The novel delves into how two lifelong friends, Agnes Lee, and Polly Wister, navigate their friendship as they push up against the boundaries of time and history. The novel is set on the coastal Maine peninsula, and the two women are joint owners of a piece of land. Their friendship has spanned decades, and they both have a deep understanding of the past, present, and future. They are both aware of their mortality and the importance of preserving the land for future generations. At the same time, they are also aware of the changes that have taken place within their own lives and have to grapple with the idea that their decisions will have an impact.
Agnes is a cantankerous and solitary vegetarian and the author of a series of satirical novels. On other hand, Polly is a complaisant wife and mother coming to terms with a marriage in which she devotedly supported her husband and three sons. The novel begins with Agnes struggling with her first experience of writer's block as she attempts to finish her latest work. As her friend Polly arrives for drinks, they quickly become embroiled in a plan to save Fellowship Point from certain destruction. The pair attempt to save their beloved vacation spot from being taken over by a greedy developer. Agnes suggests they dissolve the joint ownership and donate it to a land trust, which tests their friendship. Polly is hesitant to support Agnes’s proposal to donate their jointly owned land. Furthermore, both women also have personal issues that stem from their life choices made in the past. These unresolved issues are exacerbated when a meddlesome New York editor comes prying hoping to get Agnes’ memoirs published.
Although they are close friends, Agnes is fiercely independent while Polly is a more traditional wife and mother. Thereby, Agnes is unafraid to express her opinion and make decisions, whereas Polly is more cautious and is often torn between her loyalty to her family and her commitment to her friend. This tension between the two women illustrates the expectations placed on women of different generations.
The novel demonstrates their struggle to balance their friendship with their family obligations. It also examines questions about time, history, and change through the lens of two older protagonists who already know who they are. Therefore, it is a story of reconciliation and resolution as they come to terms with their past and present. Through their journey, they learn the importance of friendship and the power of forgiveness.
