First published 2012
Talmadge tends his apple and apricot trees in the Cascade Mountain foothills, where he has lived alone since his sister Elsbeth vanished decades earlier. At the turn of the twentieth century, his quiet life revolves around his orchard and the seasonal visits from Nez Perce horse wranglers. When two barefoot girls steal fruit at the market, Talmadge lets them go. Jane and Della soon appear at his homestead, feral and frightened, with Jane heavily pregnant. The solitary man opens his home to them, offering shelter and kindness. But violent men with guns arrive seeking the girls, bringing tragedy that forces Talmadge to choose between his peaceful isolation and protecting those who need him. As he shields Jane and Della from danger, Talmadge must confront the losses that shaped his own past. Amanda Coplin creates a makeshift family bound together by compassion in the untamed American West, where survival depends on the connections between people and their deep ties to the land.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, survival
Setting: Cascade Mountains, United States
Period: 20th Century
426 pages · Hardcover · Harper
Content warnings: violence