Set in bohemian Greenwich Village in the mid-'70s, Dylan Landis's debut novel will transport readers through time to witness young artist Rainey Royal's haunting coming-of-age. Possessing a captivating sexuality, 14-year-old Rainey hits on her teachers, torments her fellow students and attracts attention wherever she struts. Home is no refuge since her mother skipped town, leaving her with Rainey's eccentric yet charismatic father, Howard, and his lecherous best friend, Gordy, who sneaks into Rainey's bubble-gum-pink room each night. Their brownstone is a revolving door of young musicians who share Howard's love for music... and his bed. This is hardly a stable upbringing for a love-starved teen, but in Landis's deft hands it's the perfect setup for a riveting story.
Rainey takes comfort in a passion for art and two female friendships that are no more functional than her home life. Her best friend, Tina, may or may not be sleeping with Howard, and the controlling Leah is desperate to rescue the troubled Rainey from herself. Still the three navigate (and sometimes flounder in) the murky water of their adolescence and young adulthood with surprising results.
This stark and fascinating book traces nearly a decade of the unforgettable Rainey's life--as a struggling young artist whose magnetism is both her greatest asset and most terrible curse. The hundreds of little tragedies painted across the page will leave readers deeply affected as Landis perfectly captures a time period of mad exploration during which lines blurred for young people trying to find themselves. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend