48 pages • 1 hour read
Paul HardingThis Other Eden
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Geographical Context: Malaga Island
Content Warning: This guide includes depictions of racism, discrimination, forced eviction, eugenics, nonconsensual relationships, and rape.
Apple Island of This Other Eden is based off the real Malaga Island in Maine and the story of its residents. In the 1800s and early 1900s, the island was home to a racially diverse community that came under criticism, leading to eviction. There are many similarities between This Other Eden and the real Malaga Island community, including its founding, community life, and eviction. The Darlings were one of Malaga’s early families, tracing their roots to Benjamin Darling:
Legend has it that in 1794, he was given his freedom and money to buy Horse Island, after saving the Captain’s life during a shipwreck [...] His descendants later settled on various owned and unowned islands in eastern Casco Bay, and were among the first to reside on Malaga (“Malage Island: An Overview of its Cultural and Natural History.” Maine Coast Heritage Trust, 6 July 2009).
The story of Benjamin Darling and his family draws close comparisons to the Honeys of This Other Eden. Benjamin Honey, like Benjamin Darling, is believed to have been enslaved and freed, using the reward from a captain to start a new life.
