55 pages • 1 hour read
The House of the Seven Gables
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Book Brief
225
Novel • Fiction
Massachusetts • 19th century
1851
Adult
16+ years
Super Short Summary
The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows the Pyncheon family as they grapple with their ancestor's dark legacy, featuring a cursed New England mansion. In 1692, Colonel Pyncheon falsely accuses Matthew Maule of witchcraft to seize Maule's land, leading to a lasting curse. Over the centuries, the Pyncheons' fortunes decline, entangled with themes of family, guilt, and redemption.
Mysterious
Dark
Melancholic
Contemplative
Nostalgic
Reviews & Readership
40,902 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables is celebrated for its gothic atmosphere and intricate depiction of family curses and moral dilemmas, resonating with historic and symbolic depth. Critics commend its vivid narrative and pioneering psychological insight, yet some find the pacing slow and descriptions overly elaborate. Overall, it's a thought-provoking classic.
Who Should Read The House of the Seven Gables?
Readers who relish Gothic fiction, American history, and complex family sagas will enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables. Fans of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne himself will be captivated by its dark atmosphere, rich symbolism, and intriguing character studies.
40,902 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Clifford Pyncheon
Clifford Pyncheon
Hepzibah's brother, recently released from a long imprisonment, who returns to live with her and struggles with his past.
Phoebe Pyncheon
Phoebe Pyncheon
A 17-year-old cousin who moves in with Hepzibah and brings a bright, revitalizing presence to the house with her cheerful disposition.
Holgrave
Holgrave
A young boarder living in one of the house's gables who works as a daguerreotypist and is a self-made and independent thinker.
Judge Pyncheon
Judge Pyncheon
A confident and respectable figure in the community, cousin to Hepzibah and Clifford, who uses his influence to pursue his own interests.
Colonel Pyncheon
Colonel Pyncheon
The 17th-century patriarch of the Pyncheon family, characterized by his greed and ambition for wealth and property.
Matthew Maule
Matthew Maule
A small landholder accused of witchcraft and executed, whose contentious relationship with Colonel Pyncheon has lasting ramifications for both families.
Uncle Jaffrey
Uncle Jaffrey
The benevolent uncle of Hepzibah and Clifford, whose untimely death halts his efforts to rectify past wrongs related to the Pyncheon family legacy.
225
Novel • Fiction
Massachusetts • 19th century
1851
Adult
16+ years
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