Pauline: A New Beginning on Whidbey Island

by Avis Rector

When Pauline first sees the house, tears well up in her eyes and in a trembling voice she says, "Fred, that house... it's not at all what I expected. It's so small. It looks like a shack." Faced with the hardships of the 1930's, Pauline and Fred come from Michigan to Whidbey Island, one of many islands nestled in Puget Sound in Washington State. The young couple arrive in 1934 as the construction of the Deception Pass Bridge begins. Embraced by new friends in the farming community of Cornet, they work to make a new home while surviving disasters and adapting to the adventures of rural life. Pauline befriends a young man in the Civilian Conservation Corps and seeks to unravel his mysterious past. The story ends with the celebration of the bridge dedication in 1935. "Poetic language, beautifully done!" --Dorothy Read, Author of End the Silence. "An elegantly written story of both a woman and an island." --Victoria Farrington, MFA.

Genres: Historical Fiction

456 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2015

Reviews

[Teralee Deighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant

This book is a nice visit to an earlier time. It's a bit slow paced and fairly predictable, but the characters come alive. The last half is a bit more exciting than the first part. I grew up on Whidbey Island, and it was fun to learn more of the history of the island.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about moving to Whidbey Island in the mid 30’s. Although fiction, there is quite a bit of Pacific Northwest history. Enjoyed it!

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, pieces of it are a little choppy and Fred is not my favorite person ever, but I loved the story so much. It was absolutely fascinating!

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, as a Whidbey Island resident, to see historical and geographical references that I recognize and can easily visualize! I enjoyed traveling through this year of Whidbey life for new residents Pauline and Fred, and their developing relationships with other islanders.

What was missing for me was a depth of character development, as well as a sense of completeness, particularly as chapters wrapped up. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and remained engrossed, wanting to keep reading each night as I sleepily tucked it in my bedstand.