The Road to Dalton is the first in a series of books that have been suggested as read alikes for Elizabeth Strout fans, and I can see why. Not only are they also set in northern Maine, they have the same focus on intimate and detailed stories of seemingly ordinary life that are extraordinary.

Unlike Strout’s stories, there does not seem to be one particular character whom the narrative orbits around, and yet I felt so connected to each and every one on such a short amount of pages. Fair warning, it is on the melancholic side with many emotionally fraught stories centered around depression, suicide, and other mental health struggles. I am absolutely planning on reading the second installment, and the third that comes out this summer.