Sea glass

I am not always a fan of Anita Shreve; I find them a bit lightweight but I was very moved by "Sea glass" . It is set in American weaving mills following the Wall Street crash. It describes a fascinating period of history during which mill owners squeezed their workers to retain their own profits while the almost slave workers struggled to survive. It is mainly a love story though told from a variety of viewpoints: the woman, her new husband, the man she falls in love with, an impoverished child mill worker and a bored, rich, society heiress. The way their story is woven together provides a great insight into the politics of the time. At its most basic level it is the story of a lonely young woman who marries the wrong man because it is the 'done thing'.
I think it would work well for Int 2 since it has the 'angle' of the different viewpoints which they could use to interpret the ongoing story. The theme of glass worn down by the sea reflects the hopelessness of the woman's situation. Apart from being suitable for a student personal study, it was a very enjoyable read .