one that I’m eager to read.
But the first novel in this series, “A Breath of Eyre” called for suspending belief and the author manages to make her case that such events can occur in an otherwise mundane world. Emma’s “flights of fancy” aren’t necessarily the signs of a dementia but a reflection of her trying to figure out where she fits into the world. “A Touch of Scarlet” expands on this fight as it shows our heroine undergoing the mental confusion that is all too common in adolescence.
Emma’s boyfriend, friends and supposed enemies are changing in ways that she’s not quite ready to accept. Her friends point out that she’s changing as well even if she doesn’t realize it. Emma’s attempts to improve matters by interfering frequently backfire (which makes her seem more like a certain Austen heroine than a Hawthorne one). All this unwinds and intertwines with the story of Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne, a woman also battling with outward censure and the demands of her own passionate spirit.
The author’s writing never falls back on glib explanations or pat solutions. There are no storybook endings here, no ridings into the sunset with the stalwart hero, no new boyfriends appearing to take the place of old ones. Alliances shift, friendships change and romance conflicts with the needs of everyday life. In the end, Ms. Mont does reconcile her impossible device with Emma’s changing life. Her end isn’t an end, after all, but an exciting new beginning, one that I’m eager to read.
March 1, 2013
When I first picked up this book, I was really curious to see how Eve Marie Mont would get Emma into the world of Hester Prynne and The Scarlet Letter with this book. In A Breath of Eyre, Emma ended up going to the hospital four times, and I sincerely hoped that would not be the same method for the translation this time. Thankfully, it wasn't. Instead, Emma goes into a pseudo dream state while running...and she only goes to the hospital once, so that's a definite plus.
Knowing that The Scarlet Letter was central to this book, I really should have known that it would deal with some serious matters in the lives Emma, Michelle, Gray, Owen, Elise, and Jess. A Touch of Scarlet is about growing up, figuring out who you are, taking a stand with friends and against injustice, and it also broaches the matter of sexuality. I though it was all very well done, and even in the midst of some serious bullying and such, Emma and her friends, both old and new, still also find a way to joke around with each other.
Now, like some other people, I felt like the characters did change a bit. Emma was a good strong protagonist in A Breath of Eyre, but for a majority of A Touch of Scarlet, she seems to have withdrawn, becoming so attached to Gray that when he isn't around she is basically a mess, not really knowing who she is or what she's doing. I think, considering all the mistakes she made through the book and everything she learned, by the end of the story, Emma has become stronger than before, which I like.
I will be really intrigued to see what happens in A Phantom Enchantment, because seeing Emma in the world of The Phantom of the Opera should be pretty fun, while also dealing with a number of mature themes that I believe teens do deal with quite frequently these days.
Knowing that The Scarlet Letter was central to this book, I really should have known that it would deal with some serious matters in the lives Emma, Michelle, Gray, Owen, Elise, and Jess. A Touch of Scarlet is about growing up, figuring out who you are, taking a stand with friends and against injustice, and it also broaches the matter of sexuality. I though it was all very well done, and even in the midst of some serious bullying and such, Emma and her friends, both old and new, still also find a way to joke around with each other.
Now, like some other people, I felt like the characters did change a bit. Emma was a good strong protagonist in A Breath of Eyre, but for a majority of A Touch of Scarlet, she seems to have withdrawn, becoming so attached to Gray that when he isn't around she is basically a mess, not really knowing who she is or what she's doing. I think, considering all the mistakes she made through the book and everything she learned, by the end of the story, Emma has become stronger than before, which I like.
I will be really intrigued to see what happens in A Phantom Enchantment, because seeing Emma in the world of The Phantom of the Opera should be pretty fun, while also dealing with a number of mature themes that I believe teens do deal with quite frequently these days.
April 22, 2017
*Thank you to K-Teen for providing a review copy of this book*
*Note: My ARC of this book is available for trade on the YA Book Exchange*
Quick Review...for when I don't have a lot to say...
After reading A Breath of Eyre and absolutely loving it, I was expecting the same from the sequel. It didn't quite live up to its predecessor, but never fear - I still enjoyed it enough.
Throughout the book, Emma kind of annoyed me. She wasn't nearly as interesting as she was in A Breath of Eyre. She seemed whiny and immature to me this time around. I kind of didn't like her, up until the end. Without spoiling that, I'll just say that she had a sudden burst of character growth and did the right thing. That redeemed her in my eyes.
I did enjoy her forays into Hester Prynne's world. I wish they'd been fleshed out a bit more, and we'd have spent more time there. I do understand that the author didn't want this to be just another incarnation of the first book, so she changed things up. It works, just not as successfully for me as the first book. It wasn't unenjoyable by any means.
Gray kind of drove me nuts. He was needy, but remote and kind of a DB this time. I adored him in the first book, so I hoped for more this time. Alas, my book boyfriend let me down. Ah well, they can't all be perfect, right?!
The secondary characters were quite enjoyable, some surprisingly so. If you read Breath of Eyre, you'll know who I mean. I liked the interactions between the main characters and the supporting cast.
In the end, this one was a 3.5 Eiffel Tower book.
