Stephanie Lacava Libri

An erotic and darkly comic novel about female friendship, set at the intersection of counterculture and the multimillion-dollar art industry. In the fall of 2015, Mathilde, both sophisticated and awkward, disrupts her orderly life by taking a short leave from her job at a prominent New York auction house to join her best friend Gretchen on a spontaneous trip to Paris. During this journey, Mathilde grapples with her late mother's concealed past, seeks to manage Gretchen's tumultuous relationship with a distant boyfriend, and confronts the traumatic loss of her parents in her teenage years. Traveling through New York, Paris, Munich, London, and Berlin, the narrative unfolds as Mathilde jots down perceptive notes on artworks, helping her navigate her chaotic thoughts and experiences. The story features a biting gossip chorus amidst a diverse array of voices, offering a cool critique of the international art and media scenes while delving into themes of game theory, the uncanny, and psychoanalysis. Drawing from the "Young Girl" tradition of contemporary writers, the novel explores the intricacies of narrative construction in life and literature, revealing the inherent instability that underpins existence.

A stylish and raw exploration of bodies, trauma and 1960s cinema