First published 2017
Fanshawe represents Nathaniel Hawthorne's literary beginnings, crafted while he studied at Bowdoin College in Maine. The young author drew heavily from Gothic novel traditions and the influence of Sir Walter Scott to create this early work. Published in 1828 using Hawthorne's own funds, the novel reflects the conventions and storytelling methods popular in that era. Hawthorne himself later viewed the book as derivative and lacking in originality, going so far as to attempt destroying every copy he could locate. The work demonstrates how even accomplished writers must begin somewhere, showing Hawthorne experimenting with plot construction and character creation before developing his distinctive voice. This first novel serves as a window into the apprenticeship of an author who would later become central to American literature.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century, gothic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: gothic-conventions, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Bowdoin College, Maine
Period: 1828
98 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform