I loved this book almost as much as I loved the Moonflower Vine. I have to admit that the setting is almost exactly where I live and I can imagine the college as one of the state colleges near by. That in itself gives a comfortable feel about the book. However, that is where the comfort ends. The early 1940's are a long way from here. Allen, the protagonist, is such an innocent with big dreams it is almost hard to fathom that she is real, but she comes across as very real. In actuality, the 1940's aren't all that long ago, but what great strides our culture has made in the choices, hopes and dreams of women. Ok, there may be some backstepping for the choices of women today, but the restrictions that bright capable women lived under in those times is almost heartbreaking. Today's culture does provide some choices; the culture of a small college in rural America during that time provided only a very narrow track for women, and often it was other women who made that track so narrow.
The colleague who is marrying the "catch" of the town is especially interesting as is all the wedding preparation and the wedding itself. Carlson has great ability to put the reader right in the middle of the setting; one could almost hear the organ music and smell the flowers while sweat trickled down the back from heat. I do feel Carlson does a slightly better job in constructing her female characters than the "average" males. My only complaint might be that George and Toby, Allen's students and "soul mates" don't have the depth that most of the other characters do. Dr. Ansel, her colleague who lives with his mother, could come straight out of the Andy Griffin show. But, that does provide some comic relief in a sad way (if there is such a thing). In short, good story, believable characters, and a chance to walk in the shoes of a talented young woman who could be one of those women who helped pave the way for those of us that were able to appreciate more choices in our lives.
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