In California, a black teenager is determined to survive, at all costs, in a world that refuses to protect her. A punchy first novel.
Seventeen-year-old Kiara and her older brother Marcus live in an apartment building in East Oakland. Left to their own devices, they saw their family fractured by death and by prison. If Marcus dreams of a career in rap, his sister struggles to find work and pay the rent. But the debts accumulate and the eviction approaches.
One evening, what begins as a misunderstanding with a stranger becomes, in Kiara’s eyes, the only way out. She decides to sell her body, to survey the night. Nothing has yet prepared her for the violence of this universe, and especially not the banal arrest will precipitate her into a hell she would never have imagined.
A novel of raw beauty, carried by the sensitive language of Leila Mottley.
“An unforgettable novel and a pen to follow. » The Parisian Weekend
“A bold and beautiful novel, a heartbreaking story that pays tribute to the resilience of women who are victims of violence. » Publishers Weekly
“A sumptuous and poetic pen, a remarkable finesse of analysis. » Kirkus Reviews
“Leila Mottley has the delicacy of a poet when it comes to revealing to us the most brutal and heartbreaking truths. »Dave Eggers
“She writes with the humility and sparkle of a child, but also with the talent and mastery of a seasoned storyteller. »James McBride
We will also talk about “A Deep Sleep” by Tiffany Quay Tyson and “To Die and Then Jump on His Horse” by David Bosc