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The House of Hawthorne
From the bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl comes a novel that explores the unlikely marriage between celebrated novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and accomplished artist Sophia Peabody—a forgotten woman in history who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature.
As a sensitive, artistic young woman, Sophia Peabody is discouraged from pursuing a woman’s traditional roles of marriage and motherhood. But from their first meeting, she and Nathaniel Hawthorne begin an intense romantic partnership. Together, they cross continents, raise children, and experience all the beauty and tragedy of life fully lived. Sophia’s vivid journals and masterful paintings inspire Nathaniel’s writing. But their children’s needs and personal losses fuel a perennial tug-of-war between Sophia’s domestic duties and her own desires.
Spanning the years from the 1830s to the Civil War, and moving from Massachusetts to England, Portugal, and Italy, The House of Hawthorne explores the story of a woman, forgotten by history, who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature…
Readers Guide Included
As a sensitive, artistic young woman, Sophia Peabody is discouraged from pursuing a woman’s traditional roles of marriage and motherhood. But from their first meeting, she and Nathaniel Hawthorne begin an intense romantic partnership. Together, they cross continents, raise children, and experience all the beauty and tragedy of life fully lived. Sophia’s vivid journals and masterful paintings inspire Nathaniel’s writing. But their children’s needs and personal losses fuel a perennial tug-of-war between Sophia’s domestic duties and her own desires.
Spanning the years from the 1830s to the Civil War, and moving from Massachusetts to England, Portugal, and Italy, The House of Hawthorne explores the story of a woman, forgotten by history, who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature…
Readers Guide Included
403 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
103 people are currently reading
5666 people want to read
About the author
Erika Robuck
12 books1,366 followersErika Robuck is the national bestselling author of historical fiction including THE LAST TWELVE MILES and THE INVISIBLE WOMAN. In 2024 she was named a Maryland Writer’s Association Notable Writer and won the Anne Arundel County Arts Council Literary Award. A photography enthusiast, she resides in Annapolis with her husband and three sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
October 19, 2015
Dear Reader,
When Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne bewitched me through their etchings on the window glass of their first residence together, the Old Manse, in Concord, Massachusetts, I became obsessed with those passionate artists, and what they both gained and lost to lead lives of domesticity.
While reading her Cuba journal, I felt Sophia Peabody assert herself as my narrator: the keeper of the Hawthorne story. As is often the case, history recognizes the one who had the most fame, who is traditionally the man. Like other stories of artists and their spouses, the one without the attention is often a large and dynamic influence on the work of the one who is well known.
With each novel, I seek to challenge myself in a new way. In THE HOUSE OF HAWTHORNE I have attempted to take on the voice of Sophia Peabody Hawthorne to tell the story of what creatives give up for love, and how some artists are never at home on the earth. I do hope I did Sophia and her dear family justice.
Sincerely,
Erika Robuck
When Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne bewitched me through their etchings on the window glass of their first residence together, the Old Manse, in Concord, Massachusetts, I became obsessed with those passionate artists, and what they both gained and lost to lead lives of domesticity.
While reading her Cuba journal, I felt Sophia Peabody assert herself as my narrator: the keeper of the Hawthorne story. As is often the case, history recognizes the one who had the most fame, who is traditionally the man. Like other stories of artists and their spouses, the one without the attention is often a large and dynamic influence on the work of the one who is well known.
With each novel, I seek to challenge myself in a new way. In THE HOUSE OF HAWTHORNE I have attempted to take on the voice of Sophia Peabody Hawthorne to tell the story of what creatives give up for love, and how some artists are never at home on the earth. I do hope I did Sophia and her dear family justice.
Sincerely,
Erika Robuck
May 10, 2015
I have to confess that The Scarlet Letter is the only thing I have read by Nathaniel Hawthorne and that I knew very little about his personal life . Yet I was intrigued enough to want to read this book when I read about his loving and dedicated relationship with his wife Sophia. This is exactly what was portrayed in this novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is narrated in the first person by Sophia Peabody , an artist who falls in love with Hawthorne and eventually becomes his wife .
I really liked the writing - especially in the beginning with the beautiful descriptions of the landscape , flowers and birds in Cuba where Sophia and her sister stay with family friends in hopes that she will be cured of her constant headaches.
We are privy to Sophia's thoughts of and feelings about her art and what she would want in a perfect relationship. Nathaniel seems to meet her wants and desires from the first moment they meet. Their lives are not without hard times , loss of loved ones , financial difficulties and artistic struggles , moving from place to place in Massachusetts and to Europe. Sophia helps us know of Hawthorne's struggles at times to write and how he'd much rather be alone or with her than in social settings. She , too struggles with her art and pretty much gives it up to care for her children, a relevant dilemma for women today as well .
I was engaged in their story and loved the appearances of some of Hawthorne's friends - Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson , Henry Longfellow. I should read another Hawthorne book . Maybe it will be The House of Seven Gables which I bought s number of years ago when I visited the house in Salem .
I recommend it if you are interested in the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne or would just like to read a lovely love story .
Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW and NetGalley.
February 4, 2016
It's just so saccharine - completely focused on how wonderful and perfect the love between Nathaniel and Sophia was, with the result that any events with real potential for drama and conflict (the Hawthornes' money worries, Sophia's attempts to balance being a mother and an artist, Nathaniel's discomfort with female self-expression, Elizabeth's jealousy at Nathaniel being romantically interested in her sister and not her) are brushed over. The closest it gets to being moving is when Una nearly dies of malaria. And after a while, this refusal to face any of the negative aspects of life in detail becomes really dull. It's not that I want to read something depressing, it's that all lives have light and shade, and all people have flaws.
Perhaps because of this, the characterisation is very thin; apart from Sophia (who seems lively and passionate, but also jealous and petulant), everyone else is characterised in broad strokes. Hawthorne is reserved, with a playful side that only Sophia sees; Julian is energetic; Una is tempestuous and then frail; Rose has visions; Emerson is intellectual at the expense of his feelings; Margaret Fuller is blunt and headstrong.
Worst of all is Herman Melville - who, as portrayed here, is emotionally volatile and obsessed with Hawthorne in a way that makes Sophia uncomfortable. (oh, and so many of the things he says are awkwardly reworded quotes from Hawthorne and his Mosses; as if the Hawthornes weren't aware of that essay!) That Melville was volatile I'll give you; likewise that his feelings for Hawthorne were intense; but Sophia, like all the Hawthornes, was struck by what a genuinely good and likeable person he was. This is the real Sophia's actual opinion of him; and there's nothing to suggest that she found him a threat to her marriage or a burden on her domestic happiness. The two of them, if anything, seem to have got along well. While you're allowed some license in writing about real people, why so completely misrepresent what actually happened? (especially when I know she's read Patricia Dunlavy Valente's biography of Sophia, who stresses how well the three of them fit together, to the point where you can virtually see <3 OT3 <3 written in the margins!)
That thinness extends to the writing style as well; it's reasonably period-appropriate, but doesn't feel quite like how real people from the 19th century expressed themselves.
