In this engaging historical novel set at the turn of the twentieth century, the protagonist, Anne Beauvois, has been leading a vividly described life of privilege in Quebec when her mother's death forces her to return to her brutal father's impoverished farm in New York State. Desperate for escape, she marries an illiterate Irish brickmaker from Haverstraw, a village on the Hudson River, which bills itself as the brickmaking capital of the world. While Anne struggles to adjust to her new life, disaster caused by the greed of the brickmaking company's owner brings death and destruction. Anne discovers her own strength, builds her own life, and eventually finds love. The characters and setting are meticulously realized and carefully researched.