Meet Tanya, Gwen, Emma, Mia, and Claire, five girls from the same hometown whose lives intersect under unforgettable circumstances. Tanya grows up with an abusive brother and a prostitute’s daughter for a best friend. Gwen dreams of being a super-model but, like Tanya on the rougher side of town, must surviveviolence. Emma has a hard-working single mother who can’t always protect her. Emma’s best friend, Mia, loses her father to suicide. And finally, there’s Claire, who escapes their small town but finds she can’t escape the past.

Through these remarkable characters, Christina Fitzpatrick captures not only the anger and fear in being young and unprotected but also the strength and compassion that unite all who have suffered and survived. In this dark, breathtaking work, Ms. Fitzpatrick’s haunting prose elevates the female experience into a powerful, raw read.