First published 1985
Carroll presents a collection of interconnected stories exploring women's lives across different spheres. The narratives move from college campuses where young women endure the rituals of sorority recruitment to the glittering world of rodeo beauty competitions. Other stories delve into the adult film industry and the private struggles women face with intimacy and sexual fulfillment. Each woman confronts societal expectations while searching for authentic connection and personal agency. The characters wrestle with the gap between public performance and private desire, whether competing for acceptance in Greek life, vying for a crown, or working in explicit entertainment. Carroll captures the tension between what women are expected to be and who they actually are. The stories reveal how women across different backgrounds share common struggles with self-worth, sexuality, and finding their place in a world that often reduces them to their appearance or performance. Through these varied experiences, the book explores the complex reality of being female in America.
Genres: fiction, feminism, contemporary, adult-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, interconnected-stories, search-for-identity
Setting: America
Period: 21st-century
189 pages · Hardcover · Bantam Dell Pub Group
Content warnings: sexual-content