Ultimately, because of its lack of depth in emotion or characterisation, I don't feel like I've gained anything from reading this that I couldn't have got from a biography, of either Nathaniel or Sophia. Where historical fiction adds to biography is its ability to imagine feelings and motives, to create emotional truth beyond fact, and by those lights this book isn't successful. If you're interested in the Hawthornes, read the novels, read the correspondence, and read the biographies - but this book isn't worth the effort.
Perhaps because of this, the characterisation is very thin; apart from Sophia (who seems lively and passionate, but also jealous and petulant), everyone else is characterised in broad strokes. Hawthorne is reserved, with a playful side that only Sophia sees; Julian is energetic; Una is tempestuous and then frail; Rose has visions; Emerson is intellectual at the expense of his feelings; Margaret Fuller is blunt and headstrong.
Worst of all is Herman Melville - who, as portrayed here, is emotionally volatile and obsessed with Hawthorne in a way that makes Sophia uncomfortable. (oh, and so many of the things he says are awkwardly reworded quotes from Hawthorne and his Mosses; as if the Hawthornes weren't aware of that essay!) That Melville was volatile I'll give you; likewise that his feelings for Hawthorne were intense; but Sophia, like all the Hawthornes, was struck by what a genuinely good and likeable person he was. This is the real Sophia's actual opinion of him; and there's nothing to suggest that she found him a threat to her marriage or a burden on her domestic happiness. The two of them, if anything, seem to have got along well. While you're allowed some license in writing about real people, why so completely misrepresent what actually happened? (especially when I know she's read Patricia Dunlavy Valente's biography of Sophia, who stresses how well the three of them fit together, to the point where you can virtually see <3 OT3 <3 written in the margins!)
That thinness extends to the writing style as well; it's reasonably period-appropriate, but doesn't feel quite like how real people from the 19th century expressed themselves.
Ultimately, because of its lack of depth in emotion or characterisation, I don't feel like I've gained anything from reading this that I couldn't have got from a biography, of either Nathaniel or Sophia. Where historical fiction adds to biography is its ability to imagine feelings and motives, to create emotional truth beyond fact, and by those lights this book isn't successful. If you're interested in the Hawthornes, read the novels, read the correspondence, and read the biographies - but this book isn't worth the effort.
May 5, 2015
A revealing glimpse into the lives of struggling author Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife Sophia, his Dove. Sophia, an artist, tells us of their long courtship, their marriage in a time when they struggled financially, the sadness of losing a child, while remaining hopeful nevertheless, and of her many health issues.
Love and hope were what they lived on in those early years before Nathaniel was given any real payment for his writing. How Nathaniel and Sophia both dealt with their individual talents' ebb and flow felt so genuine and intimate, thanks to Roebuck's ability with words. I could understand how an artist's environment and social dealings can affect his/her inspirations and aspirations alike. These two were meant for each other, and I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing with me their beautiful, although heartbreaking, love story.
Love and hope were what they lived on in those early years before Nathaniel was given any real payment for his writing. How Nathaniel and Sophia both dealt with their individual talents' ebb and flow felt so genuine and intimate, thanks to Roebuck's ability with words. I could understand how an artist's environment and social dealings can affect his/her inspirations and aspirations alike. These two were meant for each other, and I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing with me their beautiful, although heartbreaking, love story.
June 7, 2015
3.5 My favorite parts of this novel were those when Emerson, Thoreau and Margaret Fuller, even Franklin Pierce makes a modest appearance, were in the story. Never knew nor would I have thought that despite his black moods Hawthorne was such a romantic. Parts of this book were absolutely fascinating, but parts for me at least dragged. Could never really attach myself to Sophie as the sole narrator. She tended to go over and over the same things many, many times. This broke up the story for me, yet there is much to admire for those fascinated with this time period and these amazing people.
May 5, 2015
We often resent books we’re forced to read in school, but The Scarlet Letter wasn’t like that for me. Even though it was assigned reading for high school, I could instantly sense how important it was in the history of American literature. The tragic story of Hester Prynne and her judgmental community is one that stays with me half a lifetime later. I reread it in college for a Hawthorne & Melville course, for which I also read The Blithedale Romance, The House of the Seven Gables, and several of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s best short stories.
My more-than-average interest in Hawthorne, combined with my love of historical fiction about “famous wives,” meant that I was eager to read Erika Robuck’s latest. She’s made a name for herself with novels about some of history’s famous women, including Zelda Fitzgerald, Edna St. Vincent Millay and one of the Hemingway wives, but somehow I’ve never read anything by her until now.
The novel is from the first-person perspective of Sophia Peabody, later the wife of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Peabodys were an artistic, intellectual family who encouraged Sophia to cultivate her talent as a painter and sculptor, but illness often held her back: she suffered from debilitating headaches and turned to morphine and mesmerism for relief. The story begins and ends in the spring of 1864, when Nathaniel, suffering from a stomach ailment, sets off on a final journey without Sophia. In between these bookends, the novel spans the 1830s through the 1860s, taking in Sophia’s sojourn in Cuba as a young woman, her and Nathaniel’s courtship, and the challenges of parenthood and making a living from art.
My favorite portions of the novel were set in Concord, Massachusetts, that haven for writers and Transcendentalists. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville all play minor roles. It’s especially amusing to see Melville, Hawthorne’s ardent admirer, overstep the boundaries of polite society and become an irksome stalker. What I did not realize from previous biographical reading about the Hawthornes is that they nearly always struggled for money. They rented Emerson’s uncle’s house in Concord but were evicted when they fumbled to make payments. Nathaniel’s jobs in the Custom House and as the U.S. Consul in Liverpool (appointed by President Franklin Pierce, who was a personal friend and whose biography he wrote) were undertaken out of financial desperation rather than interest.
The Hawthornes’ time in Europe was another highlight of the novel for me. They encounter the Brownings and finally get a chance to see all the Italian art that has inspired Sophia over the years. Their oldest daughter, Una, also falls ill with malaria, which provides some great dramatic scenes in later chapters. I warmed to this late vision of Sophia as a devoted mother, whereas I struggled to accept her as a vibrant young woman and a randy wife. Her constant complaints about headaches are annoying, and I wasn’t convinced that the Cuba chapters were relevant to the novel as a whole; Robuck tries to link Sophia’s observations of slavery there with the abolitionist sentiments of the 1860s, but Sophia’s devotion to the antislavery cause was only ever half-hearted, so I didn’t believe the experience in Cuba could have affected her that deeply. Her unconsummated lust for Fernando is also, I suppose, meant to prefigure her abiding passion for Nathaniel – which is described in frequent, cringe-worthy sex scenes and flowery lines like “In his gaze, I feel our souls rise up to meet each other.”
Ultimately, my disconnection from Sophia as narrator meant that I would prefer to read about the Hawthornes in biographies, of which there are plenty. Two novels I would recommend that incorporate many of the same historical figures are Miss Fuller by April Bernard and What Is Visible by Kimberly Elkins (about the deaf-blind Laura Bridgman – who has a tiny cameo here). Beautiful Fools by R. Clifton Spargo uses a Cuba setting to better effect in telling the story of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s last holiday. I preferred all three of these to The House of Hawthorne. However, I’m certainly up for trying more of Robuck’s fiction.
