Opalescent is a novel about the conflicts faced by an Adirondack company town when contamination of the water supply threatens both the community's health and financial viability. The name of the book is derived from the Opalescent River, which starts at Lake Tear of the Clouds, a small lake at the base of Mount Marcy, and is the source of the Hudson River. The story is told through current events and flashbacks to the founding of the town by Irish immigrants. It shows how the town and company evolved, building on the mountains' resources and adapting as those resources were depleted. The novel illustrates the challenges of preserving the environment of the Adirondacks while struggling to maintain the local economy.