At the Edge of the Orchard

Trees. The latest historical novel by Tracy Chevalier is set in Ohio and California in the early and mid-nineteenth century and is titled, At the Edge of the Orchard. Chevalier describes the travails of the Goodenough family struggling to survive on land in an Ohio swamp. James, Sadie and their five children are trying to grow an apple orchard with at least fifty trees. James loves sweet apples, and Sadie loves applejack. Chevalier develops these characters with great skill, and even the trees become like characters, given Chevalier’s descriptive prose. After setting the family story in the early part of the novel, the focus shifts to son, Robert, who leaves Ohio to go West trying to find his place in the world. He finally discovers new trees to nurture: the redwoods and sequoias. Fans of historical fiction are those readers who are most likely to enjoy this finely written novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase At the Edge of the Orchard from amazon.com.