(Originally published with images at my blog, Bookish Beck.)
My more-than-average interest in Hawthorne, combined with my love of historical fiction about “famous wives,” meant that I was eager to read Erika Robuck’s latest. She’s made a name for herself with novels about some of history’s famous women, including Zelda Fitzgerald, Edna St. Vincent Millay and one of the Hemingway wives, but somehow I’ve never read anything by her until now.
“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.”
(from Hawthorne’s The Marble Faun)
The novel is from the first-person perspective of Sophia Peabody, later the wife of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Peabodys were an artistic, intellectual family who encouraged Sophia to cultivate her talent as a painter and sculptor, but illness often held her back: she suffered from debilitating headaches and turned to morphine and mesmerism for relief. The story begins and ends in the spring of 1864, when Nathaniel, suffering from a stomach ailment, sets off on a final journey without Sophia. In between these bookends, the novel spans the 1830s through the 1860s, taking in Sophia’s sojourn in Cuba as a young woman, her and Nathaniel’s courtship, and the challenges of parenthood and making a living from art.
My favorite portions of the novel were set in Concord, Massachusetts, that haven for writers and Transcendentalists. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville all play minor roles. It’s especially amusing to see Melville, Hawthorne’s ardent admirer, overstep the boundaries of polite society and become an irksome stalker. What I did not realize from previous biographical reading about the Hawthornes is that they nearly always struggled for money. They rented Emerson’s uncle’s house in Concord but were evicted when they fumbled to make payments. Nathaniel’s jobs in the Custom House and as the U.S. Consul in Liverpool (appointed by President Franklin Pierce, who was a personal friend and whose biography he wrote) were undertaken out of financial desperation rather than interest.
The Hawthornes’ time in Europe was another highlight of the novel for me. They encounter the Brownings and finally get a chance to see all the Italian art that has inspired Sophia over the years. Their oldest daughter, Una, also falls ill with malaria, which provides some great dramatic scenes in later chapters. I warmed to this late vision of Sophia as a devoted mother, whereas I struggled to accept her as a vibrant young woman and a randy wife. Her constant complaints about headaches are annoying, and I wasn’t convinced that the Cuba chapters were relevant to the novel as a whole; Robuck tries to link Sophia’s observations of slavery there with the abolitionist sentiments of the 1860s, but Sophia’s devotion to the antislavery cause was only ever half-hearted, so I didn’t believe the experience in Cuba could have affected her that deeply. Her unconsummated lust for Fernando is also, I suppose, meant to prefigure her abiding passion for Nathaniel – which is described in frequent, cringe-worthy sex scenes and flowery lines like “In his gaze, I feel our souls rise up to meet each other.”
Ultimately, my disconnection from Sophia as narrator meant that I would prefer to read about the Hawthornes in biographies, of which there are plenty. Two novels I would recommend that incorporate many of the same historical figures are Miss Fuller by April Bernard and What Is Visible by Kimberly Elkins (about the deaf-blind Laura Bridgman – who has a tiny cameo here). Beautiful Fools by R. Clifton Spargo uses a Cuba setting to better effect in telling the story of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s last holiday. I preferred all three of these to The House of Hawthorne. However, I’m certainly up for trying more of Robuck’s fiction.
(Originally published with images at my blog, Bookish Beck.)
December 29, 2014
This books greatest strength was the characters. Personalities shine with distinction, and every character’s voices ring with truth and vitality. I loved that I could truly know these people, they were that three-dimensional. Extreme shyness, passion about art, sacrifice for family, and jealousy over missed opportunities all make an appearance to create the framework for our characters.
I especially enjoyed the main character, Sophia. Her struggle to balance her growing family’s demands and to create her art drove the story. I liked that even though she couldn't have both in the full measure that she wanted, she found contentment in what she had and experienced the joy that that brings. I found her to be just a shining example of how well this author pulled off the characterization card.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Nathan and Sophia. From the beginning, they have this intense connection that I as a reader felt in my bones. These two had the feel of soul mates to me which the author pulled off very well. Nathan and Sophia balanced each other out, with varying personality types but with the same drive towards their art and family.
The author did a fantastic job in creating a vivid look at mid-19th century life in a way that her readers experienced the setting, not just read about it. The settings were as varied as plantation-rich Cuba, stark industrial urban Britain, and the bucolic peace of rural east coast America. The author’s research on details from the time period show through in her descriptions of the rising tension towards slavery and the intimate details of early Victorian life.
This novel was my first introduction of Robuck, and I felt like it was a fantastic one. She blew me away with her superb characters, beautiful relationships, and careful attention to details and scene setting. This was one of the books I was most looking forward to in the coming year, and I am extremely happy I was able to experience it early. Definitely look into this one if you enjoy historical fiction and living the past.
Note: Book received for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Good Reads First Reads program.
I especially enjoyed the main character, Sophia. Her struggle to balance her growing family’s demands and to create her art drove the story. I liked that even though she couldn't have both in the full measure that she wanted, she found contentment in what she had and experienced the joy that that brings. I found her to be just a shining example of how well this author pulled off the characterization card.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Nathan and Sophia. From the beginning, they have this intense connection that I as a reader felt in my bones. These two had the feel of soul mates to me which the author pulled off very well. Nathan and Sophia balanced each other out, with varying personality types but with the same drive towards their art and family.
The author did a fantastic job in creating a vivid look at mid-19th century life in a way that her readers experienced the setting, not just read about it. The settings were as varied as plantation-rich Cuba, stark industrial urban Britain, and the bucolic peace of rural east coast America. The author’s research on details from the time period show through in her descriptions of the rising tension towards slavery and the intimate details of early Victorian life.
This novel was my first introduction of Robuck, and I felt like it was a fantastic one. She blew me away with her superb characters, beautiful relationships, and careful attention to details and scene setting. This was one of the books I was most looking forward to in the coming year, and I am extremely happy I was able to experience it early. Definitely look into this one if you enjoy historical fiction and living the past.
Note: Book received for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Good Reads First Reads program.
July 5, 2018
Lyrical, intriguing, romantic. Robuck, once again, weaves a fascinating tale between a well-known character and those who love him. I found myself particularly drawn to the way Sophia balances her artistic yearnings with her love of family and her understanding of duty in the best sense. The lives we lead are art in themselves. Lovely and moving, and very realistic, especially for the times.
December 31, 2014
I entered to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was excited when I won. As an English teacher I spent 10 years teaching The Scarlet Letter and was curious to learn about the personal life of its author. At first I was not sure if I was going to enjoy the novel, but as I got into the story I found it difficult to put down. Not only did I enjoy learning about the life of this great author, but appreciated the mentioning of other great writers and how their lives crossed paths with Hawthorne. I feel Robuck does a fantastic job depicting the personality and lifestyle of this complex man. In a way, her story provides an understanding of the mind that created the great novels I have enjoyed reading. In addition, I especially enjoyed the voice of his wife, Sophia, whom I knew little about before reading this novel. Having her perspective in the story allows the reader to feel he/she is getting an intimate portrayal of Hawthorne.
