In this novel, Paul Harding walks with Faulkner and McCarthy to pen a ferocious subsistence writing about suffering, incest, race, art, and faith -- and floods and fires; and unlike most contemporary authors, Harding seriously courts religiosity, futility, and cruelty in his fiction, which lends it earned tenderness and much needed nuance. It's a shame, then, that the major conflict of the novel between the progressive, utopian Apple Islanders and the progressive, utopian eugenics program of the state of Maine often lacks that same nuance.

A stunning story of moving to a small town and realizing that everything can change with a simple move. Our safety is contingent on our environment and can be taken away from us so easily. But also a stunning story of falling for the girl next door. And learning about generational trauma, and learning to heal together. Honestly this is a stand out novel and you shouldn't miss it.