This is a tactic that she uses throughout many of her books, and it allows the reader to question where the story will go. One of my favorite aspects of Hilderbrand’s writing style is the way she focuses on different points of view throughout the novel, slowly revealing the secrets of the characters as the story progresses.
The reader becomes transported to the world of the late 1960s and how America was quickly starting to change in more ways than one, while the characters of the story learn how to cope with this change – although sometimes a bit reluctantly. Even in subtle ways, such as the mention of the Woodstock music festival, the reader was reminded of the period in which the book was set without making them feel as though events were being brought up simply for the sake of being mentioned. As a lover of history, I was especially drawn to the ways in which she incorporated almost every event that occurred during this time. Hilderbrand uses this island community and the story of this one family in particular as a backdrop for the politics and history of the summer of 1969. Thirteen-year-old Jessie faces the trials of growing up, secluded with only her out-of-touch grandmother and her mother, who is constantly worrying about Jessie’s brother, Tiger, who is fighting in the war overseas. Meanwhile, middle daughter Kirby leaves the traditions of her family behind to take a job on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer, hoping to escape her past and carve out her own place in the world. The oldest daughter Blair is stuck at home in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. The novel follows the family through the summer as they deal with the drama and secrets of their personal lives. The moon landing, Ted Kennedy’s scandal at Chappaquiddick and the Vietnam War infiltrated all aspects of American life, especially for the Levin family, who find themselves at the center of it all. The summer of 1969 was one of the most tumultuous in American history.
As Hamilton and Colgate slowly start to defrost, Hilderbrand’s books bring to mind the warm days of summers past and yet to come. This summer destination has become Hilderbrand’s signature, with many of her novels connecting fictional characters within the island community. “Summer of ‘69 ,” published in 2019, is just one of many of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels set on the idyllic island of Nantucket.
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