Content Advisory:
Language: Mild
Sexuality: Moderate
Violence: Mild
*Note: My ARC of this book is available for trade on the YA Book Exchange*
Quick Review...for when I don't have a lot to say...
After reading A Breath of Eyre and absolutely loving it, I was expecting the same from the sequel. It didn't quite live up to its predecessor, but never fear - I still enjoyed it enough.
Throughout the book, Emma kind of annoyed me. She wasn't nearly as interesting as she was in A Breath of Eyre. She seemed whiny and immature to me this time around. I kind of didn't like her, up until the end. Without spoiling that, I'll just say that she had a sudden burst of character growth and did the right thing. That redeemed her in my eyes.
I did enjoy her forays into Hester Prynne's world. I wish they'd been fleshed out a bit more, and we'd have spent more time there. I do understand that the author didn't want this to be just another incarnation of the first book, so she changed things up. It works, just not as successfully for me as the first book. It wasn't unenjoyable by any means.
Gray kind of drove me nuts. He was needy, but remote and kind of a DB this time. I adored him in the first book, so I hoped for more this time. Alas, my book boyfriend let me down. Ah well, they can't all be perfect, right?!
The secondary characters were quite enjoyable, some surprisingly so. If you read Breath of Eyre, you'll know who I mean. I liked the interactions between the main characters and the supporting cast.
In the end, this one was a 3.5 Eiffel Tower book.
Content Advisory:
Language: Mild
Sexuality: Moderate
Violence: Mild
June 1, 2013
I loved Breathe of Eyre last year and looked forward to reading this book when it came out. But when I read some of the reviews, I was a little nervous but decided to go ahead and read it.
Where do I begin, I LOVED IT. The story was amazing all the twists and turns were awsome, if a little predictable.
I loved the way that The Scarlet Letter was woven into this story. In Breath of Eyre, our main character Emma keeps having these brushes with death and then she is transported into Jane Eyre. Also the author copys and pastes much of the book into the scenes where Emma is Jane, with very few differences. While a good idea Touch of Scarlet transports Emma much differently. First when she goes there she is often out running, and as the author does with Jane Eyre, Emma learns from Hester and the rest of the SL charatcters and instead of copy and pasteing, the author weaves the story in quite a bit better. Thus allowing Emma to learn more.
I also feel that this book tastefully handles some touch issues such as Homosexuality. The author deals with this issue very well and tastefully, (which is a rare quality among books) She also deals with bullying well and messy relationships.
My only problem was I felt most of the message this book sends was great, but I felt the message was a bit mainstream. But thats more of a nitpicking issue. The other problem was like I said it was predictable.
Overall the book was amazing and I can't wait for the third one
Where do I begin, I LOVED IT. The story was amazing all the twists and turns were awsome, if a little predictable.
I loved the way that The Scarlet Letter was woven into this story. In Breath of Eyre, our main character Emma keeps having these brushes with death and then she is transported into Jane Eyre. Also the author copys and pastes much of the book into the scenes where Emma is Jane, with very few differences. While a good idea Touch of Scarlet transports Emma much differently. First when she goes there she is often out running, and as the author does with Jane Eyre, Emma learns from Hester and the rest of the SL charatcters and instead of copy and pasteing, the author weaves the story in quite a bit better. Thus allowing Emma to learn more.
I also feel that this book tastefully handles some touch issues such as Homosexuality. The author deals with this issue very well and tastefully, (which is a rare quality among books) She also deals with bullying well and messy relationships.
My only problem was I felt most of the message this book sends was great, but I felt the message was a bit mainstream. But thats more of a nitpicking issue. The other problem was like I said it was predictable.
Overall the book was amazing and I can't wait for the third one
May 17, 2013
I am still in love with the idea of weaving the classics into the lives of teenagers today. I think (most of the time) a classic becomes so by simply being relevant no matter the setting. The themes played out in a Dickens novel is not so very different than the themes of lives played out all across the world. I loved how the author tied together The Scarlet Letter with Emma's life as we are reading about it and for tackling what I consider the Scarlet Letter of our times - homosexuality. Some have moved away from condemning divorcees (the scarlet letter of the 50s, 60s and 70s), but still condescend to those who are gay. Mont is a brave soul for putting a gay couple in her novel.
I just wish the bulk of the book had not devolved into just another novel about teenage angst. I understand that teens have angst. In fact, I even think I feel teenage angst even though I am 40 years old. I wanted this novel to be as good as the first, and Emma's life and problems got in the way this time. And I have to admit that The Scarlet Letter is not one of my favs like Jane Eyre was so maybe I just couldn't appreciate Emma's connection with Hester. Hester is a hard character to understand. Her shame is her glory in that she wears her badge with pride and seems to revel in the mischief it causes.
I am very much looking forward to the next one since it will be about another all time favorite of mine - The Phantom of the Opera.
I just wish the bulk of the book had not devolved into just another novel about teenage angst. I understand that teens have angst. In fact, I even think I feel teenage angst even though I am 40 years old. I wanted this novel to be as good as the first, and Emma's life and problems got in the way this time. And I have to admit that The Scarlet Letter is not one of my favs like Jane Eyre was so maybe I just couldn't appreciate Emma's connection with Hester. Hester is a hard character to understand. Her shame is her glory in that she wears her badge with pride and seems to revel in the mischief it causes.
