A “brilliant and layered” novel about a prodigy turned convict turned dog walker in her 40s from the celebrated author of My Depression: A Picture Book (Oprah.com).
A former child prodigy and rich-girl kleptomaniac, eighteen-year-old Ester is incarcerated after her kleptomania gets way out of hand. There, she is given the very gentile name Carleen (for her own protection) and for two decades, time is the enemy. When finally let loose onto the streets of New York, Carleen finds a job as a dog walker in Manhattan’s most elite neighborhoods. But despite her remarkable gift for canine communication, Carleen is determined to finally prove that she is a real person. To this end, she tries to reconnect with her estranged—and ferociously Orthodox—daughter.
Amid the strained brunch dates, unsent letters, and the continuing trauma of prison, Carleen begins a slow and halting process of self-discovery. Strikingly funny and self-aware, this belated coming-of-age novel asks the question: How do you restart after crashing your first chance at life?
After two decades in prison, an ex-radical navigates reentry in New York by walking a series of high-strung, wealthy pooches.
"[A] funny, edgy, and winning novel [that] introduces an extraordinary narrator... One of a kind. Deserves a big splash and lots of readers." -Kirkus (starred review)
"Brilliant and layered, Swados's posthumous novel asks searching questions about the delicate nature of atonement." -O, The Oprah Magazine
"Told in short, punchy chapters. . . [the] comically touching mini-portraits of the dogs and their owners, are vivid and sharply realized, and Carleen's attempts to forge a bond with her unhappy 11-year-old daughter move at a believably halting pace. . . . [T]he novel's wit and intelligence showcase [Swados's] talent." -Publishers Weekly
"Swados' wild imagination keeps the revelations coming right up to the last page." -Newsday
"A beautiful and enthralling read. It manages to contain genius without presumption, illness without stigma, and characterization without oversimplification. The balance of these empathetic factors makes the novel a true work of art, and a must read." -Lambda Literary Review
"Liz Swados was ahead of everybody. A colossus: a singular and unequaled artist. We will continue to study and learn from her art and gain new appreciation for her brilliance." -Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Hamilton
