Lucas and Katya were seniors when they made the impetuous decision to have a baby. Seventeen years later, Lucas is now only a weekend dad, newly involved in his daughter Vera's life after a decade of absence. But when Vera suffers a terrifying psychotic break at a high school party, Lucas makes another impulsive decision: he takes her to Lithuania, his grandmother's homeland.
Here, in the city of Vilnius, Lucas hopes to save Vera from the sorrow of her diagnosis, but while he uncovers a secret about his grandmother's WWII past, Vera searches for answers of her own. Why did Lucas abandon her as a baby? What really happened the night of her breakdown? And who can she trust with the truth?
“A hauntingly beautiful novel about a father and daughter. . . . The story grapples with absentee fathers, legendary matriarchs, mental illness, theodicy, adolescent love, and the persistence of hope in the face of suffering, and somehow, Thorpe weaves all these threads together into an enthralling narrative that has me desperate to keep turning the page.” —Robin Wasserman, Miami Herald
“A deeply-detailed, beautiful, often hilarious novel. . . . Utterly original.” —The Huffington Post
“Beautiful. . . . A family vacation narrative with far more depth and nuance than a typical beach read but a perfectly welcome addition to a beach tote all the same.” —The Washington Post
“Blends the cultural history of The Tiger's Wife with the madcap energy of Dave Eggers.” —BookPage
“Thorpe is a major talent, and reading her work will bring to mind other writers … like Donna Tartt or Ann Patchett.” —The Seattle Review of Books
“Vera and Lucas and their tour companions will live on in the reader’s imagination, all of them longing for something that seems out of reach. . . . Definitely an author to watch.” —The Washington Times
“Refreshing and impressive.” —Brooklyn magazine
“Thorpe manages to tackle dark issues—estranged families, mental illness, and failed relationships—with a unique sense of humor and big-hearted empathy.” —Electric Literature
“This book weaves an emotional web that will draw you in completely.” —Bustle
“Tremendous. . . . Showcase[s] Thorpe’s fabulous versatility, insight, and humor. . . . An absolute winner.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
