Praise for Leda and the Swan:
“A propulsive and beautifully written campus thriller.” —People
“This thrilling debut novel from Anna Caritj gives the beloved campus novel an electric shot of mystery and, as its name suggests, offers a twist on classic notions of power and lust.” —Town & Country
“[A] master class in atmosphere, so intoxicatingly ominous . . . A lonely, brooding page-turner about agency, identity, and consent.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Affecting narrative about consent, power and loneliness.” —Time
“If you’re a fan of books about ivory towers with dark secrets, consider Leda and the Swan a must-read new entry.” —Harper’s Bazaar, “Best Summer Books of Summer 2021”
“Long on atmosphere, a spooky-bucolic campus setting, and the strong character building of its tough, guarded protagonist . . . Like the myth of its title, Caritj’s novel entangles the vulnerability and agency of young, mortal women.” —Booklist
“Caritj pulls off a smart twist on the campus novel in her thrilling debut. . . . an engrossing tale about the nature of consent, sexual violence, and performative activism . . . The book’s strength is in Caritj’s prose, as she builds a brilliant contrast between the quotidian nature of college life and postadolescent feeling of otherworldliness. . . . This thoughtful exploration of contemporary sexual politics hits the spot.” —Publishers Weekly
“Delivering a suspenseful plot and a necessary conversation around sex, consent, and power, this thrilling debut novel by Anna Caritj is one you won’t want to put down.” —Women’s Day
“A thrilling mystery that is a twist on a classic story. Caritj provides readers with an enthralling and page-turning debut. At its core, Leda is a captivating and suspenseful mystery that blossoms into an insightful commentary on ambition and sex in contemporary society.” —Debutiful
“Leda and the Swan had me totally enthralled. Anna Caritj has created a haunting and irresistibly intimate voice in Leda, a young woman navigating the bacchanalia of college Greek life against a riptide of both personal and public grief. This novel is a lush thrill.” —Kate Reed Petty, author of True Story
“A riveting debut. At once a contemplative novel about a young woman finding her footing in this uncertain world, and a propulsive page turning. A stunning read and an incisive new voice in fiction.” —Dana Czapnik, author of The Falconer
“Tense and terrifying and beautifully observed, Anna Caritj’s accomplished debut is a propulsive journey into the dark heart of undergraduate life. Leda and the Swan is both a thriller and a gorgeously crafted exploration of loss, grief, and the painful, dangerous work of finding oneself. An exhilarating novel!” —Kirstin Valdez Quade, author of The Five Wounds
“Dark, delicious, and dangerous . . . Leda’s story is electrifying. I read with bated breath, wondering the entire time what would become of the missing girl, what would become of Leda. Caritj evokes a college world that is at once familiar and transporting, thrilling and terrifying. As Leda grapples with crucial, age-old questions about desire and consent, Caritj’s plot offers a powerful modern twist.” —Anton DiSclafani, author of The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls
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