I am very much looking forward to the next one since it will be about another all time favorite of mine - The Phantom of the Opera.
Read
March 16, 2013I really appreciate the way that the books in this series are NOT retellings. The main character, Emma, sort of "falls into" Jane Eyre for points in the first book, Breath of Eyre (after she's struck by lightning) and then hallucinates herself into The Scarlet Letter in this one. I guess the way I'd put it is that the series uses these classics as a way to explore issues in Emma, the main character's life. In A Breath of Eyre, she's coming to terms with her mother's suicide.
In this book, what she's coming to terms with is less clear. Her love life? Her independence? I sort of wish that A Touch of Scarlet had been a companion book with a new main character. It's not that I don't like Emma, but a lot of this book's plot seemed to be of the "drama for the sake of drama" variety and not much of the drama had anything to do with the Scarlet Letter. There were lots of instances of characters splitting up and moping and then getting back together, of characters kissing one another and then saying "I had no idea why I just did that." There's a gay rights subplot which is a welcome topic but, when folded into all The Scarlet Letter stuff, got a bit muddled for me. And I still have no idea why Emma imagines herself in some books but not others -- she's also reading Candide in French class and she never finds herself in the best of all possible worlds :)
I do applaud the creativity of these books and am curious to see what the author does with Phantom of the Opera.
In this book, what she's coming to terms with is less clear. Her love life? Her independence? I sort of wish that A Touch of Scarlet had been a companion book with a new main character. It's not that I don't like Emma, but a lot of this book's plot seemed to be of the "drama for the sake of drama" variety and not much of the drama had anything to do with the Scarlet Letter. There were lots of instances of characters splitting up and moping and then getting back together, of characters kissing one another and then saying "I had no idea why I just did that." There's a gay rights subplot which is a welcome topic but, when folded into all The Scarlet Letter stuff, got a bit muddled for me. And I still have no idea why Emma imagines herself in some books but not others -- she's also reading Candide in French class and she never finds herself in the best of all possible worlds :)
I do applaud the creativity of these books and am curious to see what the author does with Phantom of the Opera.
August 31, 2013
Emma Townsend’s second autumn at Lockwood Prep brings more than a change of seasons. Her boyfriend began training with an elite Coast Guard rescue group, and has broken up with Emma to concentrate on his studies. Friendships and enmities from last year are also shifting, so Emma concentrates on her classwork to straighten out her emotions. However, strange things happen when Emma starts reading The Scarlet Letter. During a run through the woods she encounters a crowd clad in sad-colored clothes, reviling a young woman who stands defiantly upon a scaffold. That proud woman holds a baby, and wears an ornate scarlet A upon her breast. Oddly, Emma doesn’t find this encounter as alarming as you or I might, for last year she had slipped into the world of Jane Eyre.
Eve Marie Mont’s YA novel places Emma in an increasingly confusing world. Her life echoes Hester Prynne’s as her best friends are bullied for being gay, a teacher is consumed by his hidden past, and Emma forges a new identity without her beloved boyfriend. A Touch of Scarlet is the second in the time-slip series about Emma Townsend but stands well on its own. Mont brings her experience and insight as a high school teacher to her writing, and presents us with a believable heroine in Emma. That bold and fallible girl is faced with some of life’s odder events, even as she learns that her problems aren’t so different than what Hester Prynne faced.
Eve Marie Mont’s YA novel places Emma in an increasingly confusing world. Her life echoes Hester Prynne’s as her best friends are bullied for being gay, a teacher is consumed by his hidden past, and Emma forges a new identity without her beloved boyfriend. A Touch of Scarlet is the second in the time-slip series about Emma Townsend but stands well on its own. Mont brings her experience and insight as a high school teacher to her writing, and presents us with a believable heroine in Emma. That bold and fallible girl is faced with some of life’s odder events, even as she learns that her problems aren’t so different than what Hester Prynne faced.
May 21, 2013
This wasn't quite as good as Breath of Eyre, but was still a really fun read. I still like the character of Emma, even though she was a little melodramatic in this one. The supporting characters were not as well fleshed-out in this one (except Owen, who rocks). While I found the time travel aspect of Breath of Eyre far-fetched but ignorable, the connection to Scarlet Letter in this one made no sense whatsoever. I found myself skipping the parts where she interacts with Hester and Pearl, because they were dull and didn't make much sense. However, in her real life, the connections to Scarlet Letter were very obvious and were a strong parallel that most students would understand with a rudimentary knowledge of the book. The judgement her friends feel is very similar to what Prynne experienced (no spoilers!), and I appreciate the support the author gives to students in their position. The author also chose to raise some issues pertaining to these students that are very real problems in today's schools (I know, I'm a teacher, and I see it all the time)--I feel this was very pertinent, and very well done. There was also a nice reference to French opera, which sets up nicely for the next book pertaining to Phantom. I look forward to the next book to see how Emma's story wraps up (as I assume it's a trilogy, as most teen books seem to be).
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