by Lisa Taddeo
First published 2021
Gifty is a young woman struggling to find her place in the world. Orphaned as a child, she bounces between relatives, never quite fitting in. When Gifty impulsively leaves her grandmother's home to live with her estranged father, she finds an unexpected solace in the rugged wilderness of rural Illinois. As Gifty navigates her newfound independence and the complexities of her fractured family, she must confront the traumas of her past and forge her own path forward. "Animal" is a poignant exploration of identity, loss, and the powerful, liberating pull of the natural world.
Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
368 pages · Paperback