The finishing school

Godwin and Betts are both skilled storytellers emphasizing strong female characters, often with a coming-of-age theme. Their straightforward and engagingly descriptive prose draws the reader into the story, nearly always set in the South, where the interesting characters come to life in the reader's imagination. -- Katherine Johnson

Gail Godwin and Lee Smith's novels generally emerge through the voices of strong women and girls, whether through first-person or third-person narrative. There is often a coming-of-age theme or one of self-discovery, and the stories generally unfold in the South, though Smith's are more likely to be historical fiction. -- Katherine Johnson

These authors' works have the appeal factors nonlinear, and they have the genres "relationship fiction" and "southern fiction"; and the subjects "husband and wife," "grief," and "marital conflict."

These authors' works have the genre "relationship fiction"; and the subjects "husband and wife," "marriage," and "clergywomen."

These authors' works have the genre "literary fiction"; and the subjects "loss," "grief," and "women."

These authors' works have the appeal factors melancholy and haunting, and they have the genres "relationship fiction" and "southern fiction"; and the subjects "marital conflict," "mountain life," and "extramarital affairs."

These authors' works have the subjects "husband and wife," "small town life," and "marital conflict."

These authors' works have the appeal factors melancholy and haunting, and they have the genres "mainstream fiction" and "southern fiction"; and the subjects "husband and wife," "small town life," and "marital conflict."

These authors' works have the genres "relationship fiction" and "literary fiction"; and the subjects "husband and wife," "marriage," and "small town life."

These authors' works have the genre "southern fiction"; and the subjects "women journalists," "widows," and "women."

These authors' works have the genre "southern fiction"; and the subjects "marriage," "clergywomen," and "grief."

These authors' works have the genres "relationship fiction" and "mainstream fiction"; and the subjects "small town life," "women," and "mothers and daughters."