The Modern

Things seem to be working out for Sophia in New York: having come from Australia to be at the centre of modernity, shes working at the Museum of Modern Art, living in a great apartment with a boyfriend interviewing for Ivy League teaching positions. Theyre smart, serious, dine in the right restaurants and have (a little unexpectedly) become engaged just before he leaves to hike the Appalachian Trail.

Alone in the city, Sophia begins to wonder what it means to be married to be defined, publicly in the 21st century. Can you be true to yourself and someone else? In a bridal shop she meets Cara, a young artist struggling to get over her ex-girlfriend, and the two begin a connection that leads Sophia to question the nature of her relationships, her career and the consequences of being modern.

Both playful and profound, inhabiting the gap between what we feel about ourselves and how we behave, Anna Kate Blairs debut novel is a sparklingly insightful queer exploration of desire, art and her generations place in the world. It announces an exceptional new literary voice.