Friendship and Folly: A Novel

"Friendship and Folly: A Novel" by Maria Louise Pool is a tale set in late 19th-century Massachusetts, mainly at the Ffolliott family's house, where the lives of siblings Carolyn and Leander, along with their cousin Prudence, intertwine, as the story looks closely at family ties, young escapades, and the first hints of love, especially in the lively interactions among the main characters. The story begins with Leander's claim of finding a precious ring, which he believes belongs to their cousin Rodney, which leads Carolyn, a calmer girl deep in her books, to accompany him on a quest to solve the ring's origins, showing the fun but intricate bond between them as they deal with their relatives and friends. With the arrival of Prudence, the plot thickens, suggesting possible romances and more adventures to come and revealing the underlying tensions and feelings that build as the story moves.