The Burning Girl: A Novel

"Julia and Cassie have been thisclose since nursery school. But when this novel opens, it’s the last summer of their friendship. And it’s a magical one, spent lying in the sun by the quarry, exploring the woods for an abandoned asylum and playing make-believe games. But as seventh grade begins, the two friends drift apart. Julia, our narrator, can’t understand why and, as Cassie begins to go down a dangerous path, neither can she help her old friend. At its heart, The Burning Girl is a vivid, true-to-life portrait of what it feels like to have an intense childhood friendship and how hurtful and confusing it can be when it’s over. Claire Messud’s beautifully written latest novel will surely resonate with anyone who has ever either had a friend or been a teenager."