by Gayl Jones
First published 2022
Writer Amanda Wordlaw finds herself caught between loyalty and self-preservation on the sun-bleached island of Ibiza in the 1970s. Her dearest friend Catherine Shuger creates beautiful sculptures but cannot escape the cycle that defines her life: attempting to kill her husband, facing institutionalization, then returning to repeat the pattern. Catherine's husband refuses to leave, creating a bizarre triangle that Amanda must navigate. As the three move through their days on the island, Amanda watches her gifted friend struggle with forces that art cannot overcome. The story examines how Black women express their creativity while confronting the limits of what friendship can survive. Jones explores the complex dynamics between these characters as they grapple with questions of artistic expression, personal freedom, and the price of staying connected to those we love but cannot save.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, african-american, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, complex-relationships
Setting: Ibiza
Period: 1970s
Audio CD · Beacon Press
Content warnings: mental-illness