When divorcee-to-be Lois befriends beguiling, wildly unconventional Greer her life changes in wholly unexpected ways in this page-turning and delicously dark debut set in the midst of glitz and glamour of 1950s Rio.
Lois Saunders thought that marrying the right man would finally cure her loneliness. But as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce - except in Reno, Nevada.
At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno's 'divorce ranches' Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcees, all in Reno for the six weeks' residency that is the state's only divorce requirement. They spend their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys, and it's as wild and fun as Lake Forest, Illinois, was prim and stifling. But it isn't until Greer Lange arrives that Lois's world truly cracks open.
Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met - and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. But how much can she really trust her mysterious new friend? And how far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?
Set in the glamourous, dizzying world of 1950s Reno, The Divorcees is a dark, riveting page-turner and a dazzling exploration of female friendship, desire, and freedom.
Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781786583659
Number of pages: 416
Weight: 480 g
Dimensions: 240 x 162 x 27 mm
An evocative period tale. Beaird's impressive debut is filled with evocative period detail and populated with an intriguing tapestry of beautifully drawn characters - Observer
The Divorcées is gorgeously crafted, perfectly balanced, and full of complex, moving and vividly wrought characters. The sunshot pool at the Golden Yarrow, the searing desert heat, the dark glamor of the casinos will stay with me for a long time. Rowan Beaird writes with such ease and confidence that it's hard to believe this novel is her first. An excellent, deeply compelling read - Lauren Groff, New York Times bestselling author of Matrix and Fates and Furies
A delicious literary page-turner from a fierce new voice - Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions for You and The Great Believers
A stunning debut, Rowan Beaird's The Divorcées is a glittering desert mirage behind which lurks a shocking web of secrets . . . Tense, dark, and richly layered, lovers of Patricia Highsmith will devour this compulsively readable, standout novel - Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters
The Divorcées, a sultry fever dream of a novel set on a Reno divorce ranch in the 1950s, should be read by a pool on a blisteringly hot day, preferably with a drink in hand. Its lush, perfectly wrought prose-and the secrets and deceptions at the center of the seductive plot-will unsettle you and keep you turning the pages. This book shimmers and startles on every page - Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light
The women of The Divorcées captivated me: drenched in desert light, searching for themselves in every possible mirror. Their relationships to one another, gorgeously rendered, have an intensity fueled by self-discovery-these are connections full of deep understanding, shocking deception, devastating betrayal, and real love. Beaird is a wondrous new talent who has given us an unforgettable, lushly assured novel - Clare Beams, author of The Illness Lesson
As stylish as its cover, with razor-sharp prose and an atmosphere simmering with tension, I have savoured every word. - Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
I adored The Divorcées - such an atmospheric and layered story of female independence, solidarity and deception, set on a Reno 'divorce ranch' in 1951. As a divorcée, I devoured it - Julie Mae Cohen
A stunning portrayal of the lengths women in 1950s America must go to in order to assure their safety and freedom. Compelling, rich and with a dark undercurrent, I couldn't put it down. An outstanding debut - Marianne Cronin, author of 100 Years of Lenni and Margot
This exquisite book needs to be read slowly and savoured as if it was rich dark chocolate. This tale of complicated women waiting in 1950s Reno for their divorce is threaded with a tension that grips you. A sultry page turner. I highly recommend - Julie Owen Moylan
It's layered, literary with a subtle darkness that's quite fun. - Dawn O' Porter
I think many readers will give this four or five stars; it is a claustrophobic, literary novel that reminded me of a short story, small in scope and character-driven, with taut, detailed prose and great observations.... More
I enjoyed this book immensely. Not a lot happens, and it moves at a slow pace, but that just fit perfectly with the setting and the state of mind of the characters.
It has a languid pace, heavy like the desert air...
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I had no idea that in the mid-20th century Nevada was the divorce capital of the USA. Anyone able to prove at least 6 weeks residence there could be granted a divorce. This led to an industry of ranches providing... More
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