McKibben describes this book as a fable, and that seems about accurate. Like most adult novels that go for a feeling of fable or folk tale, it feels a bit slight. It is certainly charming; the detail of the school for newcomers to the state is a deft, funny touch. But in the end, it has it's point (which has less to do with secession than with civil discourse and the importance of small communities), it has a few laughs, and that's about it.
Overall: B