Here's the thing: I loved Leilani's writing which is smart and characterful and full of flair, witty and dry and tender - but I didn't love this story. The narrative voice is so good, but I found it really hard to be convinced by what is happening at the plot level. And while Edie herself is a complicated figure of modern young femininity who also happens to be Black, the other characters feel weirdly unfinished.

The good stuff for me are the sheer style of the writing: Leilani is subtle (that symbolism quite early on where Edie empathises with the trapped mouse which is going to be eaten by the neighbourhood cat any day...), and she is wonderful on the nagging constant undertow of casual racism akin to that captured by Everyday Sexism. She's also spot-on with the uncomfortable little touches of urban life - the moment when Edie triumphs over a pregnant woman by snagging the train seat, which is also a lovely touch of characterisation and mood.

So what I'm saying is that I'd read Leilani again like a shot - but I just couldn't engage with the plot/story this time - sorry!