Jezebel

Jezebel

“A vibrant coming-of-age novel.” –Kirkus Reviews “…Through vivid description and emotional sensitivity, Waite leads us to the past as a mirror to the issues of the present. I loved every word.” – Bethany Ball New York Times editors’ Choice Author of What To Do About the Solomons and The Pessimists “The author imbues Jezebel (whose unusual name comes from her mother’s revisionist understanding of the biblical queen as a defender of the downtrodden) with plenty of angst and attitude…It’s a compelling mixture of messiness, sincerity, and irreverence, capturing someone halfway between what they’ve always been and what they want to become.” –Kirkus Reviews It’s the summer of 1974 on the South Shore of Boston and 16-year-old budding feminist Jezebel Berke is desperate to escape her disintegrating family—a mom who drinks too much, a dad who is physically inappropriate, and a sister who is abandoning her for a dance internship and then college. What’s her escape plan? Jezebel searches for answers by writing letters for advice to Dear Abby, Dr. Timothy Leary, The Dalai Lama, and from the wisdom of her grandma Bubbie, an aging socialist. Not one to wait, Jezebel is resourceful and gets a fake ID. It’s a secret dream of hers to play piano in a blues band and she thinks that going to clubs and connecting with musicians will be her savior. She meets and falls in love with a 22-year-old sweet-talking harmonica player Quinn. When he finds out she’s sixteen, he breaks up with her and Jezebel is devastated. What happens? With her blossoming sexuality and impulsivity, Jezebel begins to take more risks while seeking connections. After a harrowing evening that shocks Jezebel awake, she finds the inner strength to change the direction of her life. Look for the author’s first novel Walking on Train Tracks/Road Tripping Teens "...Through vivid description and emotional sensitivity, Waite leads us to the past as a mirror to the issues of the present. I loved every word." - Bethany Ball, New York Times editors' Choice Author of W hat To Do About the Solomons and The Pessimists "The author imbues Jezebel (whose unusual name comes from her mother's revisionist understanding of the biblical queen as a defender of the downtrodden) with plenty of angst and attitude...It's a compelling mixture of messiness, sincerity, and irreverence, capturing someone halfway between what they've always been and what they want to become." -Kirk us Reviews