The book was inspired by a house with seven gables that still exists in Salem, Massachusetts. The house was actually once owned by Hawthorne's cousin and he went there often when he was younger.
It doesn't look as spooky as it feels in the book. Though a snowy background does help:
The story is interesting. It's about several generations of a family and a 'curse' that was put on the family in relation to the house. So the house plays quite a central role. The story is good, though a bit slow at times. Have any of you read the book? What did you think?
Why did McCall print a pattern based on the House of the Seven Gables? Well, it turns out there was a 1940 film starring Vincent Price:
