Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America

by Gigi Georges

In Downeast , Gigi Georges follows five girls as they come of age in one of the most challenging and geographically isolated regions on the Eastern seaboard. Their stories reveal surprising truths about rural America and offer hope for its future. “It’s almost impossible not to care about these fierce young women and cheer for their hard-won successes” ( Kirkus ) in this “heartfelt portrait” and “worthy tribute” ( Publishers Weekly ). Nestled in Maine’s far northeast corner, Washington County sits an hour’s drive from the heart of famed and bustling Acadia National Park. Yet it’s a world away. For Willow, Vivian, Mckenna, Audrey, and Josie—five teenage girls caught between tradition and transformation in this remote region—it is home. Downeast follows their journeys of heartbreak and hope in uncertain times, creating a nuanced and unique portrait of rural America with women at its center. Willow lives in the shadow of an abusive, drug-addicted father and searches for stability through photography and love. Vivian, a gifted writer, feels stifled by her church and town, and struggles to break free without severing family ties. Mckenna is a softball pitching phenom whose passion is the lobster-fishing she learned at her father’s knee. Audrey is a beloved high school basketball star who earns a coveted college scholarship but questions her chosen path. Josie, a Yale-bound valedictorian, is determined to take the world by storm.  All five girls know the pain and joy of life in a region whose rugged beauty and stoicism mask dwindling populations, vanishing job opportunities, and pervasive opioid addiction. As the girls reach adulthood, they discover that despite significant challenges, there is much to celebrate in “the valley of the overlooked.” Their stories remind us of the value of timeless ideals: strength of family and community, reverence for nature’s rule, dignity in cracked hands and muddied shoes, and the enduring power of home. Revealed through the eyes of Willow, Vivian, Mckenna, Audrey, and Josie, Downeast is based on four years of intimate reporting. The result is a beautifully rendered, emotionally startling, and vital book. Downeast will break readers’ hearts yet offer them hope, providing answers to what the future may hold for rural America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Coming Of Age, Book Club, Contemporary, Sociology

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2021

About the author

Gigi Georges turned to narrative non-fiction writing after an extensive career in politics, public service, and academia. A former White House Special Assistant to the President and U.S. Senate State Director, she has taught political science at Boston College, served as Program Director at the Harvard Kennedy School, and been a Managing Director of The Glover Park Group—a leading national public affairs firm. Her commentary and research-based articles have appeared in Time Magazine, the New York Times, Bloomberg.com, LitHub, Governing Magazine, M.I.T.’s Innovations Journal, and the Harvard Kennedy School’s Occasional Paper Series. She lives with her family in New Hampshire and Downeast Maine.

Reviews

[Laura Overton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being from Downeast myself, a woman coming of age in a fishing community just as the opioid epidemic really took hold, I was really interested in this book, so much so that I pre-ordered it. While the stories of the five girls totally resonated with me, though I grew up and went to school about an hour away from where they did, the storytelling and writing style left so much to be desired. Perhaps the book was meant for those who have never been to or grown up in rural America, let alone rural coastal Maine, and I can see how a total outsider to rural American poverty would find this book “enlightening” or “eye opening” and if that’s the case I can see the merit. I would have loved to read this book by someone who has lived experience, not someone who was doing an anthropological study.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live full-time in the Downeast Region and loved this book, because it was EMPOWERING to women, and know so many women in the Downeast community who are excited about the optimism of the book. In fact, I attended an author talk last weekend at the Porter Library in Machias. There was a great community crowd there, and in the discussion, several women talked about how much this book meant to them - that they felt, for the first time, seen and heard. One woman whose daughter grew up with these young women said at the event her daughter was so excited that these stories were being told.

Then, today's Portland Press-Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram came out - and an article on the book, the young women, and the WRITING PROCESS was featured prominently. The Portland reporter had interviewed two of the women, who self-identified with their real names and were GLOWING about working with the author. One said "I love the way the book was written and the way it came out in general, but my favorite part is how so many people in the community have talked about it and love reading about the women in our community". Another said she "liked the way she was portrayed in the book" and that Georges "captured the diversity of experiences in our community as well as the commonalities that we share".

The paper said that a third young woman from the book had joined, using her real name, in a book event with the author and Hillary Clinton - so I checked out that interview on the Web, and that girl was a senior at Yale and so positive about her experiences working with the author.

Another really cool thing was that at the Machias event, the author said that she shared her material with all the young women through the whole 4-year process to make sure they were comfortable with it, and that at the end, they all read their sections and each of the young women signed off on them before the book was published. I personally thought that was so awesome!

I'm new to the Goodreads community but feel so passionate about this book and the message it sends, that I really felt I had to write. When I read through some of the other reviews on this page, I thought they might not know how many of us there are here in the Downeast Region who love and appreciate this work and the pride so many in the community have said they feel in it.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my life, I have been trying to explain to "people from away" what it is like to grow up in Downeast Maine. This book renders the complexity of that experience with sensitivity, honesty and insight. Thank you, Gigi Georges. Although I am a generation older than these girl, I feel seen and understood.

[Kathleen Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My strongest reaction to this book is my feeling of great discomfort at being a voyeur to all these intimate details of these girls' lives, of their parents' lives and their grandparents' lives. At no point are we told that the girls understood what would happen to the information they shared with the author, that they were given a copy of the material to read before it was published, that they were able to consider the implications to their families' from the revelation of all these family secrets. The point of the story is that in small towns everyone KNOWS everyone else. Though the author didn't reveal the real names of these girls, she gives enough information that most people in the tight knit community she so lauds will know whom she is talking about. The repercussions of the revelation of these secrets on the families seems to not bother the author a whit. I live in one of these towns she is talking about. Granted, I am from away and live here only in the summer. But I am appalled at the level of detail she gave which is so easily traced and I feel great empathy for those families who are now so hung out to dry. It doesn't matter that her tone is so empathic and understanding. These were NOT her secrets to tell.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a New Englander I thought for sure this book would resonate with me but it fell flat. There were far too many people to keep track of and then partners, parents, grandparents, etc. I was constantly lost and trying to remember the backstory of whoever I was reading about at that moment. The author would be in the middle of a touching story about one of these girls and then the next paragraph would be quoting extremely dry and uninteresting (to me) statistics. I ended up flipping through all of those pages and by the end of the book really didn't care how life turned out for any of them. Three stars for the personal stories and how brave the girls were for sharing it all publicly.

[Hazel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having lived and worked in this community since 2016, it was hard not to be very critical of this book and I'll admit I was a bit close-minded going in! It felt like yet another example of a nonlocal author romanticizing the most challenging aspects of this place. She also made it very obvious who each of the characters are despite the name changes which hopefully doesn't have any negative repercussions to those people. I hope that readers see through the gloom and come experience this special place for themselves.

[bob walenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tucked into the extreme Northeast corner of the United States, Washington County in Maine is one of the most isolated and poverty riddled places in our nation. To the east and north is Canada, to the west is the even more isolated, forest wilderness of central Maine, and to the south is the frigid Atlantic Ocean. Most of the inhabitants either fish, catch lobster or pick blueberries. There are minimal jobs and career options, with a sparse population riddled by fentanyl and drug abuse. A smattering of tiny towns and villages cling to the rocky coast.

"Downeast" is a portrait of five Maine girls and their families. Gigi Georges is quick to point out that most of the population are from long lines of family, held here by a fierce loyalty, determination and tradition. Caught up in the heartbreaking realities of life today......rural poverty, isolation, joblessness, opioid addiction, the harsh and dangerous environment, and finally the Covid Pandemic.... Washington County makes for a stark, modern day portrait.

"Downeast" offers an observant and compassionate glimpse into the detailed lives of five young women, coming of age in this setting. It pulls no punches, but instead presents an honest, shocking, heartbreaking story of these five lives and what they have to deal with through high school and beyond. So much history and family tradition is both a security and a trap. With amazing empathy, Georges describes how these girls manage and navigate the difficult decisions of their lives, struggling with their demons and the outside world that has forgotten them or tries to make sure they remain irrelevant.

As with many things in life, our weaknesses are also part of our strengths. Coping and caring and learning to work together through grit, honesty and faith are central to their perspectives. This book is surprisingly reassuring at our human ability to be resilient and overcome problems. These five girls are simply amazing, and offer hope by their example and determination. But NOTHING in this story is whitewashed, sugar coated or skimmed over. The pain and difficulties of life are presented realistically and bluntly. Somehow these five girls all find ways to create their own paths and move their lives forward.

I liked this book a lot. It was current and interesting. There were a lot of characters, as each girl and her family and its history were presented, making it difficult to keep it all clear at times. But I felt like I knew each girl by the end, and was amazed at their combined determination and spirit.
This book was very much like J D Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy", which was also a glimpse into the legacy of poverty and isolation in rural America. Instead of lobstering, fishing and blueberries, Vance's book was more about chasing elusive factory jobs and changes in the economic realities in the Heartland.

