Oh my. You could just fell the tension between Henry and Effie from the first sentences of the novel. Both young and immature, or so it seems, Henry and Effie are newlyweds from Georgia, honeymooning in the desolate beach town of Cape May, New Jersey. Right from the start, there are signs of trouble -- the first sign probably being when Effie begins to cry, for no apparent reason, right at the start of their trip. Further descriptions and depictions of their relationship foreshadow a rocky, if not shattering, start to their marriage.