In fact, in the years to come, after she trains as a chef, Natalie will become further entwined in the inn’s life, helping the family recover from a tragedy, falling in love with one of the Berry sons, and unwittingly contributing to a livelihood-threatening accident. The adolescent Natalie is outraged, and when the chance comes for her to infiltrate the Inn at Lake Devine as the guest of one of her summer camp roommates, she sees it as her secret act of revenge. The reply they get from the Inn at Lake Devine (proprietress: Ingrid Berry) tactfully but firmly states that the inn’s regular guests are Gentiles. In 1962 Natalie Marx’s family is looking for a vacation destination and sends query letters to various different Vermont establishments. This was a breezy and delightful novel perfect for summer reading.

And I found it fascinating that the author’s mother (revealed in the acknowledgments) had received a similar letter as the Jewish family in this story receives. I admire anyone who can create such a delightful comedy out of a serious premise: the exclusion of Jews from a restricted vacation property. I was afraid for a time that the ending would be too abrupt, but the novel came to a very satisfying conclusion, and also left me wanting more, which makes it my favorite kind of novel.

The personalities of the (very compelling) characters did remain true to themselves, even through the changes they all experienced. I was merely smiling, grinning at times, but did not actually laugh as I did during the first chapters of the book that didn’t diminish my reading enjoyment however. Part 2 actually felt as though it might have been written at a separate time the style was somewhat different. I’m so glad that Lipman continued with the story. I probably also really enjoyed it because I do so appreciate stories about young people. The section would have sufficed as a stand-alone novella.

During that section, I was often laughing out loud it was hilarious. The first and shorter Part 1 was my favorite portion. And I must say I’m always a sucker for any good bad mushroom story. The author shows remarkable perspicacity regarding intergenerational conflict, bigotry, cultural differences, and the eras of the 1960s and 1970s. This is a wonderful, almost a comedy of manners, coming of age story.

The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman