Pearl: A Romance

Following on the heels of Hester, a prequel to The Scarlet Letter, Bigsby's sequel to that classic follows the fortunes of Pearl, Hester Prynne's illegitimate daughter. Twenty years after her mother's arrival in the New World and subsequent shame, Pearl seeks to reverse her mother's journey both physically and spiritually, heading back to London to seek both her origins and closure--and to lose the stigma attached to her name. It's 1660 when 18-year-old Pearl learns that Roger Chillingworth, the man her mother cuckolded, has left her property in the English village of Colney. Bigsby endeavors to fashion a forward-thinking Pearl, imbued with a sense of free will. But soon after meeting preacher John Standish, she finds herself falling for him, despite her intention not to sacrifice her independence. Pregnancy, a counterclaim against her land and a miscarriage remind Pearl that she is not nearly in complete control of her fate. Though he uses heavy symbolism reminiscent of Hawthorne, Bigsby demonstrates a flair for the light touch. Particularly refreshing is the exchange of hypocritical New England Puritanism for the more ale-soaked charms of 17th-century England. Though the book is touted as a stand-alone novel, a working knowledge of its inspiration will greatly add to the enjoyment readers can derive from this well-told, imaginative expansion. (Oct.)