Ardeana Hamlin

I enjoyed this historical fiction. It was definitely a palette cleanser after some heavier reads. The author’s primary work was that of a journalist which is obvious in the way she gathered the historical information and turned it into a narrative. The book was originally published in 1987, re-published in 2007 for the 20th anniversary and now has been reissued for its thirtieth anniversary. That is quite a record for a simple fiction book. I enjoyed the historical perspective on 19th century Bangor, Maine as it developed into a lumber capitol and the story line about women’s choices, or lack thereof, for work, medical care, birth control and general lifestyle. The main characters were strong female personas with satisfying roles to inhabit.… (mehr)