Dodge sets her story in Broek, a village on the outskirts of Amsterdam, in the 1830s, just before the Industrial Revolution has had great impact. In the novel, Holland is a country where wind still drives the ships and powers the machinery that pumps water, saws wood, and grinds grain. It is a country where dikes and historic ruins and buildings, all with their own stories, remind people of a past spent fighting the sea and foreign invaders. Most people still derive their livelihood from farming, fishing, trades, or crafts. Railroad construction is just beginning, and most travel is by foot, boat, or coach. The major events of the story occur in December, when commercial activity slows because the canals have frozen and the crops have been harvested. The nation pauses to celebrate a series of secular and religious holidays, including the feast of St. Nicholas, the model...