Personally, I loved it. Set in the aftermath of WWII in Cape Cod (mostly) it tells a story from five of the characters points of view. The first narrator is Nick, a beautiful, long-legged beauty who is married to Hughes. She struggles with wanting more in her everyday life.
Hughes, Nick's husband, tells his story of when he was away at war.
Helena, Nick's cousin, tells her story of marrying Avery, a "big shot" filmmaker from Hollywood with a creepy past.
I won't go into who the other narrators are so as not to give anything away. What I will say is that not all is perfect in paradise in the 50s. The descriptions are rich. the characters are well developed and the writing makes you feel a part of the story.
I enjoyed this story so much because it doesn't gloss things over. The problems in the story are real and even dark, though from the cover art, you wouldn't realize that.
Onto brighter things - I'm currently reading a juvenile fiction book called Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson. It follows the exploits of an orphan girl aged sixteen during the first world war who is bequeathed a homestead in Montana from her late uncle. Her life has been a constant move from house to house as relatives passed her along, providing a brief home for her - until now. If she can prove up her claim, make a profit from her wheat and flax in the fields, the land left to her will be hers.
It's not going to be as easy for sixteen year old Hattie as she faces all kinds of brutal weather and the joys of owning a stubborn cow and a horse, but she's determined to face these issues head on.
I'm nearly done with this book and I really am enjoying it. Hattie not only faces issues of farming, but also many issues with being very close with a neighboring family, whose father is of German descent. In these World War I times, people of German descent were prosecuted in a horrible fashion and Hattie must stand by her morals amidst arguments of "loyalty" and "patriotism".
