Synopsis: “Vanity Fair called this intensely erotic story of a young woman’s sexual and psychological odyssey ‘a provocative tour through the dark side.’” Jesse, a beautiful twenty-nine-year-old, is adrift in San Francisco’s demimonde of sexually ambiguous, bourbon-drinking, drug-taking outsiders. While desperately trying to sustain a connection with her bisexual boyfriend in a world of confused and forbidden desire, she becomes the caretaker of and confidante to Madame Pig, a besotted recluse. Jesse also falls into a dangerous relationship with Madison, Pig’s daughter or lover or both, who uses others’ desires for her own purposes, hurtling herself and Jesse beyond all boundaries. Steinke delves into themes of identity and time, as well as the common — and now tainted — language of sexuality.”
This book was intense. It’s a dark coming-of-age that is honest and raw about the reality of trying to prevent a breakup that you know is necessary, of trying to save someone who is toxic. The writing is lush and truthful, and I found myself underlining a sentence or two on almost every page. Jesse’s story made me incredibly anxious, and the novel exists in the chasm between authentic and dreamlike. It somehow feels intensely real and also like it’s all just dream sequence that will end soon. What I found most intriguing is that Jesse seems convinced that sex – whether through exploration or exploitation – will save her relationship or, at the very least, will save her.
I read this slowly, only reading ten pages or so before going to sleep. Maybe that added to the dreamlike quality haha. I recommend for admirers of Lisa Taddeo. If you don’t like uncomfortable reads, skip it.
TW: suicide, rape
As an aside, this book takes place in San Francisco, and because I spent a lot of time here in college, I loved the SF landscape that backdropped this story.
Have you read this? What’s your favorite coming of age story? 💛
Read It Like Rory 