The Scarlet Letter vs The Scarlet Letter: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Puritans, Illegitimate children, Adultery, Triangles, Classics, Young Adult
The Scarlet Letter
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A stark and allegorical tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration of the dichotomy between…
The Scarlet Letter
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Nathaniel Hawthorne's powerful tale of forbidden love, shame and revenge comes to life in this manga presentation of the classic story. When Hester Prynne bears an illegitimate child, she is introduced to the ugliness,…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Scarlet Letter has the widest readership — 940060 ratings behind its score.
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Scores by source
| The Scarlet Letter | The Scarlet Letter | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.4 (939994) | 3.4 (940060) |
| Hardcover | 3.2 (915) | 3.2 (914) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (4915) | — |
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Reception
| The Scarlet Letter | The Scarlet Letter | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 939994 | 940060 |
| Editions | 2425 | 33 |
| Citations | 52 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 504235 | 504120 |
| Reading it now | 22050 | 22056 |
| Written reviews | 24933 | 24917 |
| Wikipedia attention | 32543 | 25930 |
| Pages | 172 | 220 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Scarlet Letter or The Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Scarlet Letter 3.4/5, The Scarlet Letter 3.4/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Scarlet Letter or The Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Scarlet Letter (172 pages, ≈ 3 h 11 m); The Scarlet Letter (220 pages, ≈ 4 h 04 m).
Which is harder to read: The Scarlet Letter or The Scarlet Letter?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Scarlet Letter: Challenging; The Scarlet Letter: Light.
Have both books been made into films?
The Scarlet Letter: 5 film adaptations; The Scarlet Letter: 5 film adaptations.