Both stories offer serious food for thought, as this nation of untold wealth and privilege leaves so many of its people to deal with isolation, neglect, abuse and poverty. These kinds of portraits need to shine light on these problems, so we as a nation can admit our failures and find ways to do better.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Familiar feeling trek to the rural, eastern county in Maine where I spent the first 19 years of life. Appreciated the author’s respect for the region and her focus on the strength and role of women in corners of rural and impoverished areas of America like Washington County. Felt that her writing helps to shatter the stereotypes of people living in communities like these—it is not a book of judgment or condescension. 👍

Amused by the shout-out to one of my own high school English teachers (named here as “Molly Richardson”) who appeared at the end of the book. :) And the shout-out to “Catherine” of Blacks Woods Rd fame will make those from this region smile in recognition as well.

Note for the Harper Collins editors: It is “Roque BluffS” not “Roque Bluff”. Downeaster’s will understand.

[Karen Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I was going to read a coming of age story of 5 women. This book is so much more than that. It's a history lesson, it's an economics lesson and a lesson in rural America before and during COVID and it's a lesson on strong females making their way, life and space in their corner of the world. This book is interesting and a bit surprising and I like it!

[Allen Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best narrative nonfiction springs from when an author is able to get really granular with the subject at hand. When the writer digs deep, vein after vein of precious literary gems can be unearthed, painting vivid and compelling portraits of people and places. These stories are captivating and enlightening in the best of ways.

Some of the WORST narrative nonfiction starts in the same place. These are the stories wherein the author treats the subject(s) as some sort of vaguely anthropological study, holding themselves above the people with whom they are engaging. They parachute into a place and imagine that their brief dalliance is enough to bestow actual understanding.

The State of Maine has unfortunately seen a bit more of the latter treatment than the former in recent years, with this place and its denizens being rendered simplistically and/or stereotypically – junk shop kitsch instead of fine art.

I honestly wasn’t sure which I was going to get from “Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America,” the new book from Gigi Georges. I’ve been around long enough to know that these efforts to somehow “unlock” the truth of rural America often wind up being little more than condescending confirmations of the author’s already-extant attitudes, cherry picked to prop up whatever thesis they sported upon their arrival.

This book is not that.

Instead, what Georges has done is, well … do the work. Over the course of years, she spent time with the people of Washington County. Not just the five girls who served as the central figures in the narrative – although she clearly spent A LOT of time with them – but also the people in the community around them. Parents and teachers and friends and co-workers and what have you, all in service to crafting an accurate and honest rendering of who these girls are and how they both shape and are shaped by the place in which they grew up.

(Note: The names of the girls – along with some others – have been changed in an effort to protect privacy. However, for the most part, names of places and business and the like have remained the same.)

Washington County is among the country’s most rural areas. Distance and circumstance conspire to undercut the opportunities for young people in the region – particularly those of young women. That isn’t to say that success can’t be found – it can and often is. However, finding the best path to that success can be a bit more difficult than in many other places.

In “Downeast,” we meet five girls – Willow, Vivian, Mckenna, Audrey and Josie – who have grown up in the various villages and towns of Washington County. While the specifics of their backgrounds are different, the general state of their circumstances is very similar – they are women growing up in a place where opportunity for women is tougher to come by.

Audrey is the star basketball player who helped lead the local high school to a state championship and has the opportunity to turn her athletic and academic excellence into a shot at one of the state’s best colleges. Mckenna is an elite athlete in her own right, a top-shelf softball pitcher whose primary goal is to take to the water and captain her own lobster boat, just like her father. Willow has spent much of her life bouncing around, dealing with the issues that spring from her father’s struggles with addiction and abuse; she’s just looking to find her own way. Vivian is a creative soul, a writer who finds herself drifting away from the close-knit family and church life she’s lived since childhood. And Josie is the valedictorian, an elite student heading off to the Ivy League and unsure of the connection she will maintain with the place she called home for so long.

And unfurling behind and amidst these stories, the lush landscape of Washington County. The rugged natural beauty and the working waterfronts. The joys and heartbreaks that come from small town lives lived. And the people – oh, the people. We meet fishermen and teachers and coaches (and plenty of folks who are combinations therein), all of whom wear their hearts on their sleeves when it comes to Downeast life. Triumphs and tragedies abound.

“Downeast” could easily have been the usual dreck featuring someone from elsewhere (who believes themselves to know better) parachuting in for a few weeks or months and slapping together a story that confirmed what they believed they already know. Part of me feared it would be.

Instead, we get a thoughtful, nuanced look at a deceptively complex place and the people who live there. What Gigi Georges has done is make a good faith effort to drill down into the cultural bedrock of Washington County and share the warts-and-all results of her labors. The book is honest in both singing the region’s praises and acknowledging its faults. By placing her focus on these five different-but-similar girls, Georges has crafted a wide-ranging portrait of what it means to live in such a place in the 21st century. We’re offered real insight into these lives, full and genuine characterizations of five frankly remarkable young women (though I doubt any of them would view themselves as such).

Far from poverty tourism or half-baked cultural anthropology, “Downeast” engages with the lives of its subjects from a place of respect and egalitarianism. There’s no sense of superiority on the part of the author here, no effort to place herself above the people about whom she’s writing. And that eye-to-eye engagement is why this book works.

Well, that and the fact that Gigi Georges can really write. She has a particular knack for capturing a, for lack of a better term, vibe – as someone who has spent his share of time in Washington County, I can vouch for the fact that the energy of the place really crackles forth from the page. The characters come alive as well. These are real people, of course – this is nonfiction after all – but they actually FEEL real, which is far rarer than you might think.

“Downeast” is a fascinating read. It will capture the imaginations of those who have never set foot in Washington County, to be sure, but it will also ring familiar to those who have never left it. Growing up is hard; what this book does so well is illustrate the specific difficulties of doing so in this place and time. An insightful, incisive work of nonfiction that celebrates five special young women and the ways of their world.

[Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book wasn’t as bad as I expected, but I do have some serious qualms about the fact the author did a very poor job at concealing the girls’ identities. In our small community, a book like this has an impact — everyone knows everyone. Changing a woman’s name but not the name of her lobster boat isn’t respecting privacy. Also, after this book was published, reporters were calling into the local news station to “interview poor people”. What good does this book do? The world knows the struggle that rural Americans face — it’s hardly “unseen.” Generational poverty exists, abuse and drug overdoses exist, food insecurity exists. Rural communities have it incredibly hard. But instead of romanticizing these challenges and jeopardizing community and family ties through a complete lack of respect for anonymity, find a way to make an actual positive difference. Shining a light on a problem is not a solution in and of itself.

[Sophie Slawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in Maine, with entirely different circumstances, I was so moved by this book. I found the author’s approbatory tone regarding the Downeast community’s “continued hope and resilience,” off-putting. But there is no denying George’s ability to write. I was captured by every girl, and became entirely invested. The book was heartfelt and compelling.

[Brandelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. Washington County is where I was raised and is where my paternal side of the family has lived for generations. There was significant potential in sharing the intimacies and tribulations facing Downeast women, especially during their formative years. Maybe it’s because I’m from the area that I’m particularly critical, but nevertheless, I wanted this to be more than it was.

It would have been impactful had the author chosen a more inclusive demographic of Washington County’s youth - especially representation of the Passamaquoddy. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy she chose to share stories of our Downeast women who compete with the legacies of men in the lobster industry. Their grit and drive is no small feat, and I’m glad their stories were shared. However, it’s not the only Downeast narrative. Her parochial view barely scratched the surface of a complex community beyond that of the fishing industry, but she wrote as if this was a representation of the entire region.

I hope this book was enlightening for you folks unfamiliar with Washington County, but please seek out additional accounts of our Downeast home. There’s so much more to tell.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gigi Georges’ book Downeast is an engaging and important read. The author follows the lives of five young women as they work through the challenges of growing into adulthood in the poorest and one of the most overlooked counties in the Pine Tree State. Ms. Georges’ writing style is beautiful. The descriptions of the small villages along the northern most coast of Maine are real and compelling. You feel intimately connected to the five girls and their families. You will find yourself encouraging them to follow their dreams. This book is long over-due! Thank you, Gigi Georges!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book. A lot packed in 240 pages. The author did a good job of describing the push-pull of the young girls deciding whether to leave their community or stay to try to make a living in an isolated place. I found the explanation about the Pandemic’s effect on the fishing industry eye opening

[Randi Daeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never was this book uninteresting. Ms. George’s takes a ton of information and weaves it into a nearly seamless and riveting narrative of rural life. Now I’m going to treat myself to a fat lobster tail.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about what it means to be born and raised in Downeast Maine. As someone who has spent time in the towns described in the book, I could definitely feel a sense of place. I loved the focus on the women and girls of this fierce place.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐ CW: domestic/child abuse on page (emotional and physical), substance misuse/addiction, drug overdose mention, attempted suicide mention, self-harm, generational poverty, sexual assault, anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes

"Some will stay, and others will depart, perhaps, at some point, never to physically return. But even if they do not end up in the Downeast of their growing years, they will always be of it. Its robust heart will beat within them."

Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America by Gigi Georges is a non-fiction book set in Downeast Maine (Washington County) and is the culmination of four years of in-depth investigative journalism. It truly is a beautiful piece of creative nonfiction.

For the locals: do not be deterred by the fact that the author is "from away," it was actually nice to see an outside, unbiased perspective on Downeast life. I think as locals we sometimes go blind the beauty, strength, and resilience of where we are. This books reminds us that though we have struggled and continue to struggle, we have a strong sense of community that is unique to rural America. We are not the downtrodden, uneducated people media outlets like to paint us as. Also lobstermen and women (especially the women!) are badasses.

For the Flatlanders: This book isn't just about the five girls mentioned. It's also a generational story and a history of Washington county in the most succinct way. It gives you a glimpses of the fierceness that Downeast women and girls possess, and the heartbreak and hardship that comes with it. George's prose is lyrical and captivating, making you want to see the Downeast waters in person. It also reveals the harsh realities of living in such an isolated place with minimal resources and amenities. We see the pervasiveness of substance use and overdose. Every single person in Washington County knows a friend, family member, or acquaintance who had overdosed. But in all of this we will see our resilience, and strong connection to home and community. If you want to know what Mainers are really like, pick up this book.

For myself: I found I could relate more than I anticipated. Though I am originally from Aroostook County (the second poorest county in the state) I found myself relating most to Vivian's story of feeling stifled by her hometown and not feeling like she could be who she really was or find a partner there. Our stories are the reverse of each other. Where Vivian got away from Downeast and moved to Aroostook to feel free, I moved to Downeast for the same reasons. I love the sense of community here, which is what made me stay after undergrad. Unfortunately, I do see myself moving away in the future, because this town is slowly dying. It will always be a place I return to and call home.

[Audrey Approved · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Downeast, Georges follows the lives of five girls (and lots of other people) through their high school and early adult years living in the upper eastern corner of Maine. I was pretty excited to read this as (1) my boyfriend is from Maine and I wanted to learn more about the state, and (2) I’ve really enjoyed learning about rural America in the Appalachias, and thought this book might have similarities.

Unfortunately, I found this to be a slog for various reasons:
- I’m good at remembering names, but Georges includes the names and details of grandparents, teachers, friends, boyfriends, neighbors, pastors, everybody! Frequently I had to flip back and forth through pages to figure out who was who! I didn’t have an investment in anybody’s life because we kept switching between people!
- There’s not really any structure here; there are four loose sections but I wasn’t quite sure what the story arc was supposed to be set up. On a similar note, the ending felt like a slow fade.
- It was super boring.

I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Harper in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I respect Georges's efforts in writing this book. I am still struggling with whether I accept her optimism about girls and how they might save rural America, but I appreciate the way her work pushes on my own conceptions.
I certainly believe that leaving was good for ME, though I didn't get around to it until I was 4o. And I suppose, depending on the variables, you could make compelling arguments based on my N of 1 that I might find myself, if not better off, at least in a more economically and geographically/climate stable situation if I hadn't left. . . and certainly in a place where I knew better how to contribute to make the world I live in better.
So, Georges, the girls whose lives she opens up for us, and her conclusions, sit with me. I ponder them, and ultimately, I'm sure, if nothing else, they've made my heart a little less hard.

[Carolyn Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The standout young women whose high school and early college years are detailed in this insightful view into hardscrabble Washington County demonstrate both the challenge and the hope for resilient and grounded women in the 20Teens and early pandemic.

“At the end of each weary day, they would rest knowing that their currency was their trust in the permanence of timeless ideals: a healthy fealty to nature’s rule, an undying connection to the people they loved, the dignity of cracked hands and muddied shoes, and a self-sufficiency that had been woven into their beings as tightly as Grandma Sarah’s canvas horse blanket.” p. 233

[Lynn Plourde · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a life-long Mainer, I am fascinated by insights into the people of Maine. Downeast is an area of Maine that I adore and that I'm curious about . . . such hard-working people committed to their values and sports teams and staying close to the nest along with multi-generational poverty, limited educational opportunities, and more than their share of substance abuse. The five girls (young women) featured in Gigi Georges' book face challenges and triumphs and give me hope that they will make a better world for themselves and others.

