I read it when I was studying American Literature and greatly enjoyed it. Stylistically is in the Romance style Hawthorne favoured, but his study of the psychology of the characters and of the period is very acute and makes it an ever relevant novel. The actual issues might not be such in society, but being ostracised and what prejudice can do to people (particularly small insular societies but not only) is as actual as it was then. The risks of intolerance are well illustrated, and it has a strong female character that was not usual at that time. A must-be-read classic.
