"Painted Fires", first published in 1925, narrates the trials and tribulations of Helmi Milander, a Finnish immigrant, during the years approaching the First World War. The novel serves as a vehicle for McClungs social activism, especially in terms of temperance, woman suffrage, and immigration policies that favour cultural assimilation. In her afterword, Cecily Devereux situates Painted Fires in the context of McClungs feminist fiction and her interest in contemporary questions of immigration and naturalisation". She also considers how McClungs representation of Helmi Milanders story draws on popular culture narratives.