November 26, 2016
Have you read this remarkable account of Sophia Peabody, an artist in her own right, who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne? Robuck has written a captivating story of their tumultuous relationship, as well as Peabody's internal and external struggles, against the background of an important period of American history.
August 8, 2015
I will preface my review of The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck by admitting freely that I do not read romance novels. I read historic novels. I read erotica. But I do not read romantic novels. I don't enjoy them, I don't as a general rule...get them. So it is with some surprise and considerable joy that I say, for every rule there is an exception and for me The House of Hawthorne is that exception!
Sophia Peabody suffered horribly from an early age from terrible headaches, what we would consider to be migraines today. Being raised in the early 1800s, she was taught early on not to follow the traditional roles for a woman during those times. Sophia was an artist, but her headaches made her into an invalid, unable to rise from bed due to the pain. She is sent with her sister to Cuba, in hopes that the climate would do her health good. She prospers but also, while on the sugar can plantation, witnesses first hand the horrors of slavery and the beatings and broken families that the slaves suffer.
Sophia returns to Massachusetts but the images of the Caribbean island never leave her, the beauty and injustice. She is determined to one day fight for those whose live have seen so much injustice. Like her sisters, she lives a life most women of the time do not. She does not pine for a husband, but for what she alone can do. Until one day...
"...My head pains continue to plague me, and since my youngest brother Wellington has died of yellow fever, I find it hard to go through the motions of living, and spend many hours in this hammock.
'Hush, hush,' she says, breathless with excitement, her face glowing like a happy specter from the candle she carries. 'You must come downstairs.'
'Why?'
'Because a man who makes Lord Byron look plain as paste sits in our parlor, flanked by his two dour sisters.'
Elizabeth has a tendency to exaggerate when her intellect is aroused. I am doubtful.
'It is the reclusive writer,' she continues, 'The mysterious one who penned those intensely fascinating Twice Told Tales..."
Sophia is about to meet the man who will change all her perceptions of what her life was to be. The man who would become her husband and the one true love that would rise above all else. The writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne. The intense love affair that follows chronicles the struggle and poverty the two go through as Hawthorne fights for recognition for his writing. For Sophia the struggle is to maintain her self and her art as the responsibilities of a wife and mother intrude upon her life. More so are the condemnations she receives from friends and family as she dedicates more of herself to her husband and her children. But the love affair between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody is not the norm for its time. Nathaniel, though in need of Sophia's love and care, does not want her to give up her art and supports her to continue with it. But can she? For she also finds that being the wife and mother in the House of Hawthorne to be a joy as well.
The House of Hawthorne is the story of the lives and love of Sophia Peabody and her husband, arguably the greatest and most important American writer of the 1800s. It is also the tale of a woman who learns that with sacrifice and love, she can have and be it all.
A wonderfully written novel that should not be missed.
Sophia Peabody suffered horribly from an early age from terrible headaches, what we would consider to be migraines today. Being raised in the early 1800s, she was taught early on not to follow the traditional roles for a woman during those times. Sophia was an artist, but her headaches made her into an invalid, unable to rise from bed due to the pain. She is sent with her sister to Cuba, in hopes that the climate would do her health good. She prospers but also, while on the sugar can plantation, witnesses first hand the horrors of slavery and the beatings and broken families that the slaves suffer.
Sophia returns to Massachusetts but the images of the Caribbean island never leave her, the beauty and injustice. She is determined to one day fight for those whose live have seen so much injustice. Like her sisters, she lives a life most women of the time do not. She does not pine for a husband, but for what she alone can do. Until one day...
"...My head pains continue to plague me, and since my youngest brother Wellington has died of yellow fever, I find it hard to go through the motions of living, and spend many hours in this hammock.
'Hush, hush,' she says, breathless with excitement, her face glowing like a happy specter from the candle she carries. 'You must come downstairs.'
'Why?'
'Because a man who makes Lord Byron look plain as paste sits in our parlor, flanked by his two dour sisters.'
Elizabeth has a tendency to exaggerate when her intellect is aroused. I am doubtful.
'It is the reclusive writer,' she continues, 'The mysterious one who penned those intensely fascinating Twice Told Tales..."
Sophia is about to meet the man who will change all her perceptions of what her life was to be. The man who would become her husband and the one true love that would rise above all else. The writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne. The intense love affair that follows chronicles the struggle and poverty the two go through as Hawthorne fights for recognition for his writing. For Sophia the struggle is to maintain her self and her art as the responsibilities of a wife and mother intrude upon her life. More so are the condemnations she receives from friends and family as she dedicates more of herself to her husband and her children. But the love affair between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody is not the norm for its time. Nathaniel, though in need of Sophia's love and care, does not want her to give up her art and supports her to continue with it. But can she? For she also finds that being the wife and mother in the House of Hawthorne to be a joy as well.
The House of Hawthorne is the story of the lives and love of Sophia Peabody and her husband, arguably the greatest and most important American writer of the 1800s. It is also the tale of a woman who learns that with sacrifice and love, she can have and be it all.
A wonderfully written novel that should not be missed.
April 27, 2015
This is the story of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthrone. Sophia was lucky to be the daughter of parents who allowed her to be a thinker rather than just a man's silly wife. The time she spends in Cuba is painful and her first love awakening as we learn early in the story. The feelings of anger and horror the sisters feel as they witness the nature of slavery in Cuba convey to the reader that Sophia was ahead of her time. We learn early on that Sophia is a gifted artist, but also suffers from bad headaches- her health troubles. When her sister Elizabeth meets the handsome, talented author Nathaniel and has a hard time getting him to open up, her sister steps in and steals his heart forever, but take heart- it was inevitable.
While they interacted with great artists of their time the two preferred their solitude, which made them so perfectly well matched. With their poverty the song 'All You Need is Love' circled my mind, because they lived off their passion for each other. I didn't like Nathaniel's sisters from the start, he was an upstanding son and brother- putting aside so much of his desires to care for his family but that wasn't so unusual during the times. I have a love hate with historical fiction, particularly as some authors turn a famous historical figure into a caricature. This isn't the case in The House of Hawthrone. I loved both Sophia and Nathaniel in this telling of their love, both are complex human beings. I feel even if you aren't a fan of Hawthrone or keen on historical fiction it would still be a lovely read.
While they interacted with great artists of their time the two preferred their solitude, which made them so perfectly well matched. With their poverty the song 'All You Need is Love' circled my mind, because they lived off their passion for each other. I didn't like Nathaniel's sisters from the start, he was an upstanding son and brother- putting aside so much of his desires to care for his family but that wasn't so unusual during the times. I have a love hate with historical fiction, particularly as some authors turn a famous historical figure into a caricature. This isn't the case in The House of Hawthrone. I loved both Sophia and Nathaniel in this telling of their love, both are complex human beings. I feel even if you aren't a fan of Hawthrone or keen on historical fiction it would still be a lovely read.
December 31, 2015
I do question the five star reviews, I really, really do. Call me a snob or an angry hormonal someone, but this book was one of the most unpleasant ones I have read this year. And what is more, it is going to be the last one this year, how cool is it?
