Synopses & Reviews
andlt;b andgt;A resonant debut novel about retreating from the world after losing everythingand#8212;and the connections that force you to rejoin it.andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didnand#8217;t survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her fatherand#8217;s studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somewhere she can be alone.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Caland#8217;s hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her.
Review
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP
“The story of Wren’s overwhelming grief and fragile new love is truthful, poetic and unflinchingly raw. An emotional and deeply insightful read.”
--E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List and the Printz Honor and National Book Award Finalist The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
“In achingly beautiful prose, Amy McNamara has written a story of grief and bravery and hope that has the power to both haunt and heal. LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP is a masterful debut.” --Nina LaCour, author of Hold Still and The Disenchantments
“LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP earns each one of its title’s adjectives. Wren is one of the most compelling narrators I've ever come across. Her heart is large, her voice is convincing, and her journey matters. Like the poem from which the title is taken, this story is a journey. Amy McNamara writes with a poet's eye and ear, but her command of this tale is complete. The pages fly by. I was so invested in this world that, at the end, I felt a sense of complete satisfaction, but also the absence of a real friend, one whose voice had become important and familiar to me. I'll keep this book on my shelf, and return to its riches again and again.”
--Laura Kasischke, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Space, in Chains
Review
“The story of Wren’s overwhelming grief and fragile new love is truthful, poetic and unflinchingly raw. An emotional and deeply insightful read.” E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List and the Printz Honor and National Book Award Finalist The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Review
and#8220;In achingly beautiful prose, Amy McNamara has written a story of grief and bravery and hope that has the power to both haunt and heal. LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP is a masterful debut.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP earns each one of its titleand#8217;s adjectives. Wren is one of the most compelling narrators I've ever come across. Her heart is large, her voice is convincing, and her journey matters...I'll keep this book on my shelf, and return to its riches again and again.and#8221;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Wren's quiet emergence from despair rings true."andlt;/divandgt;
Review
"This first novel, like the poem alluded to in the title, finds beauty, wonder, trepidation, andandlt;BRandgt; determination quietly and in small moments."
Review
and#8220;The story of Wrenand#8217;s overwhelming grief and fragile new love is truthful, poetic and unflinchingly raw. An emotional and deeply insightful read.and#8221;
Review
"Wrenand#8217;s quiet emergence from despair rings true."
Synopsis
A resonant debut novel about retreating from the world after losing everything--and the connections that force you to rejoin it.
Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn't survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her father's studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somewhere she can be alone.
Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal's hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her.
About the Author
Amy McNamara has an MFA in poetry from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers. Lovely, Dark and Deep is her first novel. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at AmyMcNamara.com.