Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-28 23:30:56
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Gigi Georges
- ISBN：0062984454
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Summary
In this captivating and empathetic book， Gigi Georges follows five girls as they come of age in one of the most challenging and geographically isolated regions on the Eastern seaboard。 Their stories transform our understanding of life in small towns and offer hope for the future of rural America。
Nestled in Maine’s far northeast corner， Washington County sits an hour’s drive from the heart of famed and bustling Acadia National Park。 Yet it’s a world away。 For Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie—five teenage girls caught between tradition and transformation in this remote region—it is home。 Downeast follows their journeys of heartbreak and hope in uncertain times， creating a nuanced and unique portrait of rural America with women at its center。
Willow lives in the shadow of an abusive， drug-addicted father and searches for stability through photography and love。 Vivian， a gifted writer， feels stifled by her church and town， and struggles to break free without severing family ties。 Mckenna is a softball pitching phenom whose passion is the lobster-fishing she learned at her father’s knee。 Audrey is a beloved high school basketball star who earns a coveted college scholarship but questions her chosen path。 Josie， a Yale-bound valedictorian， is determined to take the world by storm。
All five girls know the pain and joy of life in a region whose rugged beauty and stoicism mask dwindling populations， vanishing job opportunities， and pervasive opioid addiction。 As the girls reach adulthood， they discover that despite significant challenges， there is much to celebrate in “the valley of the overlooked。” Their stories remind us of the value of timeless ideals: strength of family and community， reverence for nature’s rule， dignity in cracked hands and muddied shoes， and the enduring power of home。
Revealed through the eyes of Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie， Downeast is based on four years of intimate reporting。 The result is a beautifully rendered， emotionally startling， and vital book。 Downeast will break readers’ hearts yet offer them hope， providing answers to what the future may hold for rural America。
Nestled in Maine’s far northeast corner， Washington County sits an hour’s drive from the heart of famed and bustling Acadia National Park。 Yet it’s a world away。 For Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie—five teenage girls caught between tradition and transformation in this remote region—it is home。 Downeast follows their journeys of heartbreak and hope in uncertain times， creating a nuanced and unique portrait of rural America with women at its center。
Willow lives in the shadow of an abusive， drug-addicted father and searches for stability through photography and love。 Vivian， a gifted writer， feels stifled by her church and town， and struggles to break free without severing family ties。 Mckenna is a softball pitching phenom whose passion is the lobster-fishing she learned at her father’s knee。 Audrey is a beloved high school basketball star who earns a coveted college scholarship but questions her chosen path。 Josie， a Yale-bound valedictorian， is determined to take the world by storm。
All five girls know the pain and joy of life in a region whose rugged beauty and stoicism mask dwindling populations， vanishing job opportunities， and pervasive opioid addiction。 As the girls reach adulthood， they discover that despite significant challenges， there is much to celebrate in “the valley of the overlooked。” Their stories remind us of the value of timeless ideals: strength of family and community， reverence for nature’s rule， dignity in cracked hands and muddied shoes， and the enduring power of home。
Revealed through the eyes of Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie， Downeast is based on four years of intimate reporting。 The result is a beautifully rendered， emotionally startling， and vital book。 Downeast will break readers’ hearts yet offer them hope， providing answers to what the future may hold for rural America。
Reviews
Carla
，
All my life， I have been trying to explain to "people from away" what it is like to grow up in Downeast Maine。 This book renders the complexity of that experience with sensitivity， honesty and insight。 Thank you， Gigi Georges。 Although I am a generation older than these girl， I feel seen and understood。 All my life， I have been trying to explain to "people from away" what it is like to grow up in Downeast Maine。 This book renders the complexity of that experience with sensitivity， honesty and insight。 Thank you， Gigi Georges。 Although I am a generation older than these girl， I feel seen and understood。 。。。more
Taylor
，
A beautifully-written account of coming-of-age in rural Maine and the fierce young women who inhabit it。
Lisa K
，
Thank you Goodreads， publisher and author for the free advanced copy。 I knew very little about Maine， but am very familiar with small towns。 It was an enjoyable read about the journey of five tough young women。
Kasia
，
It's strangely comforting to learn that rural areas across the world are struggling with similar issues。 Poverty， addiction， sparse job opportunities also plague the small town where I was growing up （on the other continent） so the stories I've read in this book were very familiar to me。 However， if you spent your entire life in the major city I think this book has the power to shock you。We are following ordinary life of 5 girls - Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie。 They are growing up i It's strangely comforting to learn that rural areas across the world are struggling with similar issues。 Poverty， addiction， sparse job opportunities also plague the small town where I was growing up （on the other continent） so the stories I've read in this book were very familiar to me。 However， if you spent your entire life in the major city I think this book has the power to shock you。We are following ordinary life of 5 girls - Willow， Vivian， Mckenna， Audrey， and Josie。 They are growing up in a rural area of Maine， in a town so small that all the neighbors know each other。 While their stories and following their choices were very interesting， author decided to add some information about girl's families （sometimes even going couple generations back） so before long I was lost in the flood of uncles and grandmas。 I found it impossible to follow the stories especially when suddenly ie Elizabeth is mentioned and I just couldn't remember whose mother was she。 Or maybe she was an aunt？ Because of that I had trouble connecting with main heroines。Overall it's a good story。 Nice reminder that rural areas are not this idyllic places where sun always shine and people are happier because they are living closer to the nature。 。。。more
Joan
，
I enjoyed reading about the life of theses families in Maine 。 It was very interesting to me since I will never go there 。 I just never thought about the life of fisherman 。 It's got to be bad when the weather is so bad that you can't go out in your boat to make your living 。 I learn so much from reading books and seeing others lifestyles 。 It amazes me ！ I thank you for their story 。 I enjoyed reading about the life of theses families in Maine 。 It was very interesting to me since I will never go there 。 I just never thought about the life of fisherman 。 It's got to be bad when the weather is so bad that you can't go out in your boat to make your living 。 I learn so much from reading books and seeing others lifestyles 。 It amazes me ！ I thank you for their story 。 。。。more
Heather Munao
，
My full review is in Booklist。
Pj Gaumond
，
The version I just finished is an uncorrected proof。 I really enjoyed the book and it puts a new perspective on small towns in rural areas。 It shows how support can really make a difference for the teenagers in the book。 The book is at times heart-wrenching and sad but very positive in it's overall message。 I won this book through Goodreads。 The version I just finished is an uncorrected proof。 I really enjoyed the book and it puts a new perspective on small towns in rural areas。 It shows how support can really make a difference for the teenagers in the book。 The book is at times heart-wrenching and sad but very positive in it's overall message。 I won this book through Goodreads。 。。。more
Karen Kuhn
，
I thought I was going to read a coming of age story of 5 women。 This book is so much more than that。 It's a history lesson， it's an economics lesson and a lesson in rural America before and during COVID and it's a lesson on strong females making their way， life and space in their corner of the world。 This book is interesting and a bit surprising and I like it！ I thought I was going to read a coming of age story of 5 women。 This book is so much more than that。 It's a history lesson， it's an economics lesson and a lesson in rural America before and during COVID and it's a lesson on strong females making their way， life and space in their corner of the world。 This book is interesting and a bit surprising and I like it！ 。。。more
Jennifer Schultz
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