The premise was quite interesting, and the blurb sounded exciting, but nowadays most of the historical novels are geared towards the family housewives with the life style and pretentious morality I do not share.
The book is in the first person singular, so it does have a pretense of being modern and edgy. Let me remind you the the present tense narrative techniques were hardly ever used in the nineteenth century, and it was the time of story telling when novel as a literary form reached its pinnacle. Present tense was hardly, HARDLY ever used. O'k, we want to sound modern. It is totally fine, if not somewhat confusing out of time, but heck, the author is master of his or her creation.
If the author was trying to achieve edginess and uncertainty (another feature of the first- person narrative), the only edginess is the prolonged agony of the tooth that is slowly being pull out without anesthesia.
Moving on ... The vocabulary is saccharine ad nauseum , preposterous, and out of place. One might say that was an attempt to imitate the discourse of the 19th century. Well, it was an attempt, not a very successful one. I would recommend to look at the works of Fowles, Byatt, Waters if the intention is stylization.
The character was the most annoying creature, totally focused on her feelings and emotions, turning herself into a perpetual sacrificial victim. The character should have been a creative person, with the strong personality, but she was a most annoying, judgmental housewife. Not a single glimpse of artistic life force, not a hint at creativity, whether it was her husband's or hers. Nope ... not a single insight into the magic of human imagination. The books were mentioned, and he fact that she was painting, the names were generously dropped throughout the book, but it is not how it works when one writes about artists, writers, poets, and sculptures.
If the author's intention was to create this kind of character, then I will personally applaud her because the mission was accomplished with the amazing precision. I could not stand that shallow woman on many, many levels. Something though is telling me that it was not the real Sophia Peabody, and if she had been very similar to this one, my condolences, Mr. Hawthorne...
And finally, I hate being spoon-fed in a book. I prefer to make my own assumption and conclusions based on character's behavior and actions. When every thought is explained, every motive is revealed, and every nuance is enlarged for my brain, my brain feels offended ... Please give me some credit ...
They don't call it chicklit for nothing ...
That was one angry review ...
The premise was quite interesting, and the blurb sounded exciting, but nowadays most of the historical novels are geared towards the family housewives with the life style and pretentious morality I do not share.
The book is in the first person singular, so it does have a pretense of being modern and edgy. Let me remind you the the present tense narrative techniques were hardly ever used in the nineteenth century, and it was the time of story telling when novel as a literary form reached its pinnacle. Present tense was hardly, HARDLY ever used. O'k, we want to sound modern. It is totally fine, if not somewhat confusing out of time, but heck, the author is master of his or her creation.
If the author was trying to achieve edginess and uncertainty (another feature of the first- person narrative), the only edginess is the prolonged agony of the tooth that is slowly being pull out without anesthesia.
Moving on ... The vocabulary is saccharine ad nauseum , preposterous, and out of place. One might say that was an attempt to imitate the discourse of the 19th century. Well, it was an attempt, not a very successful one. I would recommend to look at the works of Fowles, Byatt, Waters if the intention is stylization.
The character was the most annoying creature, totally focused on her feelings and emotions, turning herself into a perpetual sacrificial victim. The character should have been a creative person, with the strong personality, but she was a most annoying, judgmental housewife. Not a single glimpse of artistic life force, not a hint at creativity, whether it was her husband's or hers. Nope ... not a single insight into the magic of human imagination. The books were mentioned, and he fact that she was painting, the names were generously dropped throughout the book, but it is not how it works when one writes about artists, writers, poets, and sculptures.
If the author's intention was to create this kind of character, then I will personally applaud her because the mission was accomplished with the amazing precision. I could not stand that shallow woman on many, many levels. Something though is telling me that it was not the real Sophia Peabody, and if she had been very similar to this one, my condolences, Mr. Hawthorne...
And finally, I hate being spoon-fed in a book. I prefer to make my own assumption and conclusions based on character's behavior and actions. When every thought is explained, every motive is revealed, and every nuance is enlarged for my brain, my brain feels offended ... Please give me some credit ...
They don't call it chicklit for nothing ...
That was one angry review ...
April 15, 2015
A lovely story and insightful peek into the personal lives of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne. We get an intimate look at the woman behind the man, a woman who struggled with migraines and gave up her art for home and family. Ninety percent of the story is told as a flashback: courtship, marriage, children, travel, Nathaniel’s struggles to write, and visits from Emerson, Channing, Margaret Fuller, Thoreau, and others. This is an enchanting historical ride in 19th-century Concord, Cuba, and Europe. Robuck’s writing is saturated with poetic images. Sophia certainly gushes with love for her husband and even names the early years of their marriage at the Old Manse as ‘their Eden.’ “Even in our Eden days, the stain of death spilled like crimson ink over the clean, white pages of our lives.” A highly emotional and romantic account. Robuck handles this territory with the utmost grace. I especially liked Robuck’s chapter on Martha Hunt. Let me also say that I was partial to this book before even starting it because I have written about Hawthorne at the Old Manse; I love anything historical about Concord writers of that era. I received this book free via NetGalley (NetGalley’s ebook technically failed to produce quotation marks and had instead m-dashes and parallel lines to indicate dialogue. What a mess. Not happy with that distraction at all).
December 23, 2014
Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife. Was so interested in reading because I know nothing about the author of The Scarlet Letter and it is one of my favorite books. I realize this is historical fiction but Robuck is well versed in adding so much truth to her stories. Found much of the book heartbreaking. His wife Sophia is an artist but suffers headaches when she creates and Hawthorne does not have much confidence in himself. They live a hand to mouth existence through most of their marriage. But it's a beautiful relationship, as they love each other very much.
Great read, went by quickly. Robuck has become a favorite author of mine. I would recommend this book to any historical fiction lover.
Great read, went by quickly. Robuck has become a favorite author of mine. I would recommend this book to any historical fiction lover.
May 17, 2015
I am afraid that I am in the minority here with not liking this one.
I found the plot and language of this book overly dramatic and silly. For example, when Sophia sees Hawthorne for the very first time she says, "By the Holy Angels, I feel my soul at once aflame and reaching through my breast towards him." Where is the build-up to this, the romantic tension?
Also the part of the book where she spends time in Cuba doesn't really go well with the rest of the novel. The first 20% of the novel when Sophia is in Cuba could have been completely cut out and it would not have affected the story in any great way.
I found the plot and language of this book overly dramatic and silly. For example, when Sophia sees Hawthorne for the very first time she says, "By the Holy Angels, I feel my soul at once aflame and reaching through my breast towards him." Where is the build-up to this, the romantic tension?
Also the part of the book where she spends time in Cuba doesn't really go well with the rest of the novel. The first 20% of the novel when Sophia is in Cuba could have been completely cut out and it would not have affected the story in any great way.
April 23, 2015
My Review for The House of Hawthorne will be featured on Romancing the Book Blog later this month- April 2015. To read the review for this book, and many other insightful reviews on this blog, visit- http://www.romancingthebookblog.com
September 16, 2016
I was in my later twenties when I first encountered A Scarlet Letter. I loved it and read it again. I then read other works by Hawthorne: (click on title to links to ebooks) Rappicini's Daughter, The House of the Seven Gables and even A Blithedale Romance. I later realized that one of my favorite books as a girl had been A Wonder Book For Boys and Girls.
