First published in 1896, [and] set in the fictional small coastal town of Dunnet Landing, Maine, this is as much a series of small, intimate sketches as a sustained narrative.
As F. O. Matthiessen pointed out, “in these loosely connected sketches, [Sarah Orne Jewett] has acquired a structure independent of plot. Her scaffolding is simply the unity of her vision.” Her vision was of a gentle and generous people on a rugged and dangerous coast, of New England character and “characters” limned in colors of high summer and blue skies.
Here, too, you will meet the people of Dunnet Landing; the women, who are probably the most unforgettable characters of her book; and Elijah Tilley (among the very few men in Jewett’s cast) who, after the death of his wife, learns the skills of husband and wife, of farm and sea. … a book for everyone fascinated by New England, the rich history of its rockbound coast, and this magical author.
More reading
The Country of the Pointed Firs – Wikipedia entry
The Country of the Pointed Firs – by Sarah Orne Jewett – on Goodreads (illustrated edition)
