The Identicals

Author Elin Hilderbrand is a central figure in the genre of contemporary commercial fiction often categorized as “beach reads.” As a long-time resident of Nantucket, her deep personal connection to the island is a defining feature of her work. Hilderbrand’s status as the “undisputed queen of the beach read” (v), a title given by critics and embraced by readers, stems from her ability to craft immersive, authentic settings that function as characters themselves. In her essay “A Tale of Two Islands,” which is included as an appendix to the narrative, Hilderbrand describes her first arrival on Nantucket as feeling “like coming home to a place I’d never been before” (Hilderbrand, Elin. “A Tale of Two Islands.” Johns Hopkins Magazine, Summer 2021). This personal connection allows her to imbue the fictional tale of The Identicals with verifiable details—from specific restaurants like The Chicken Box to the cultural nuances of island life.

Hilderbrand’s books have turned Nantucket into a literary destination that embodies an idealized, yet complex, American summer. The island is not merely a backdrop for the Frost family’s drama; its geography and social norms actively shape the plot and the characters’ identities.