It Girl
A Novel
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A sweeping, sensational novel of America’s first “It Girl,” whose dramatic journey to center stage echoes through the decades—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
“As stunning as the incomparable leading lady who inspired it . . . unputdownable, with a twist that will leave you breathless.”—Emily Giffin
At the dawn of the twentieth century, New York’s streets teem with change: electricity, automobiles, the brash young President Teddy Roosevelt—and the It Girls. As artists’ muses and working models, these independent young women soar to stardom not because of their pedigrees or inherited wealth, but because of their talent, charisma, and irresistible beauty. Pop culture is born, and in a world alight with Mr. Edison’s new bulbs, no one shines brighter than America’s sweetheart, Evelyn Talbot.
But the journey to stardom is not simple or straight. While working as a shopgirl, the young Evelyn is recruited as a studio model and soon catches the eye of the preeminent artists of the age. When Broadway comes calling, Evelyn solidifies her status as the first self-made American female celebrity: the iconic Gibson Girl, the most sought-after figure and face of her time. Enter a parade of powerful and power-hungry men, from world-famous architect Stanley Pierce, the visionary behind Manhattan’s mansions and iconic landmarks, to Hal Thorne, the shockingly wealthy railroad heir and premier “playboy” of high society. Each man promises comfort, glamour, security—even love. But fame and fortune are cruel teachers, and Evelyn learns that the only person she can rely on is herself.
When Evelyn finds herself at the center of a murder of passion declared “the Crime of the Century,” she is blamed for the acts of the men in her life. In the media frenzy that spirals around her, Evelyn realizes that to survive, she will have to write her own ending. But can this artists’ muse turned showgirl pull off the greatest act of her life?
It Girl is a breathtaking ride inspired by a singular artist and icon who captured the collective imagination of American society. Allison Pataki has crafted yet another unforgettable leading lady, a heroine who must find the power to change not only the world around her but her own destiny.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pataki, author of Finding Margaret Fuller, reimagines the life of famed Gibson Girl Evelyn Nesbit (1884–1967) in this winning tale of how a woman's beauty transforms her life. When Evelyn is a teen, her widowed mother struggles to make ends meet for her and her younger brother, Kit. Hoping for better opportunities, they move from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, where Evelyn and her mother land jobs at Wanamaker's department store. Outside the store one day, an artist asks Evelyn to model for her, which leads to similar gigs and eventually a chance to work as an artist's model in New York City. There, in 1901, Evelyn becomes a chorus girl on Broadway, where she garners the attention of Stanley Pierce, a wealthy and much older architect who pays for Evelyn and her mother's hotel suite, while Kit remains at boarding school in Pennsylvania. When Stanley becomes sexually abusive, Evelyn fears she won't be able to maintain her and her mother's new lifestyle if she leaves him. Then she meets Pittsburgh millionaire Hal Thorne, who turns out to have demons of his own, and the story builds to a shocking confrontation between Hal and Stanley. Pataki expertly highlights how Evelyn's naivete is shattered, leading her to rely only on herself to overcome physical and psychological trauma. Historical fiction fans will be riveted.
