This collection of interlinked stories revolves around Maine. The majority of them takes place in York Harbor.
“What Magical Realism Should Be” is a story about an angry teenager – Jocelyn – who has to attend the local summer school to prepare for college. She stays at her Uncle Raleigh and Aunt Bettina’s place. It is rather obvious that she would rather be somewhere else. In spite of negative first impression that this character leaves, it is difficult not to feel sorry for her. Later on, it is being revealed that the main reason why she can’t spend her vacation at home is that the bank can take their home, her mother is ill, the boy she fancies tries to take his own life, she fails to write decent enough essays and earns only Cs and Ds. She feels betrayed when she finds out that her mother has a boyfriend and starts suspecting that her summer school is just an excuse to send her away. The girl matures over the summer and starts taking her life a little bit more seriously.
“The Fledgling” features a nameless protagonist who tries to save a little bird. She feels helpless and can’t find a proper solution. She remembers how her grandmother used a bird for her famous apple pie and feels sorry for it.
“Aunt Sophie Ronald Brown” is a story about loss of a loved one. Aunt Sophie’s niece learns the news about her favorite aunt’s approaching death whilst they visit the party.
“Adirondack Chairs” features an ageing dog named Yancey and her owner. The old woman’s life revolves around Yancey.
“Silent prayer” is a sharp, witty, ironic, and just funny dialogue between a married couple. The husband is getting ready for a business trip whilst his wife engages him into a conversation full of inside jokes, accusations, and mutual affection.
“Endless rain into a paper cup” introduces Jocelyn’s mother – Myrtis – to readers.
“Duff’s done enough” features a writer and two elderly people.
“Elvis is ahead of us” is a story about several teenagers who manage to break in a house whose owner is constantly away. They do it just for fun. One night the adults catch them in the house again. Together they discover a room full of Elvis pictures.
“Major Maybe” features a woman who recollects the days of her youth. She thinks about a black dog – Major Maybe – and her flat mate.
“Road Movie” is about a woman named Moira. She arranges a vacation for her and her lover, so that to show him that she is better than his long-term girlfriend.
“The Little Hutchinsons” features the Hutchinsons family. It is mostly focused on an approaching wedding of their boys. His mother tries to convince her neighbor to allow them to use their back yard for a wedding ceremony. She is refused, for a woman she asks for a favor still can’t forget how that boy – a groom-to-be – killed a turtle.
“Missed Calls” is a discussion of art between Clair Levinson-Jones and Terry Cacassa.
