The Hotel Nantucket

“Nantucket Island is known for its cobblestone streets and red-brick side-walks, cedar-shingled cottages and rose-covered arches, long stretches of golden beach and refreshing Atlantic breezes—and it’s also known for residents who adore a juicy piece of gossip.”

Hilderbrand’s opening sets the scene for this Eastern seaboard resort, establishing a quaint New England vibe through the red brick, cobblestones, and roses. She also gives the impression of a small, close-knit community who are overly interested in each other’s lives. Here, Hilderbrand takes the tone of a knowing, omniscient narrator, ensuring that the setting and population are established in the reader’s mind before they meet any characters.

“Lizbet is an island sweetheart. She moved to Nantucket in the mid-aughts from the Twin Cities, wearing her blond hair in two long braids like the younger princess in Frozen, and at the start of her first summer on the island, she found a ‘prince’ in JJ O’Malley.”

This description of Lizbet is from the fond perspective of the islanders, using colloquialisms like “sweetheart.” Her resembling a childhood heroine indicates her innocence and naivety on coming to the island from the Midwest, a part of the country that has fewer flashy, wealthy people. The idea of finding a “prince” sets Lizbet up for a happily ever after. However, the quotation marks suggest that JJ is not what he originally seemed.

“It’s a high-concept jewel box, a space painted Farrow and Ball’s Pitch Blue (which falls on the spectrum between sapphire and amethyst) and a blue granite bar. There are domed pendant lights that look like upside-down copper bowls and an accent wall sheathed in bright pennies! There’s also a copper disco ball that will drop from the ceiling every night at nine o’clock.”

This description of The Hotel Nantucket’s Blue Bar establishes it as a unique and exciting place. The spectrum of blues makes it appear otherworldly and celestial, while the complementary hued copper accessories give it a modern, metallic appeal. The daily drop of the disco ball indicates that every evening at the bar will be an event, aiming to be unforgettable.