Juliet Escoria ist bekannt für ihre scharfsinnige Erforschung der Komplexität der modernen Psyche. Ihre Arbeit befasst sich mit Themen wie Identität, Entfremdung und der Suche nach Sinn mit einer ausgeprägten Stimme, die sowohl scharf als auch einfühlsam ist. Escorias Prosa zeichnet sich durch rohe Ehrlichkeit und introspektive Tiefe aus und zieht die Leser in intime Betrachtungen des menschlichen Zustands. Ihre literarischen Beiträge bieten eine einzigartige Perspektive auf zeitgenössische Erfahrungen und schwingen mit tiefer emotionaler Wahrheit mit.
Die Geschichten von Juliet Escoria gehen ans Eingemachte, gewähren Einblick in die Seele einer jungen Frau, die das Leben vor allem von seinen Schattenseiten her kennt. Sie zerren einen an Orte, die man sich deutlich glamouröser vorgestellt hätte – New Yorker Nachtclubs, kalifornische Strandhäuser, Hotels in Atlantic City – und sie zeichnen auf diese Weise eindringliche Porträts von der Kehrseite des amerikanischen Traums. Das alles in einer offenen, direkten Sprache, mal hart, mal anrührend, mal mit schwarzem Humor, in jedem Fall aber ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste.
"For fans of Ottessa Moshfegh, Juliet the Maniac is a worthy new entry in that pantheon of deconstruction ... Dazzling."—NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW A cult-favorite stylist holds nothing back in this darkly funny, unromantic look at the underbelly of coming-of-age and its brutal trials… Juliet is a typical teenage girl—a little beast. Lingering just underneath Southern California’s sunny, sandy beach culture, one young woman struggles to survive herself as she hurtles through the mid 90’s and tries to make sense of her on-and-off relationship with recovery. Juliet knows she should be poised for success. She knows her honors English teacher shouldn’t be changing her grades from F's to C's out of pity, knows she shouldn’t be snorting coke and chain-smoking at the Palms, knows she shouldn’t be hallucinating shadowy, Joan-of-Arc-like messages from God. But there is something dark and violent inside of her fourteen-year-old heart that makes it impossible for Juliet to stop self-destructing. The two forced hospitalizations didn’t help her, neither did the outpatient facility for gay, depressed art kids—maybe Redwood Trails therapeutic boarding school will? Through her Didion-esque lens, Escoria captures the brutality of girlhood—its fleeting, toxic friendships, the monstrous ways anger transforms, and the constant feeling of being close to normal, but not normal at all.
This collection showcases Juliet Escoria's acclaimed short stories, poetry, and new writings, highlighting her unique voice that blends dark humor with vulnerability. Featuring works from "Black Cloud" and "Witch Hunt," it spans a decade of her career, offering brutal fictions, sharp poems, and personal insights. With an introduction by Scott McClanahan, readers are invited to explore a rich tapestry of unfiltered visions reflecting both the darkness and light of contemporary life.
Exploring the complexities of womanhood, this collection features diverse characters navigating societal boundaries, from a community college student to a young woman discovering gardening. Escoria delves into themes of girlhood and new womanhood, embracing the oddities and impulses of her characters. Set against various backdrops, including California suburbs and West Virginia mountains, each story creates a unique world, collectively challenging traditional expectations of women and their narratives.
