I loved the opening of this book, which takes place in modern day New Mexico. The story then shifts to 1950's Connecticut, where most of the novel takes place. A family with six daughters lives in a huge old house in a small town. The father is distant. The mother is haunted. The mother's mother, grandmother, and so forth back into history, all died in childbirth of their only child. The mother never wanted to marry, but had no choice and safely delivered six daughters. As girls from a well off family, her daughters only life choice - according to their father - is to marry and have children. The mother is totally opposed to this but has no money or family of her own to provide other options for her daughters. As the daughters come of age and young men enter the picture, spooky and tragic events begin to happen. In a way, this book is a meditation on how most of us are imprisoned by expectations of society, our family and even ourselves. I loved the characters.