[Jennifer Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read if you: Want a revealing and empathetic look at young girls growing up in the most rural and impoverished county in Maine.

Librarians/booksellers: Purchase for your readers that enjoy accounts of contemporary society but want something that's more personal and story-based than heavy on statistics.

Many thanks to Harper and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Marta E C R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite impressed with this book about five strong rural Maine girls in a county quite close to where I live, and "the power of community and connection in one small corner of America." I read it because it will be featured later this year on an "All Books Considered" discussion through Maine Public Radio, to which I greatly look forward.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend! It’s always a good idea to learn about other places and the experiences of the inhabitants. Georges shares her rare access and insights into rural Maine in this fantastic new book and she does so with a balanced and caring approach.

[Maggie Ferrentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite reads of the year so far. I started the audio on my drive home Sunday and was so into it that I bought the ebook for my kindle so I could read it faster.

[Hilary Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in Downeast Maine, I found this to be a really good exploration of what it's like to grow up as a girl there. It did get a bit romanticized at times, but overall I enjoyed it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

When folks think of Maine, they think of glamorous beach resorts and villages of southern Maine, the soaring cliffs along the mid-coast, the expansive farms of Aroostook, and the sports in the western mountains. They rarely think of extreme Downeast, home of Washington County… which is is as rural as rural gets. Washington County is a microcosm for all that is good and bad in rural America, and Georges explores these dynamics through the lens of five girls coming of age and trying to decide what comes next.

This book could have easily been overly negative or condemning of the rural landscape and lifestyle, but instead it celebrates a unique way of life centering on the lobstering industry, and it left me optimistic. The girls we meet come from different backgrounds – some will make you cringe. The people we meet are all connected via a single high school, and the stories radiate out from there. The book explores the Mainer-help-Mainer culture, and the girls are deeply influenced by key players who come Washington County ‘from away’.

Having grown up rural-adjacent (not really suburban, not really rural either) I was hoping this book would provide revelations of Rural America. Honestly, I didn’t learn anything surprising, whereas it seems that the author did. Perhaps that is her urban upbringing? However, I do feel that I have a better understanding of the inner workings of Downeast, Maine, and for that I’m grateful. I better understand how folks get their start in the lobstering industry and the economics of the region. My largest criticism of the book was that it was too narrow in scope – its conclusion amid the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak felt abrupt. That said, I would recommend this book for those new to rural life, or those in urban settings seeking to better understand rural challenges.

[Kasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's strangely comforting to learn that rural areas across the world are struggling with similar issues. Poverty, addiction, sparse job opportunities also plague the small town where I was growing up (on the other continent) so the stories I've read in this book were very familiar to me. However, if you spent your entire life in the major city I think this book has the power to shock you.

We are following ordinary life of 5 girls - Willow, Vivian, Mckenna, Audrey, and Josie. They are growing up in a rural area of Maine, in a town so small that all the neighbors know each other. While their stories and following their choices were very interesting, author decided to add some information about girl's families (sometimes even going couple generations back) so before long I was lost in the flood of uncles and grandmas. I found it impossible to follow the stories especially when suddenly ie Elizabeth is mentioned and I just couldn't remember whose mother was she. Or maybe she was an aunt? Because of that I had trouble connecting with main heroines.

Overall it's a good story. Nice reminder that rural areas are not this idyllic places where sun always shine and people are happier because they are living closer to the nature.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was not the deepest nor best character development nor page-turner type of book, but it hit a real place in my heart. I recently visited Downeast Maine and have friends who are planning to plant their roots in the area. Having driven around and seen the landscape and shared stories with these friends, the stories of Willow, Vivian, Josie, Mckenna and Audrey were raw and touching. I work in a place that has many of these qualities even though it is a far cry from the remoteness of Downeast, and it is why I love it…community support, pride, long-time family roots amidst the transient population.
I love the concept that Rural Americans are so tied to what many of us would assume they would leave.
I love that this book was written during our current pandemic and the author ties it in without being political or judgmental.
I love (but am embarrassed) that it took a worldwide pandemic to bring people back to thinking about roots and community and supports and family.

Such good stuff. I will miss these girls and I wish them well in their futures. They touched me.