When 25-year-old Pandora Duncan leaves her Progressive family in Baltimore and moves to North Carolina to pursue a career in journalism at a small town newspaper, little does she know that her life has just shifted onto a four-year fast track to adulthood. Elizabeth James' novel offers a refreshing use of fiction to forward a condemnation of the Bush Administration. At the same time, the deeply moving characters in this coming-of-age piece transcend current politics, making the story timeless. Pandora's journey from indifference to committed activism reveals her to be a sexy, quirky, feisty, conflicted, and finally courageous young woman who is both compelling and unforgettable. The cloying smell of Magnolia on steamy summer nights, the texture of red clay, the lacey fragility of blooming Crape Myrtle, and the rich, often brooding atmosphere elevate the setting to the status of a major character. While the book is built on the skeleton of contemporary politics, the heart, soul, and flesh of the novel are an old-fashioned, well-told story with all the elements of an enduring classic