As to Hawthorne's personal life, outside of his ancestors being involved with the Salem Witch trials and his working at the Custom House, I knew little.
The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck surprised me. I was unsure I would like it. The cover made me think of, well, a romance novel. But I was carried into the narrative world of Robuck's fictional Sophia Peabody and enjoyed every page.
Sophia was one of the "Peabody Sisters of Salem." Her sister Elizabeth never married; she became an educator and was the first woman publisher. Sister Mary also taught but later married educator Horace Mann. Sophia was artistic, but suffered migraine attacks that disabled her; the treatment included morphine. In 1833 it was arranged for Sophia to visit Cuba for her health with Mary as her companion; Mary acted as governess to their hosts children in exchange for room and board.
Cuba changed Sophia's life. The exotic atmosphere and environs inspired her as an artist. She felt her first attraction to a man and gave up all ideals of remaining unmarried and dedicated to her art. And she encountered the horrors of slavery.
After she returned home her sister Elizabeth received a visit from their neighbors, two sisters and their brother Nathaniel who Elizabeth declared more handsome than even Lord Byron. For Sophia it was love at first sight.
Who could blame Sophia? When I first saw his portrait as a young man about, oh, thirty years ago I thought he was very handsome and bought the postcard!
Robuck has written her story through Sophia's viewpoint. The novel begins at her last parting with her ailing husband Nathaniel, looking back over her life and the love shared with her husband. They were spiritual soul mates and intellectual equals who shared a deep sexual attraction. Nathaniel was a loner, uncomfortable with notoriety and with society, a man who dwelt too much on his ancestors and his personal failings. He set Sophia on a pedestal with the angels and calls her his Dove. She she gives him a painting he considers it too precious to share and he keeps it behind a black curtain for personal viewing.
Their physical attraction overcomes Nathaniel's hesitancy to marry and Sophia's desire to become an artist of repute. Nathaniel was 35 and Sophia 30 at the time of their marriage. The new lovers kept a diary of their marriage, and love letters survive. Their marriage brought personal joy although they live in near poverty as Nathaniel struggled to find employment to support them as he wrote.
Sophia is the stronger of the couple. Her motto is "Man's accidents are God's purposes." She supports her husband and neglects her own art.
They moved from place to place, and Nathaniel from job to job including a stint in England when his college friend Franklin Pierce gave him the position of Consul. Sophia longed for permanence.
Sophia was able to give up morphine when she began treatment under Dr. Fiske who used mesmerism. Nathaniel was uncomfortable with the process of Fiske's hands-on technique and objected to his wife's later belief in the occult and obsession with contacting the 'other world.'
New England was the center of America's intellectual world, and the Hawthornes knew all the movers and shakers. The Alcotts, Thoreau, Melville, Longfellow, Margaret Fuller, the Brownings, and Emerson were friends.
Tragedy came easily in the 19th c. Friends and family drown at sea, malaria takes lives and health. Children and spouses die, leaving broken families. Sophia describes her husband chopping wood and giving food to his family, growing thin, and agonizing over his inability to provide for them. Their daughter Uma nearly dies from "Roman Fever" while in Italy.
Nathaniel became America's first novelist of repute after the publication of A Scarlet Letter. They were able to purchase a home and find financial security.
The story of the Hawthorne marriage proves that fact can be more romantic than fiction.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
April 17, 2015
In "The House of Hawthorne," Erika Robuck brings her readers two larger than life characters and makes them a bit more accessible. The first thing I noticed about this book is how good the author is at portraying emotions. Her characters feel empathy, anger, frustration--and they make you feel it too. Symptoms of reading a talented writer.
The atmosphere in this book was really well written and I found myself lost within the pages soon after I started reading. The way the author chose to represent the Hawthorne's was engaging and a bit different from other love stories set in this period. I was quite impressed actually, with the depth of emotion the two showed for one another.
If you are a fan of Hawthorne, you will be impressed with this book. The author did a lot of research and filled in the gaps nicely to make a believable and exciting story from two well-known historical figures. I enjoyed the small details and appreciated the sly mention of Hathorne--the ancestor, in the first chapter.
Well done, author!
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The atmosphere in this book was really well written and I found myself lost within the pages soon after I started reading. The way the author chose to represent the Hawthorne's was engaging and a bit different from other love stories set in this period. I was quite impressed actually, with the depth of emotion the two showed for one another.
If you are a fan of Hawthorne, you will be impressed with this book. The author did a lot of research and filled in the gaps nicely to make a believable and exciting story from two well-known historical figures. I enjoyed the small details and appreciated the sly mention of Hathorne--the ancestor, in the first chapter.
Well done, author!
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
March 6, 2016
Sophia Peabody is a talented painter from a well known family in New England. Her family is very interested in the arts and her parents push her to be artistic instead of falling into traditional female roles. Sophia is plagued by severe migraines, but once she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne through her sister, she immediately feels a connection; in fact, her migraines become less and she finds much inspiration. At first she isn't sure if she should allow herself to have feelings for the aspiring author since she thinks her sister may like him, but as time goes by, no one can deny their connection. They plan to marry once he can figure out his finances and meanwhile, Nathaniel is striving to write the next big thing. Fans of Erika Robuck as well as historical fiction will be entertained by the story of Sophia and Nathaniel's marriage in The House of Hawthorne.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
May 7, 2015
A very enjoyable work of historical fiction for those who love classic American literature. The book explores the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne and his relationship with his wife, who is also a visual artist. The book is fiction, but it includes historical facts and hypothesizes what Hawthorne's relationships with other famous figures would have been like. For example, politicians, presidents, and other artists and writers all appear as characters in the novel. In addition, the book gives insight into how the Hawthorne family struggled financially and how Nathaniel took on outside employment to make ends, a theme not uncommon in the lives of writers today.
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I loved the connection of this book to literature and the life of the author. The concept of this book was executed elegantly by the writer.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I loved the connection of this book to literature and the life of the author. The concept of this book was executed elegantly by the writer.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2015
"The House of Hawthorne" is Erika Robuck's latest historical fiction. I enjoyed "Hemingway's Girl" so I was looking forward to reading this book (I need to get on reading Robuck's other books - so many books, so little time). This book focuses on the relationship and marriage between author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and his wife Sophia. Nathaniel is definitely the more well-known of the Hawthornes, however, his wife was also an artist in her own right.
I did not know much about Nathaniel Hawthorne's life before reading this book. It's always interesting to me to read historical fiction that takes a look at historical figures that you may not be familiar with. It seems like a great way to get an introduction! The only thing that I've ever read by Hawthorne is "The Scarlet Letter," so I was looking forward to reading about the man behind the book. Robuck looks at the interesting relationship between Nathaniel and Sophia. Sophia both inspired Nathaniel but was also an artist in her own right, who fought her own demons.
The book is told from Sophia's perspective, which I really liked. She had a interesting life in her own right before she met Nathaniel where she ended up in Cuba where she was trying to recover from health issues that would end up plaguing her for her entire life. I liked that we get to know her separately from Nathaniel as well as what they are like when they are together. Robuck breathes life into Hawthorne and we get to know him in a very intimately.
