The biggest criticism I've faced thus far has been on my choice to "give" Hester Prynne the ability to perceive the sins of others. It was mentioned in Publishers Weekly and again here at Goodreads as being a highly improbable plot element. I suppose I can't argue its improbability. I don't think this is something you would find in a real-life person. My only defense is that, well, it's fiction, and it was Hawthorne's idea before it was mine. True statement. Reread chapter five of The Scarlet Letter, or if you don't feel like hunting down a copy, check out my website: http://www.paula-reed.com. The "Readers' Group" page has questions for your book groups and excerpts from The Scarlet Letter that influenced Hester.