Elina, mistress of Laukko

by Mary Caraker

The book is a Finnish-American novel of three stories. The first is of Elina. Elina's story tells of a country-bred girl who marries a wealthy, jealous nobelman. The second is of Lily's grandmother, who loses her abusive husband in a barn fire and then is ostracized by her neighbors. The third is Lily's own story about her relationships with dominating, controlling men.