First published 1992
Justine lives alone with her beauty and her compulsions. Sex fills the empty spaces in her days, but never the deeper emptiness inside. Dorothy carries her weight like armor against a world that rejected her early. When these two women meet, they recognize something familiar in each other. Justine sees past Dorothy's awkward exterior. Dorothy sees through Justine's polished surface. Both carry damage from their younger selves, wounds that shaped how they move through relationships and desire. Their friendship builds on this recognition. They become mirrors for each other, reflecting back truths neither could face alone. In their connection, both women confront the ways their past experiences with sexuality and intimacy continue to define them.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, womens-fiction
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, found-family
Period: 20th-century
Paperback · Vintage