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Summary
Summary
Named a Best Book of Summer 2023 by New York Post and KatieCouric.com
"A lyrical, emotional novel...Reminiscent of HBO's hit The White Lotus , Bishop's tale will draw readers in with its realistic descriptions of the island. The obvious read-alike is My Dark Vanessa , and the plot-driven tension will appeal to fans of psychological suspense." -- Booklist (starred review)
Rachel has been in love with Alistair for fifteen years. Even though she's now married to someone else. Even though she was a teenager when they met. Even though he is twenty years older than her.
Rachel and Alistair's summer love affair on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island has consumed her since she was seventeen, obliterating everything in its wake. But as Rachel becomes increasingly obsessed with reliving the events of so long ago, she reconnects with the other girls who were similarly drawn to life on the island, where the nights were long, the alcohol was free-flowing and everyone acted in ways they never would at home. And as she does so, dark and deeply suppressed secrets about her first love affair begin to rise to the surface, as well as the truth about her time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man, who controlled so much more than she could have ever realized.
Joining a post #MeToo discourse, The Girls of Summer grapples with themes of power, sex, and consent, as it explores the complicated nature of memory and trauma--and what it takes to reframe, and reclaim, your own story.
Author Notes
KATIE BISHOP is the author of The Girls of Summer. Her writing has been published in The New York Times , The Guardian , Vogue , The Independent , and other publications. She lives in Birmingham, U.K. with her partner.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Journalist Bishop's promising first novel is a timely exploration of the way predatory older men seduce and manipulate young women. After Greek island hopping for seven weeks with her friend Caroline, 17-year-old Rachel meets 30-ish Alistair and becomes obsessed with him. Soon, Alistair invites the insecure Rachel to parties at a wealthy friend's villa with her friends, who enter into affairs that slowly descend into drug-fueled disaster. Alistair conceals his practiced procurement of women on this "orgy island"--the real-life parallels are unmistakable--with protests to Rachel that he loves her. She remains in Alistair's thrall for more than a decade, ultimately destroying her marriage to another man before shocking revelations from her friends about Alistair finally open her eyes. The sense of place is ultra-vivid, though the narrative sags at points and the characters verge on stereotypes. Still, the author's unflinching dissection of male abuse of power and the strength of female solidarity deserves attention. (June)
Booklist Review
Bishop makes her debut with this lyrical, emotional novel. Rachel is only 17 when she arrives on an unnamed, magical Greek island. Just before she is due to leave, she finds herself in a seedy bar owned by a local property magnate, Henry Taylor. Seduced by an older man, Alistair, who works for Taylor, Rachel can't bring herself to return to her native England. She bonds with the beautiful girls on Taylor's payroll, while falling desperately for Alistair. Years later, Rachel visits the island with her husband, and memories of that summer come flooding back. She contacts Alistair, desperate to bring back those heady feelings. But that summer wasn't as ideal as Rachel remembers, and Alistair isn't as perfect as he seemed. The parties, drugs, and sex damaged her, and she must reckon with that. Moving back and forth between Rachel's past and her present, Bishop reveals the full story of that transformative, traumatic summer. Reminiscent of HBO's hit The White Lotus, Bishop's tale will draw readers in with its realistic descriptions of the island. The obvious read-alike is My Dark Vanessa, by Kate Elizabeth Russell (2020), and the plot-driven tension will appeal to fans of psychological suspense.
