Book Review: "Annie Kilburn" by William Dean Howells - 1887

Annie spent years living with her father in Europe, and when he died, she decided to move to her hometown in the US.  Her goal was to do good in the world, and this story is about her struggle to do just that. 

Apparently, when you are wealthy, it can be tricky to help the poor, and it seemed that everything that Annie did would backfire.  There is a quiet romance going on at the same time, but that is just a minor subplot.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but not a memorable one.  Howells did paint a very accurate picture of a small town society--and I think that was the best part.  He is great at describing a world without you knowing he is describing it.  I love his interactions between people and some of the dialogue is just marvelous.