The Bombshell

Praise

“If a book could possess “French-Girl Style” — that aspirational Parisian chic the internet tries to trick me into believing can be achieved with bangs or Repetto ballet flats — The Bombshell would have it. Darrow Farr’s debut novel is effortlessly cool: a smart, sophisticated tale of sexual and political awakening over the course of a fateful summer that reads like falling into an Éric Rohmer film.”—New York Times Book Review

“Explosive, sexy — and don’t miss the twists and turns as the adventure progresses.” —People

“An escapist, Hollywood-ready excursion to Corsica… Youthful idealism is fun, but what happens when the bill comes due? The final pages provide a touching answer you don’t quite expect.”—Vogue

“A novel I inhaled and loved…The Bombshell belongs in the category of books you really must read until the end — I was clocked by a twist I genuinely didn’t see coming — and there’s a lot of sultry detail to keep you engaged along the way…. I dare anyone to pick up the novel without falling for — and, OK, occasionally wanting to ground — Séverine, the alluring and vain teenager at its heart.”—Joumana Khatib, New York Times Book Review

“Inspired by heiress Patty Hearst’s abduction, Farr incorporates elements of glamour and darkness into her novel’s political core.”—Washington Post

“The truest encapsulation of the summer novel. It’s bold, brash, and deeply absorbing…Drama and destruction, passion and power, all add up to a combustible combination in this tale of conquest, freedom, and sexual awakening.”—Literary Hub

“Farr’s accomplished debut deftly balances heady ruminations on colonialism and revolution with relatable human moments…vibrant prose lends texture and urgency, while the fully fleshed characters’ increasingly thorny interpersonal relationships raise the story’s stakes and give it soul. A passionate powder keg of a novel.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A lush, cinematic and propulsive novel filled with sex, violence, glamor and a true revolutionary spirit. It’s a towering literary achievement. The Bombshell is certain to be the debut of the year, a true must-read.”—Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner

“An electrifying exploration of personal and political revolution, The Bombshell is a complex, unflinching portrait of youthful transformation and the dangerous allure of fame that announces Darrow Farr as an exciting new voice to watch.”—Gabriela Garcia, New York Times bestselling author of Of Women and Salt

“What a sexy, kinetic and dazzling novel this is, full of lust for life and ideas and the fecund dreams of youth. I was completely seduced by the brio of its unlikely revolutionary hero…. An amazing, unforgettable novel.”—Chang-rae Lee, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of My Year Abroad

“The Bombshell will explode into your psyche and keep you happily captive until the last word. Farr’s complicated heroine, by turns overconfident and touchingly vulnerable, will force you to constantly reassess your convictions. I didn’t want this fascinating, nuanced, beautifully drawn novel to end.”—Emma Knight, New York Times bestselling author of The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus

“Youthful passion, political awakening and first love abound in Darrow Farr’s debut novel. Taking place over the course of one Mediterranean summer, The Bombshell is a glamorous literary achievement.” —Geek Girl Authority