i LOVED this book.it flowed so well in audio. the narration was beautifully done by jessie mueller. the book is indeed two sided. one is the story of a mother and daughter and their lives in an abusive commune in western, massachusetts in modern times. the other part of the story is solid historical fiction about nathaniel hawthorne in the mid 19th century and the thread between both stories is his book "the scarlet letter". one cannot help but root for mia and her mother ivy, and be in awe of constance and sarah, supporting characters, who create a sanctuary for mia as she grows into adulthood. this book is inherently about love and loss, grief and growth. it is about women finding their way in the world, whether it's the 1800's or the 2000's. whom amongst us cannot relate to that? and it is also about the magic of books and stories and the doors that open through words.

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