Possession

About this book

"Possession" by Mazo De la Roche is a novel written in the early 20th century. It follows Nova Scotian architect Derek Vale as he inherits a lakeside farm called Grimstone and tries to make it his own, dealing with the formidable housekeeper Mrs. Machin, a mixed crew of hired men, sharp neighbors such as H. P. Chard, and the compelling Jerrolds next door—William and his daughter Grace. Rooted in orchards, livestock, and Great Lake winds, it blends pastoral detail with tensions over ownership, class, and attraction. Early threads of rivalry and romance suggest a story about belonging as much as about land.

The opening of the novel shows Derek’s arrival at Grimstone near Mistwell and Brancepeth, his first glimpse of the bustling kitchen staff, and his tentative assertion of authority under Mrs. Machin’s watch. He explores the farm, meets the imposing William Jerrold and his poised daughter Grace at church, and is drawn into their orbit over tea at Durras. A cattle sale tempts him into buying a prized Holstein cow and calf; the cow fails and dies, leaving him attached to the bull calf. Daily life gathers texture—canoe outings, plans for a tennis court, and the seasonal rhythm of fruit—while a group of Indigenous pickers led by dignified Solomon Sharroe arrives; Derek hastily improves their shabby shack and is intrigued by the lively Jammery and the softly self-possessed Fawnie. A moonlit bathing scene and a playful hen-setting under Fawnie’s bunk sharpen Derek’s sense of desire and complicate his stewardship. The section closes with crisis: Chard poaches the pickers just as the cherries ripen, forcing a scramble for labor and exposing how fragile Derek’s new “possession” really is.