Rating: 
Summary: One word: outdated
Review: This book is one of the last masterpieces written as American literature moved from what we call "Old English" (use the much cliched Olde if you must) to "New English." And trust me, it shows. Virtually every book ever written during this period, (essentially, before Twain's Huckleberry Finn), bears the same markings - incredibly lavish diction, complex structure and syntax, and all the elements that make for a generally hard to follow novel. If you elevate your reading to that next level, where you're seeing beyond the simple plot and percieving Hawthorne's masterful use of symbolism and metaphor, and are able to appreciate probably the last great novel written in before the literary revival of the late 1800s, then you'll consider this book a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Unengaging and Disappointing
Review: Like so many reviewers before me, I first read this book in high school. And, like so many readers before, I was sorely disappointed. How could this book have amassed such a legendary status in the canon of American literature?? The pacing is dreadfully, consistently slow, the characters are unengaging, the description is tedious, etc. For those of you out there who would defend these tactics, let me say one thing: while a good author would know how to use these literary techniques (as Hawthorne obviously does), a GREAT author would know how to use these techniques in MODERATION. What Hawthorne spends page after mindless page describing in agonizing detail, could have been summarized in just a paragraph or two of direct, memorable, grabbing prose.For those who still believe that this book is just too sophisticated for all of those dumb high schoolers, let me offer another example. In addition to The Scarlett Letter, my high school English classes also required us to read some other classic works of the English language, and none of these other classics brought about nearly as negative a response as the reponse brought about by this book. I remember that my classmates and I were by and large much more interested in the tragic story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Heart of Darkness, Great Expectations, The Lord of the Flies, The Grapes of Wrath and The Great Gatsby were much better reads than The Scalet Letter ever was. Were these lesser books, because they were more accessible and often faster paced than The Scarlet Letter? I think not. As for all those people out there who profess a deep love of the book: although I'm sure that some of you actually did thoroughly enjoy this book, I fear that there are those of you who subscribe to the notion that just because something is labeled a literary classic, it must be good, and if it seems boring or longwinded, that's only the "genius" of it. Please don't blindly fall into this trap. Judge the book for yourself and forget about whether or not you "should" like the book. There's a reason that this book is despised moreso than any of the other books I've previously mentioned...
Rating: 
Summary: It is a book that I boardly enjoyed
Review: This is a book of many challenges. At times I caught myself going back and reading the same chapters over and over till the point that I kept falling asleep. Eventhough it is compelling and written in beautifully explict details, after awhile it presumebly became boring. Its wonderful imagery could not hold up to the expectations of what I call a well written book. The only character I felt for was Dimmesdale; the rest I had no feelings for. If you love a romance with hardly any action, this is the book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A mirror through which we see our deteriorating minds
Review: As glad as I am to see in the reviews below that many high-school students have at least enough interest in reading to write a review, I am disheartened that so many of these high-schoolers have such difficulty in understanding the novel. As is usually the case, those who rated the book at one star don't have a clue as to what the story is even about; some haven't even finished the book! Nevertheless, there seems to be an alarming trend (to me, at least) toward reading Cliff notes as a substitute to actually reading the novel itself. I fail to see how anyone could even hope to understand the intricacies and subtlety that Hawthorne has woven into his greatest work through some watered-down retelling. (I don't particularly care for Cliff notes, but never mind that.) Being myself a high-school student, I feel that I must always try to represent the greater masses as something more than commonly believed, yet comments I have read lead me to wonder if the stereotypes are not more real than I have hoped. What I see when I look at the population is a group unable to understand and unwilling to try. To those who have lambasted "The Scarlet Letter" as being boring, slow, etc., all I can ask is that you not review books that you do not understand. Without understanding, certainly, no work can seem worthwhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I read this book for my 11th grade Lit class and I must admit the book was quite a shock. Many of the books I have read have been nothing more than an attempt at delving into the inner parts of the human soul. This book does much more than that. It depicts the struggle of a man with himself and an outside enemy. He commits one of the most unspeakable acts of the time and punishes himself constantly. He lacks the courage to confess his crime and goes through a period of mental and physical torture. He also faces the wrath a cruel and vicious enemy who lives for nothing more than to torture his victim. All in all I believe it was an excellent book and I would reccomend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: good book, though heavy
Review: I am a junior in high school, and I just finished reading this book. Yes, the language and characters were stiff and formal, but at the time that this book was written, that was the convention. It is an excellent portrayal of the far reaching consequences of selfish sin, and the inner struggle that comes as a result of this sin. True, the characters had no depth, but this book was full of symbols and the characters are also symbols, representing different sins and evils, and the ways of dealing with said sins. The language does tend to bog down a reader, but remember that this was before authors began to write in the vernacular (Mark Twain, I believe, was the first) so the dialogue ends up sounding stilted and formal, especially from the children (Pearl, and the mudslinging ones). I personally did not like this book, but that does not mean that it was not an excellent work of literature. This type of book simply does not appeal to me, I prefer writers equally as thought-provoking but who write with more colorful prose, such as Dickens, or Salman Rushdie. The fact that I didn't like this book does not keep me from seeing the merit of it. It's an excellent book, though not quite a classic of the caliber of Macbeth or Great Expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect For High-School Students -- If They're Ready.
Review: I just finished reading this book (found a copy on the internet) and must say it was quite a story. I think readers young and old can enjoy this book, but if you're in high school and your school has only fed you those soppy, milktoast pieces of so-called English lit, I must tell you that you should probably look elsewhere for Winter Break reading. On the other hand, if you're a somewhat linguistically precocious high school student and are well-acquainted with other authors of this genre, you will find this book a quick read and beneficial to your high school studies for a number of reasons. One. You will now understand those vague references your friends make when they call you Hester Prynne under their breath. (okay, so maybe that's just me.) Two. All that Puritanical "nonsense" from American history will make a heck of a lot more sense now that you understand in a more emotional sense what impact Puritan morals had on gender roles in colonial New England, etc. Three. Your English teacher will appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to read something that wasn't Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton. Four. If you've been having a hard time with your college app essay, you now have a great topic for the one about who you'd like to meet and why. (Pick either Hawthorne or Prynne -- but please, be intelligent.) Anyhow, if you've got over two brain cells, this book is an intense and very speedy read. And you're not likely to confuse it with any other literature, like I so often do with Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility or Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. So read this book. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: Boring!? Hardly.
Review: I was given The Scarlet Letter to read in my 11th grade English class and, as opposed to some books we've read, I was actually pleased. This novel is interesting and is a true look into the human soul. Hawthorne is not a humorous writer but he is a true to life one. He tells it like it is, including not only the strengths but the weaknesses of the human soul. Anyone who finds this book boring must be entirely niave or else the book was over their head. To those people I would suggest reading it again and this time actually TRYING to understand it.
Rating:
Summary: A romantic novel mixed with Puritan lifestyle.
Review: This is book is one of the greatest book I've ever read. Although the word and language of the book is difficult, the text and the theme were simply amazing. Hester Prynne and Aruthur Dimmesdale are characters that can relate to the world today, a hidden secret waiting to be solved. It is a great love story.. just simply great.
Rating:
Summary: A book about revenge, remorse and love.
Review: When Hester Prynne commited adultury with Aurthor Dimmesdale she was condemned to where the Scarlet Letter A on her bosom as a reminder to herself and o other around her about her harsh deed, mean while Roger Chillinworth, her husband, vowed that he would find out with whom Hester commited the sin. This was a great book because it is full of suspense and continuous sinning. The only problem with it is that it is fairly hard to read so much time and patience must be put into it.
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