The Phoebe Variations
A Novel
-
-
4.2 • 6 Ratings
-
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
Instant National Bestseller
An Oprah Daily Best Book of Fall
An Indie Next Pick for October
A LibraryReads Pick for September
The acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World returns with a stunning coming-of-age novel about girls, mothers, and finding one's way in the world.
Seventeen-year-old Phoebe was never interested in her birth family. But on the cusp of her high school graduation, her adoptive mother, Greta, insists on a visit to meet her biological parents and siblings. The encounter is a jolt, a revelation that derails Phoebe.
With the help of her best friend Luna, Phoebe runs away—as far as their friend Patrick O’Connor’s chaotic home, where she hopes to go unnoticed among his thirteen siblings. But when Phoebe asks Patrick to chop off her hip-length hair, she’s suddenly transformed. Patrick’s older brothers can’t help but notice the striking, Peter Pan–like stranger who has suddenly appeared in their midst.
What starts as an adolescent rebellion soon spirals into a whirlwind of self-discovery and unexpected connections. As she grapples with her shifting identity and strained relationships, Phoebe must navigate the tumultuous road out of girlhood and chart a new and unknown course.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Hamilton (The Excellent Lombards) serves up a charming story of a rebellious teen's life-changing summer before college in 1974. Phoebe Hudson's well-meaning adoptive mother, Greta, insists she meet her birth parents, the Dahlgreens, so she can see they're "regular, real people" and let go of any "fantasy" she has about them. Horrified to learn the Dahlgreens have a big family she was excluded from, Phoebe feels betrayed by Greta, whom Hamilton portrays as partly driven by self-interest. Phoebe then runs away, with help from her best friend, Luna, and crashes in their friend Patrick O'Connor's basement. After Patrick gives Phoebe a pixie cut, his 21-year-old brother, Miles, suddenly notices her stunning looks. The pair fall in love and she gets accidentally pregnant, forcing her to make a difficult series of decisions, all while facing the limit of Luna's loyalty. Hamilton displays a natural touch in her characterizations, especially Greta's struggle to find the right way to be open with Phoebe about Phoebe's birth family and Luna's competitiveness with boys, which add dimension to the entertaining tale. The author has another winner on her hands.
