No Subject

I find Hawthorne a very easy read. However, you do have to understand that it was written in the 1850's, and that it's not just a spy plot. It's a mental story as well as straight narrative, and it's also poetry, that is, employing poetic imagery and imagination, as well as peculiar stylistic elements. There are many things working together. Hawthorne was writing a novel, not a movie, television show, or comic book. Once you understand that, it's easier to grasp.