by Amy Bloom
First published 2014
Eva and Iris receive news that their father's wife has died. Their mother suggests they drive to his place to see what they might gain from the situation. The sisters set out across 1940s America with Iris chasing dreams of stardom while Eva follows as her loyal companion. Their quest takes them from small Ohio towns to Hollywood's seductive landscape, then across the country in a stolen station wagon. They discover jazz clubs and wealthy estates on Long Island, meeting people from society's heights and depths. The sisters navigate big ambitions, public scandals, personal betrayals, and the backdrop of war. Their journey spans from Brooklyn beauty parlors to London's theater district. Eva and Iris must create their own version of family while learning that success and failure often intertwine, that good fortune and disaster can strike without warning.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama, road-trip
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, sisters
Setting: America, Brooklyn, Hollywood, Long Island, London, Ohio
Period: 1940s
256 pages · Hardcover · Random House