THE GOLDEN STATE

With characters that ring vocally and emotionally true, narrator Amanda Dolan takes us to a place where achieving a state of happiness seems both obvious and impossible. In this acclaimed debut novel, young mother Daphne Nilson flees with her baby daughter from the malaise of her life. She lands in a northern California town as depressed as she is. Its residents have more sympathy for State of Jefferson separatists than they do for a wife separated (due to underhanded immigration agents) from her Turkish husband. Dolan, while giving full weight to Daphne's paralyzing despair, also captures her delight in and love for her child. When Daphne attempts to befriend an apathetic elderly woman visiting town, the awkward relationship they form leads to the novel's climax. K.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]