by Laura Moriarty - undifferentiated
First published 2012
Cora Carlisle steps off the train at Grand Central Station in the summer of 1922 with fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks at her side. The traditional thirty-six-year-old woman from Kansas has agreed to chaperone the future movie star during her dance studies in New York, but Louise proves more challenging than expected. The striking teenager with her signature black bob shows little respect for rules or convention. She displays both stunning beauty and sharp intelligence, making Cora's job of supervision nearly impossible. While Cora struggles to manage her rebellious charge in the bustling city, she pursues her own secret mission. New York offers her possibilities she never imagined back home. The pace of modern life in the city opens Cora's eyes to what the twentieth century might hold. Over five transformative weeks, both women discover new versions of themselves. Cora makes an unexpected discovery that liberates her from a lifetime of yearning, while Louise continues her journey toward stardom and independence.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Grand Central Station, Kansas, New York
Period: 1922
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