Name: Vagablonde
ISBN: 9781951213008

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Vagablonde

Anna Dorn

Hardcover

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Critic Reviews

Good

Based on 8 reviews on

"It's tempting to compare Vagablonde to Joan Didion's Play It As It Lays... But Dorn's firecracker of a novel is all her own." --Michael Schaub
Prue is a 30-year-old attorney who wants two things, the first is to live without psychotropic medication, and the second is to experience success as a rap artist. Her life is good on paper: she has an easy government job and a nice girlfriend who gets her in to all the right shows, but she wants to truly thrive.
When Prue is introduced to music producer Jax Jameson, a human disco ball as manic and unpredictable as he is talented, they instantly vibe. Prue joins Jax's "Kingdom," a collective of musicians and artists who share Prue's aesthetic sensibilities and lust for escapism. Soon, she's off her meds, closing her law practice, and becoming entangled with a suspect crew of heavy drug users. The group they form, Shiny AF, quickly reaches cult status and using the stage name Vagablonde, Prue finds herself in a new reality dependent on self-commodification and her growing fandom's approval.
An existential exploration of the toxicity of viral fame, Vagablonde is an exhilarating and tumultuous portrait of life in Los Angeles and announces Anna Dorn as a fierce new voice in contemporary fiction.

Book Details

Publisher: Unnamed Press
Publish Date: May 26th, 2020
Pages: 300
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 8.60in - 5.60in - 1.20in - 1.00lb
EAN: 9781951213008
Categories: • LGBTQ+ - Lesbian• Literary• City Life

About the Author

Dorn, Anna: - Anna Dorn is a writer living in Los Angeles. A former criminal defense attorney, she regularly writes about legal issues for Justia and Medium. Her article on juvenile life without parole was published in American University Law Review. She has written about culture for LA Review of Books, The Hairpin, and Vice Magazine. Anna has a JD from UC Berkeley Law School, an MFA from Antioch University-Los Angeles, and a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her memoir, Bad Lawyer, will be published by Hachette Books in Spring 2021.

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What people are saying

Shondaland Digital

@byshondaland

2 years

From Shondaland Media and #ShondalandAudio to https://t.co/N6e5BKoV5C, trust us to keep you in the know. Follow @Shondaland if you want to talk TV.

In 'Vagablonde,' a lawyer becomes a rapper. In her memoir, 'Bad Lawyer,' @___adorn, once a lawyer herself, turns her back on the broken legal system. Now in 'Exalted,' she critiques another famous aspect of society: internet astrology. 🖊️ @gertsofficial https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a40219899/anna-dorn-exalted/

We publish literature from around the world. Unlikely voices and unexpected stories.

“It’s tempting to compare #Vagablonde to #JoanDidion’s #PlayItAsItLays...But @___adorn’s firecracker of a novel is all her own.” Read @michaelschaub’s review in the new issue of @AltaJournal! #Vagablonde is out May 26 so a great way to support your fav indie is to preorder 🌴 https://t.co/YZpNALqy9T

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Gina “Rethink Normal” Murrell

@GinaMurrell1

2 years

Librarian. Writer. Copy Editor. Zine and Graphic Novel Enthusiast. View-Master Reel Collector. Burrito Eater. Reader. Bi. Femme. She/her. #BlackLivesMatter🌈

This morning on the train, I sat opposite someone who was #reading Vagablonde (2020). The debut novel by Anna Dorn takes place in LA, where queer lawyer Prue is an aspiring rap artist who loses her way during her rise to the top. https://t.co/GSPe4iHhbb #books #LGBTQ #SubwayReads https://t.co/oifLpObnAb

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Critics’ reviews

Praise for this book

"Dorn adeptly mines the unique cultural territory of being a Hollywood-adjacent young queer woman in the early 21st century." --LAMBDA Literary

"Dorn's fresh, startling debut tracks the quick rise to fame of a restless L.A. rap artist. Prue Van Teesen, a 30-year-old lawyer and bedroom lyricist, believes the antidepressants she's taking are cramping her style... Dorn's voice slices like a serrated knife through a wacked-out world of contemporary music culture, where glittery dreams go viral and die." --Publishers Weekly

"Dorn's narrative is intoxicating, particularly in its depiction of the existential ennui that's stemmed from our insatiable consumer culture... Dorn may have written the horror novel we deserve." --Kirkus Reviews

"When readers meet Prue, she's living a privileged LA life: doing uppers on special occasions, going to shows with her girlfriend at night, and writing freelance legal briefs during the day. Prue is simply biding her time until her rap career, under the pseudonym Vagablonde, can take off... The author is careful to never judge Prue, leaving readers wondering whether the story constitutes satire or is simply a precautionary tale. A memorable meditation on narcissism and fame." --Booklist

What people are saying

Shondaland Digital

@byshondaland

2 years

From Shondaland Media and #ShondalandAudio to https://t.co/N6e5BKoV5C, trust us to keep you in the know. Follow @Shondaland if you want to talk TV.

We publish literature from around the world. Unlikely voices and unexpected stories.

twitter.com