I'm a bit (like 3½***) underwhelmed. I really started to get "into" this about two-thirds of the way through — and considering that the book is nearly 700 pages, that does require some patience. I'm really not sure I would have continued through with this one (though I'm glad I did) if it weren't for my particular interest in Maine literature. It's only the second of Chute's books that I've read (the other, obviously, being The Beans of Egypt, Maine, which I've read in both its original and revised editions) and I do want to get on to the rest of her books. ( )