The House of the Seven Gables

I made it 16 pages into the book before I gave up. I feel like I should give it more of a chance, but there's nothing so far to keep me engaged. It's a chore to read.

There was one wildly melodramatic scene. Colonel Pyncheon built himself the great house and invited everyone over to celebrate, but the first guest was Death. The Colonel was dead in his study. This is either amazing or dumb.