Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the United States, but its presence in literary fiction is mighty.
Here is a selection of novels that transport readers to this charming New England state.
A testament to Updike’s versatility and storytelling prowess, “The Witches of Eastwick” is a tale that combines the everyday with the supernatural.
Set in the fictional Rhode Island town of Eastwick, the novel follows three divorcees—Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie—as they discover their powers of witchcraft after leaving their humdrum marriages.
This darkly comic portrayal of the 1960s social scene pushes through the boundaries of traditional societal norms while painting a quaint, if not bewitchingly unique, picture of Rhode Island life.
Several years after bewitching readers with “The Witches of Eastwick,” John Updike returned to Rhode Island with “The Widows of Eastwick.”
This sequel reunites readers with Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie, now widows, who reconvene in Eastwick to find their town significantly transformed by the passage of time.
The novel explores the consequences of their earlier actions and weaves another engrossing narrative about the potent mix of magic and morality.
Updike, through Eastwick, shows us a Rhode Island that serves as a bewitching backdrop to lives marked by both enchantment and regret.
“Outside Providence” moves away from the realm of the supernatural and into the gritty realities of working-class life.
Peter Farrelly, better known for his work in film, imbues his novel with authenticity and humor.
The story follows Timothy Dunphy, a boy from a blue-collar neighborhood in Rhode Island, and his struggles with family relationships, social class, and teenage angst.
Farrelly’s Rhode Island is not one of postcard scenes; it’s a character in itself, framing the poignant and often funny experiences of young Dunphy.
Janet Taylor Lisle’s “The Art of Keeping Cool” transports readers back to 1942, in the midst of World War II.
The story revolves around 13-year-old Robert and his cousin Elliot, who uncover family secrets and a shared mystery as they experience the war’s impacts on the Rhode Island home front.
The historical context of fear and prejudice, combined with a coming-of-age story, reveals a nuanced picture of Rhode Island’s past.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Lowland,” a finalist for both the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Award, spans continents, linking Rhode Island to the volatile politics of 1960s Kolkata, India.
It is the story of two brothers, Subhash and Udayan, whose paths diverge dramatically and then reconnect in unexpected ways on the coastal landscape of Rhode Island.
Lahiri’s prose impeccably captures the immigrant’s experience and the state’s ability to be both a haven and a battleground.
“Swim That Rock” by Jay Primiano and John Rocco is a young adult novel that plunges readers into a watery adventure set in the small fishing community of Rhode Island.
Fourteen-year-old Jake has to navigate the rocky path of adolescence while trying to save his family’s diner after his father’s disappearance at sea.
The Rhode Island coastline serves as both a stunning backdrop and an integral thread in the story’s fabric, with its tides mirroring Jake’s turbulent journey.
With “Plain Bad Heroines,” Emily M. Danforth crafts a metafictional narrative that straddles the line between past and present, blending a gothic horror school story with the modern experiences of filmmakers creating a movie about the school’s sinister history.
Set partly in Rhode Island, the novel explores themes of love, horror, and the subversive power of storytelling—all within the confines of a state that seems to hide as many shadows as it does shores.
Claire Luchette’s “Agatha of Little Neon” is a quietly profound tale of devotion and identity.
It centers on Agatha, a young nun sent to live in a halfway house in Rhode Island after her parish closes.
The novel explores themes of faith, community, and transformation, set against the backdrop of a drab, decaying Rhode Island that is as much a character in the story as the vibrant cast of residents Agatha serves.