BOOK BRIEF

The Beans of Egypt, Maine

Carolyn Chute
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The Beans of Egypt, Maine

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1986

Book Brief

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Carolyn Chute

The Beans of Egypt, Maine

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1986
Book Details
Pages

238

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Maine • 1980s

Theme
Topic
Publication Year

1986

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn Chute portrays the lives of the Bean family and their neighbors in a rural Maine town. The narrative captures the struggles, poverty, and interpersonal dynamics within this tight-knit community, revealing the complexities and resilience of the individuals who inhabit it.

Gritty

Dark

Melancholic

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

3.7

4,145 ratings

57%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Carolyn Chute's The Beans of Egypt, Maine offers an unflinching portrayal of rural poverty with gritty realism. Readers praise its vivid characters and authentic dialogue. However, some find its narrative bleak and challenging. The novel's strength lies in its raw depiction of life’s struggles, though its dark themes may not appeal to all.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Beans of Egypt, Maine?

A reader intrigued by gritty rural life and vivid character portrayals would enjoy The Beans of Egypt, Maine. Fans of Faulkner's As I Lay Dying or Erskine Caldwell's Tobacco Road might appreciate Chute's raw, unflinching depiction of poverty, family, and survival in a small Maine town.

3.7

4,145 ratings

57%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

238

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Maine • 1980s

Theme
Topic
Publication Year

1986

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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