The relationship between Nathaniel and Sophia was interesting and it's easy to see why the author was drawn to writing about this couple. They fight a lot of the same demons as well as some different ones but in many ways, they bring out the best in each other. When Nathaniel and Sophia first meet, the sparks are almost instantaneous. They recognize in each other something that they don't find in a lot of other people: a love of art and an understanding of the importance of solitude. When they get married, there are some naysayers (including the famous Margaret Fuller) who say that art will be put on the proverbial back burner and neither Nathaniel nor Sophia will create anything great again. In the case of Nathaniel, he writes some of his most famous books while he is married. Sophia has a much different experience. The book explores how she copes with this and what she is able to create as part of the family.
Another thing that I enjoyed within this book is reading about all of the Hawthorne's other friends. Much of the book is set in Massachusetts, specifically Concord where the family makes their home. Concord was a haven for many writers including Henry Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott. It was interesting to see a different side of these writers than just their books.
The writing of this book was great! Again, I really liked that Sophia narrated the book. She has a wholly original voice and all of the detail made her seem real. I also really liked this book takes you so many different places. Although most of the book is set in Massachusetts, throughout the book the characters travel to England, Italy, and Portugal, which Robuck is able to bring to life with rich detail. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family or wants to do some armchair traveling.
I did not know much about Nathaniel Hawthorne's life before reading this book. It's always interesting to me to read historical fiction that takes a look at historical figures that you may not be familiar with. It seems like a great way to get an introduction! The only thing that I've ever read by Hawthorne is "The Scarlet Letter," so I was looking forward to reading about the man behind the book. Robuck looks at the interesting relationship between Nathaniel and Sophia. Sophia both inspired Nathaniel but was also an artist in her own right, who fought her own demons.
The book is told from Sophia's perspective, which I really liked. She had a interesting life in her own right before she met Nathaniel where she ended up in Cuba where she was trying to recover from health issues that would end up plaguing her for her entire life. I liked that we get to know her separately from Nathaniel as well as what they are like when they are together. Robuck breathes life into Hawthorne and we get to know him in a very intimately.
The relationship between Nathaniel and Sophia was interesting and it's easy to see why the author was drawn to writing about this couple. They fight a lot of the same demons as well as some different ones but in many ways, they bring out the best in each other. When Nathaniel and Sophia first meet, the sparks are almost instantaneous. They recognize in each other something that they don't find in a lot of other people: a love of art and an understanding of the importance of solitude. When they get married, there are some naysayers (including the famous Margaret Fuller) who say that art will be put on the proverbial back burner and neither Nathaniel nor Sophia will create anything great again. In the case of Nathaniel, he writes some of his most famous books while he is married. Sophia has a much different experience. The book explores how she copes with this and what she is able to create as part of the family.
Another thing that I enjoyed within this book is reading about all of the Hawthorne's other friends. Much of the book is set in Massachusetts, specifically Concord where the family makes their home. Concord was a haven for many writers including Henry Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott. It was interesting to see a different side of these writers than just their books.
The writing of this book was great! Again, I really liked that Sophia narrated the book. She has a wholly original voice and all of the detail made her seem real. I also really liked this book takes you so many different places. Although most of the book is set in Massachusetts, throughout the book the characters travel to England, Italy, and Portugal, which Robuck is able to bring to life with rich detail. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family or wants to do some armchair traveling.
September 13, 2015
As a writer, wife, and mother, I expected to feel a stronger connection to Sophia - the artist, wife, and mother. Yet, my connection to Nathaniel Hawthorne - the introverted writer and author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables - was just as strong. This was an engaging narrative told by Sophia, opening my eyes to another century, allowing me the opportunity to experience moments with the great literary leaders we've read about (The Brownings, Thoreau, Emerson, Melville, and others). Not just that, through her account, I walked along with her, smiled with her, mourned with her, and commiserated with her as she set aside her passion to concentrate on the children and provide the time that Nathaniel needed to feed his muse. I sympathized with her a lot since she had to silence hers. To Nathaniel, it was to lessen the violent headaches her muse would bring against her; to her, it was because she didn't have that same uninterrupted time to entertain it. Pieces that she did create were primarily kept at home for them to enjoy, since to Nathaniel they expressed their passion and love a bit too much to reveal to the public. Unfortunately, for Sophia, it silenced her public work even longer because she didn't have the time to create much more after that - which, to her, was a detriment to their finances for many years.
This was also a warm and beautiful love story, in spite of the many cold months expressed. They worked through the troubles and they were best friends. She understood his brooding moments and left him to them so he'd either listen to his stories or simply be. (Unfortunately, in one instance, when she was on a roll with a sketch - after the children were born - he foolheartedly interrupted her causing her anguish, grief, and the risk of losing her thoughts. I cringed since I've been there!)
Erika Robuck's extensive research in their lives through books, photographs, and travel brought Sophia's families and their era to light for me. There were many poignant moments. We watched them mature well and develop the expected wisdom it brings. The nineteenth-century prose was poetic. It also felt authentic. I enjoy historical fiction and I expect to become a part of that landscape of which I'm reading. In this case, I did, within a very enjoyable story.
My favorite line - which I informed the author via Twitter: "Company is a burden to those at home in the solitude of their souls". Sophia spoke those words of her husband who was ill-at-ease in large crowds and overall superficial social settings. I understood it quite well, I must admit.
Highly recommended read for those interested in other writers, history, and historical fiction.
This was also a warm and beautiful love story, in spite of the many cold months expressed. They worked through the troubles and they were best friends. She understood his brooding moments and left him to them so he'd either listen to his stories or simply be. (Unfortunately, in one instance, when she was on a roll with a sketch - after the children were born - he foolheartedly interrupted her causing her anguish, grief, and the risk of losing her thoughts. I cringed since I've been there!)
Erika Robuck's extensive research in their lives through books, photographs, and travel brought Sophia's families and their era to light for me. There were many poignant moments. We watched them mature well and develop the expected wisdom it brings. The nineteenth-century prose was poetic. It also felt authentic. I enjoy historical fiction and I expect to become a part of that landscape of which I'm reading. In this case, I did, within a very enjoyable story.
My favorite line - which I informed the author via Twitter: "Company is a burden to those at home in the solitude of their souls". Sophia spoke those words of her husband who was ill-at-ease in large crowds and overall superficial social settings. I understood it quite well, I must admit.
Highly recommended read for those interested in other writers, history, and historical fiction.
February 28, 2015
A Romance Novel for English Majors
Most of us remember The Scarlett Letter. Few of us know much about its esteemed author, Nathanial Hawthorne, however, and even less about Sophia Peabody Hawthorne, his wife, who hails from heady New England stock. Erika Robuck ably fills this void with a novel in the tradition of Loving Frank, The Paris Wife and her own recent Call Me Zelda, which imagines the life of a woman behind great men. This genre has become one of my favorite ways to spoon-feed history.
In A House of Hawthorne, Robuck gives herself a challenge, since the topic isn’t attached to a readers’ pent-up desire to know the down and dirty of this celebrated life. Nonetheless, the author crafts a compelling story. The book begins with the early morphine addition because of severe headaches, talent for painting, and visit to a slave-holding Cuban plantation of the young Sophia Peabody. From here the reader lives through Sophia’s romance with the shy author and conflicts over it with a besotted older sister and on to blissful marriage, motherhood, and Hawthorne’s great success. While his books' sales generated little wealth, the family led a rich, peripatetic life that brought them in contact with Sophia’s brother-in-law, Horace Mann, as well as Longfellow, Emerson, Melville. Thoreau and Robert and Elizabeth Browning. Throughout, Sophia Peabody Hawthorne is portrayed as cheerful, charming, intelligent, and without rancor in having to abandon her career.
“You do not want to wind up the little marker at the side of the great headstone, where future writers and readers will lay their offerings, honoring only the man published and not the woman who supported and made his life possible,” an unkindly character lectures Sophia as a bride. This is exactly who Sophia becomes, but Robuck corrects this historical injustice.
Most of us remember The Scarlett Letter. Few of us know much about its esteemed author, Nathanial Hawthorne, however, and even less about Sophia Peabody Hawthorne, his wife, who hails from heady New England stock. Erika Robuck ably fills this void with a novel in the tradition of Loving Frank, The Paris Wife and her own recent Call Me Zelda, which imagines the life of a woman behind great men. This genre has become one of my favorite ways to spoon-feed history.
In A House of Hawthorne, Robuck gives herself a challenge, since the topic isn’t attached to a readers’ pent-up desire to know the down and dirty of this celebrated life. Nonetheless, the author crafts a compelling story. The book begins with the early morphine addition because of severe headaches, talent for painting, and visit to a slave-holding Cuban plantation of the young Sophia Peabody. From here the reader lives through Sophia’s romance with the shy author and conflicts over it with a besotted older sister and on to blissful marriage, motherhood, and Hawthorne’s great success. While his books' sales generated little wealth, the family led a rich, peripatetic life that brought them in contact with Sophia’s brother-in-law, Horace Mann, as well as Longfellow, Emerson, Melville. Thoreau and Robert and Elizabeth Browning. Throughout, Sophia Peabody Hawthorne is portrayed as cheerful, charming, intelligent, and without rancor in having to abandon her career.
“You do not want to wind up the little marker at the side of the great headstone, where future writers and readers will lay their offerings, honoring only the man published and not the woman who supported and made his life possible,” an unkindly character lectures Sophia as a bride. This is exactly who Sophia becomes, but Robuck corrects this historical injustice.
Read
May 16, 2015A wonderfully written story of the amazing woman along side Nathaniel Hawthorne, Sophie Peabody.
A romance deserving to be recounted, a connection suffering woeful interruptions as well as droll instances. The narrative alternates in time, however, it is definitive leaving the reader on point.
A tender love story of the choices, pertaining to her artistic talents, she generously gave in order to fulfill her role as wife to the man who stirred her soul as well as loving mother to their children. The numerous challenges facing artists, writers, the many obstacles facing the Hawthorns, their sentimental love story, including their journey together will be utterly lost in this affecting story. With Robucks mesmerizing prose you will be engrossed with the entire story, reminding yourself you are truly present in the 21st century not the 19th century. Absorbing, drawing the reader into an exacting time especially for artists and litterateur set.
Robuck never fails to raise her female protagonists to their deserved glory in intellect, strength, independence and integrity. Her melodic prose always adding to her competent and flattering narratives.
For this and other reviews visit http://ravenhairedgirl.com
January 1, 2015
Another fascinating novel by Erika Robuck! I had no prior knowledge of Nathaniel Hawthorne's personal life, so I wasn't sure I would enjoy this as much as I did her other novels. I'm glad to say I was wrong about that. Hawthorne led a very interesting life. He was friends with many familiar writers (Thoreau, Emerson, Melville), his ancestors were involved in the Salem witch trials, and he had a beautiful lifelong romance with his wife Sophia.
I really enjoy Robuck's method of telling the story of a famous writer through the eyes of a person close to them and I can't wait to see who she writes about next. If you're a fan of historical fiction and romance definitely check out The House of Hawthorne when it comes out in May. In the meantime, add Hemingway's Girl and Fallen Beauty to your TBR, ASAP.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy Robuck's method of telling the story of a famous writer through the eyes of a person close to them and I can't wait to see who she writes about next. If you're a fan of historical fiction and romance definitely check out The House of Hawthorne when it comes out in May. In the meantime, add Hemingway's Girl and Fallen Beauty to your TBR, ASAP.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2015
I love it when an author's work makes me stay up into the wee hours of the morning, just to think about what I read. I also love it when an author is able to take me back into history, and relive someone's life in front of my eyes. Erika Robuck's books do that every single time. I will admit that before reading The House of Hawthorne, I knew very little about Nathaniel Hawthorne's personal life. However, this book makes me want to read every single account, fiction and otherwise, that I can get my hands on. Told from the perspective of his loving wife, Sophia Peabody Hawthorne, The House of Hawthorne is a touching, heavily romance laced, biographical historical fiction of one of the best American authors to date. For those like myself that love classic literature and history combined, I highly recommend this awe-inspiring novel.
April 4, 2015
I received an ARC from the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Berkley,NAL/Signet Romance,DAW and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed reading this historical fiction about Nathaniel Hawthorne, his wife Sophia and their children. Erika Robuck has written a powerful story on the passionate marriage between the novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and artist Sophia Peabody. The story is written from Sophia's perspective and brings to life the passion these two artistic and intellectual people felt for each other upon first meeting. A passion and love that lasted through a long courtship and eventual marriage and family.
I highly recommend "The House of Hawthorne" to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
I enjoyed reading this historical fiction about Nathaniel Hawthorne, his wife Sophia and their children. Erika Robuck has written a powerful story on the passionate marriage between the novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and artist Sophia Peabody. The story is written from Sophia's perspective and brings to life the passion these two artistic and intellectual people felt for each other upon first meeting. A passion and love that lasted through a long courtship and eventual marriage and family.
I highly recommend "The House of Hawthorne" to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
May 2, 2015
This book is an unforgettable story about the marriage of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody. Sophia puts her artwork on hold to raise a family and support her husband's writing. She was an inspiration to Nathaniel through her journals and paintings. The unique relationship between the two is fascinating.
I really loved this book and was happy to receive it as a giveaway. It is beautifully written, giving the reader a glimpse into the lives of a famous novelist and his artist wife. One will also learn about the history and political discord of the times during the marriage of Nathaniel and Sophia.
I cannot wait to read another book by Erika Robuck!
I really loved this book and was happy to receive it as a giveaway. It is beautifully written, giving the reader a glimpse into the lives of a famous novelist and his artist wife. One will also learn about the history and political discord of the times during the marriage of Nathaniel and Sophia.
I cannot wait to read another book by Erika Robuck!
July 10, 2015
I was so completely immersed in this story of Sophia Hawthorne (wife of Nathaniel Hawthorne). The author just so completely puts you in her life. A gorgeous exploration of a person...and a marriage. Wonderful and affecting.
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