SHORTLISTED FOR THE LA TIMES BOOK PRIZEFor fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous a richly atmospheric debut about lost innocence and rural AmericaRemarkable This novel reads like a miracle NPR Brimming with longing with heartbreak New York Times Jude is popular beautiful wealthier than most in Deep Valley Cindy is Judes neighbour younger poorer a kid from the kind of family everyone knows will come to no good Jude is black and Cindy is whiteOne summer Jude disappears Search parties go out but come back emptyhanded and strangely pleased Jude thought she was better than everyone else Look at her now Meanwhile Cindy is performing a vanishing act of her own She is slipping out of her old life and into someone elses She is becoming Jude Lyrical sexy humane and just a total pleasure to read Elif Batuman author of The IdiotOne of the most exquisitely written books Ive read in a long time A haunting novel about craving escape so badly youre willing to erase yourself by a writer I would follow anywhere Julie Buntin author of Marlena
