Granite Kingdom Receives Kirkus Review!
The Vermont granite industry provides the backdrop for this debut historical novel set in the early 20th century in a fictional small town.
In Granite Junction, two rival granite companies are fighting for prominence: one run by the disgruntled Ernest Wheeler and the other by society leader George Rutherford. The story begins with a legal battle between the two men over Rutherford encroaching on Wheeler’s turf, all of which is reported by the Granite Junction Gazette.Young journalist Dan Strickland, the son of a stonemason, covers the story and the chain of events that follow. These include a suspected murder and business malpractice, pulling him further into the dark underbelly of the town despite his efforts to rise above his station. Pope’s novel grapples with several interconnected themes, all inspired by the author’s ownership of a local paper and its archive in small-town Vermont. This makes for a nuanced portrayal of a community that relies on a particular industry and what happens when the business faces a period of uncertainty. Most intriguing is the exploration of Strickland’s grappling with his identity and his attempts to ingratiate himself with the upper classes in Granite Junction (“If a farm boy like Ernest Wheeler could become the owner of a big company, then the son of a stonecutter could also achieve success”). This process begins with Strickland’s induction into the town’s Pedalers club, populated by his richer male peers. But it is ultimately symbolized by Strickland’s flickering romantic interest in school friend Molly O’Brien, the well-educated Camille Upton, and destitute widow Rosa Rosetti. Through these female characters and others, Pope also provides a convincing look at a cross section of women during the period, even if many of them are beholden to the men around them. Each character provides a particular perspective, making for an ensemble feel to the novel that is sometimes more compelling than the mystery at the heart of the story.
A lively and well-researched tale for fans of mysteries and American social history.