Reeling

“The deep relevance and the nuanced portrayal of the myriad effects of abuse on [the characters] lives are skillfully done. Layered and disquieting.” —Kirkus Reviews

Award-winning author Lola Lafon continues her exploration of the psyches of young girls–their fragility, their resilience.

Fontenay, a Parisian suburb, 1984. Cléo is twelve when her parents prod her into taking ballet classes. She drops out after a long year of feeling lost, not classy nor graceful enough, and undoubtedly not as rich as the other kids.

By chance, she signs up for Modern Jazz class at a MJC–a state funded organization whose mission is to provide access to art and culture to all children.

Modern Jazz is her calling, and soon Cléo is transformed, working out constantly, dreaming of becoming a professional dancer. That’s when she catches the attention of Cathy, an elegant middle-aged woman, who is a talent scout for Galatée–a foundation that gives fellowships to exceptionally gifted teenagers.

Fascinated by Cathy and the many gifts with which this providential “godmother” is showering her, Cléo introduces her to her parents, receiving their blessing to spend more time with her, ultimately falling prey to Galatée’s trap.

“The great strength of Reeling is the way Lafon weaves together social failures that, on the surface, seem quite disparate.” —Los Angeles Review of Books

“An immersive, captivating story.” —Buzz magazine, UK

“An impassioned novel on the consequences of sexual exploitation and the dead ends of forgiveness.” —Pages of Hackney, London

“Lola Lafon writes for all those who have stayed in the shadows, all those whose voices cannot be heard, shaking off the contemporary mythology of powerful women.” —France-Amerique