The Confounding of Camelia

"The Confounding of Camelia" by Anne Douglas Sedgwick is a story set in the late 1800s, where Camelia Paton comes back to her family's country home following an eventful but uneasy time in London. The book is about figuring out who you are, what society expects, and what you really want, as Camelia deals with how others see her, especially because she is different and her family is known for being well-behaved. We learn that her family was mostly "good, quiet people," but her dad was a rebel, which makes her unique. The book shows how different Camelia is from the traditional views of her town, making her someone people both like and judge. She has complicated relationships, especially with her mom and her childhood friend, Michael, who seems to both criticize and care for her. There's a sense that things could get more serious between them as Camelia tries to be herself while also wanting to fit in, even though she hates how everyone is the same. The story is ready to deeply check out Camelia as a person, and the connections she has with others, as she faces what society wants from her and what she wants from herself.