Very few authors can proudly say that they have kept their readers entertained for over two decades, and Adriana Trigiani surely features in that list of reputed and celebrated authors.
Not only has the writer created books in both fiction and non-fiction, but she has also delved into numerous genres throughout her career so far, developing both series and standalones. Among the series that she has written, the Big Stone Gap series is the one that’s probably the most popular.
While the first book in the series, titled Big Stone Gap, came out in 2000, the subsequent books kept on releasing in the following years, with the last novel, ‘Home to Big Stone Gap,’ released in 2006.
Set in the gorgeous landscape of the ‘Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia,’ the series follows the story of Ave Maria Mulligan and how her life changes and evolves in numerous ways as she deals with new experiences.
Trigiani brings about her signature charm, wit, humor, and honesty in the creation of each and every book in the series, managing to keep the readers hooked till the very last page.
In this article, we will discuss the summaries of all the books and give you a comprehensive overview of the entire series.
Table of Contents
The Chronological List of Big Stone Gap Series
Summary of The Big Stone Gap Series
Since the Big Stone Gap series is divided into four books, we will look at each book’s summary separately. Let’s get into it, shall we?
| Sr. No. | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Stone Gap | April 4, 2000 | 288 pages | Random House | |
| 2 | Big Cherry Holler | May 1, 2001 | 272 pages | Random House | |
| 3 | Milk Glass Moon | July 1, 2002 | 272 pages | Random House | |
| 4 | Home to Big Stone Gap | October 30, 2007 | 317 pages | Ballantine Books |
1. Big Stone Gap
The year is 1978, and the readers are transported to the little village of the Big Stone Gap, where we’re introduced to the protagonist, Ave Maria Mulligan.
At the age of 35, she’s unmarried with no kids and wears several hats. In addition to being the local pharmacist, she’s also the director of the Outdoor Drama and the co-captain of the Rescue Squad.
She’s quite happy and content with her normal life until the revelation of a huge secret turns her world upside down. A letter from her dead mother reveals that Ave Maria’s father isn’t the man she knew all her life, but another person altogether.
She finds herself dealing with marriage proposals and greedy relatives and also plans a trip that’s supposed to change her life. In between all the chaos, she also encounters the famous Hollywood star, Elizabeth Taylor, and saves her from a choking incident.
We get to know that Ave Maria is the object of affection of a man named Jack MacChesney. The novel includes scheming relatives, wild epiphanies, and life-altering adventures.
2. Big Cherry Holler
The second book begins by informing the readers that it has been eight years since Ave Maria and Jack got married. The two have been through some rough times together, which also involved losing Joe, their three-year-old boy.
Ave has been feeling like the spark has gone away from their marriage. So, when Jack loses his job and begins a new business, she suspects that the woman he works with is more than just his colleague.
Her suspicions are amplified when Jack says no to going on their Italian vacation and asks for a trial separation instead. Ave decides to go on the trip anyway, and while attempting to regain herself, she hatches a plan that might just be able to save her marriage.
3. Milk Glass Moon
In Milk Glass Moon, yet again, we plunge into Ave’s life, who is now the mother of a teenage daughter named Etta. Ave loves her daughter deeply and constantly oscillates between wanting to see her transform into a beautiful woman and wishing she’d never grow up.
We see Ave discussing all the matters of her daily life animatedly, right from the events happening at work to the more serious topics such as her friend going through breast cancer.
This particular novel in the series navigates through various places both geographically and thematically. Be it a young girl’s first love to the heartbreak experienced by an older woman, it touches upon numerous subjects and makes the readers go from laughter to tears in seconds.
4. Home to Big Stone Gap
Home to Big Stone Gap is the perfect finale to this delightful series. The readers are told that it has now been almost twenty years since Ave and Jack have been married. Her daughter, Etta, has gone away to Italy, and Ave finds herself looking for a new purpose in life.
Right then, she receives a letter that encourages her to start living for herself. Ave decides to direct the town musical, and a string of events follows, which includes a past lover returning to her life, a health crisis causing turbulence in the family, and the collapse of a lifelong friendship.
In this finale, Trigiani decides to go out with a bang by filling the novel with riveting twists and turns that will have the readers guessing till the thrilling culmination of the story.
Review of The Big Stone Gap Series
The Big Stone Gap series is the perfect set of books for any occasion. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your buddy or are searching for books to pick up for your beach vacation, these four novels pull you right in from the first page and keep you enchanted till the last one.
Ave Maria makes for a very interesting protagonist who goes through a realistic and gripping character arc from start to finish. We see her transform from an energetic single woman to a devoted wife and loving mother.
She ultimately becomes a person who goes on a journey of self-discovery, thereby evolving into the kind of woman who serves as an inspirational figure to those around her as well as the readers.
The minor characters created by Trigiani are equally intriguing, whether it’s Ave’s husband, best friend, or the many other people she meets throughout her life. She combines her trademark comedy with heartfelt moments of grief and growth, blessing her readers with a wave of emotions.
Characters in The Big Stone Gap Series
Trigiani loves to create unique and eccentric characters. A couple of the ones we meet in this series include:
1. Ave Maria Mulligan
Ave is the protagonist of the series. She is 35 years old at the beginning of the series and goes through major life changes as the series carries forward.
2. Jack MacChesney
Jack is a man who has been harboring feelings for Ave for a very long time. The two eventually get married.
3. Theodore Tipton
Theodore is a bandleader. He migrates to New York later on.
4. Iva Lou
Iva is a librarian. She is Ave’s close friend and suffers from breast cancer during the course of the book.
5. Pete Rutledge
Pete is a handsome man whom the readers meet in the first book in the series. He returns to Ave’s world again in the third book.
6. Pearl Grimes
Pearl starts off as a shy mountain girl. She later evolves to become an efficient businesswoman.
Quotes
Trigiani has the talent of spinning her words in a manner that they stay with you long after you’re done finishing the book. Some of the most memorable quotes from the Big Stone Gap series are as follows:
“Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.”
“No one worries about you like your mother, and when she is gone, the world seems unsafe, things that happen unwieldy. You cannot turn to her anymore, and it changes your life forever.”
“How fragile love is. How delicate and small in its first buds, when it’s just an idea, a wish filled with hope. It is so easy to turn away from it entirely and choose to live alone in your own private fear.”
“You must not stay in the past, because all of life changes anyway, and if you try to hang on to happiness, or success, or even the people in your life, you will be unhappy. You have to set new goals.”
“Take nothing and no one for granted. Time used to be my friend, and now it’s a skittish acquaintance at best.”
“Emotions are for the present; don’t squander them on past hurts that are a waste of time.”
“I realize now that a happy mother might very well make a joyful child.”
Movies And TV Adaptations
Of all the books present in the Big Stone Gap series, the first book was made into a movie and had the same title. It was written and directed by the author herself and released in 2014.
The cast included Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, Jenna Elfman, and Paul Wilson.
Conclusion
In the Big Stone Gap series, Trigiani does include certain elements from her own life, such as the setting and a bit of the heritage of the characters, but she doesn’t make it completely autobiographical.
By giving the story a unique taste of its own, she lends it a distinct personality. Whether you return to the series for the millionth time as a huge fan of Trigiani’s books or stumble upon these novels for the first time, it’s bound to be an enjoyable ride.
