First published 1987
Lila Brennan stands in her cluttered apartment, surrounded by antique china she cannot afford. Her husband Frank watches from the doorway as she unwraps another piece from the auction house. The rent is overdue again. Lila works at a downtown gallery, but her modest salary disappears into her compulsive collecting. She tells herself each purchase will be the last, yet finds herself drawn back to estate sales and antique shops. Frank threatens to leave if she cannot control her spending. Lila must choose between the beautiful objects that fill her days and the man who shares her nights. Howard examines how desire for beauty can become destructive when it replaces human connection.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, domestic-drama
Setting: Apartment, Downtown Gallery
Period: Contemporary
Unknown Binding · Penguin Books
Content warnings: addiction