Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark

FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark immerses its readers in nature by evoking a beautiful setting in Maine. That is the long time summer retreat for 80 year old Agnes, a writer of children’s books and (under a pseudonym) adults novels filled with observations about social class and women’s strengths and perceptions. Her best friend, Polly, also summers at Fellowship Point and the two older Quaker ladies devise a plan to set up a land trust, protecting the area as a sanctuary for birds. Polly’s self-centered husband (who is beginning to experience signs of dementia) and their sons’ families object, of course. Meanwhile, Agnes is coping with inquiries from a young editorial assistant named Maud who is encouraging Agnes to write a memoir. Their correspondence contains exquisite summaries like: “What does it mean to be a writer? … That I have developed a system of logic that resembles reason while containing my emotions which are by nature unreasonable. That I know I can express myself clearly if and when I need to. Above all, that I have a private space where I can wander and play and dream, where I can be scathing and cruel and reprehensible, where I can love and expose myself completely, without any interference from anyone other than my private projections.” Readers will need to be patient and savor the slower pace; this is a novel filled with contemplation and quiet reveals as well as numerous ethical questions (e.g., “She was always loyal – but how to choose between the entities that deserved her allegiance?”). Anyone who loves the woods will be delighted to walk the land with Agnes or Polly. Teeming with commentary on female friendships and on the relationships between mothers and children, FELLOWSHIP POINT received starred reviews from Booklist (“psychologically fluent, funny, and intricately and meaningfully plotted”), Kirkus (“the rare 592-page novel you'll be sorry to finish”), and Publishers Weekly (“a remarkable achievement”).