Description
“As much as her plot and characters, it’s Elizabeth Harlan’s spare, elegant way with words that gives Carly’s coming of age story its power to engage a reader of any age, gender, or station. Count me one.”
—Brooke Kroeger, author of Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism
“In Becoming Carly Klein, Elizabeth Harlan vividly portrays the gripping and emotionally charged coming-of-age journey of an Upper East Side teenage girl in 1980s New York. As Carly forges her path to self-discovery, she is captivated by love, only to face a betrayal that tests her resolve. Through the trials of heartbreak and the struggle for reconciliation, she unearths her inner strength and resilience, proving that even in the face of adversity, the human spirit has the power to heal and rise anew.”
—Maryam Banikarim, one of Fast Company’s “Top 10 Disrupters”
“Carly Klein is memorable: hilarious, heart-wrenching, and very often a liar. Like many heroines, she must grow up. So must the adults around her. Becoming Carly Klein is a superb novel about this aching process of becoming both honest and honorable.”
—Catharine Stimpson, former president of the Modern Language Association, former head of the MacArthur Foundation, and NYU professor and Dean Emerita
“In Becoming Carly Klein, Elizabeth Harlan has given us a heartwarming adventure of a young girl coming of age in 1980s New York City. Not only Carly but her mom and dad as well grow up through this lively and engaging tale of family strife, first love, youthful rebellion, deception, heartbreak, and healing.”
—Senator Connie Mack, United States Senate 1989–2001, author of Citizen Mack: Politics, An Honorable Calling
“As I reflected upon this beautiful, hilarious, heartrending, truthful, and captivating work, two words finally came to me: a marvel.”
—J. L. Logan, Literature Bibliographer, Princeton University
“Catch the vibe of 1980s NYC—ambitious, gritty, stark, and real—in this utterly charming coming-of-age novel with a cast of memorably flawed and deeply human characters.”
—Melissa Walker, author of Small Town Sinners and Unbreak My Heart
“Under Harlan’s brilliant and deft touch, Becoming Carly Klein is a fearless exploration of how stepping in the wrong direction can help us step into ourselves. Perceptive and engrossing, this coming-of-age story is an anthem for an under-parented generation, and a reminder that growing up can happen at any age . . . in all its funny, heartbreaking, and messy glory! A deeply satisfying read and one not to miss.”
—Mary Pascual, author of The Byways and Walk the Web Lightly
