Meanwhile, Ada—a once-refined Charleston woman unprepared for rural life—must learn to survive with the help of Ruby Thewes, a resourceful and sharp-witted drifter who teaches her to farm, forage, and fend off the harsh realities of a war-torn landscape. Their parallel narratives, steeped in the rhythms of nature and the ghosts of loss, converge in a meditation on love, resilience, and the scars of conflict.
Frazier’s prose is lush and meditative, drawing on Homer’s Odyssey for its structure and themes. The novel won the National Book Award and was adapted into an Oscar-winning film, celebrated for its atmospheric depth and emotional power.
For fans of: All the Pretty Horses (McCarthy), The Odyssey, or Gone with the Wind (without the romanticism).
