Blackwell, Massachusetts, is a small town in the Berkshires founded in the 1750s by settlers who endure a brutal first winter. Alice Hoffman tells its history in linked stories across three centuries, with a rumor of red-colored earth running through them: a garden where red plants grow, women who carry secrets, a murdered man, and generations who stay or flee. Each chapter focuses on a different resident and moment in the town's past, from the founding years to modern times, and folklore blends with fact.
Fans of magical realism and multi-generational stories tied to one place will find a cozy, storylike novel. It is good for readers who prefer interconnected episodes over a single plot.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2011
- Language
- EN
