Here in Avalon
An “enchanting” (Caroline Kepnes, author of You) “fairy-tale-inflected thriller” (The New Yorker) about two sisters who encounter a captivating yet possibly dangerous underworld cult that challenges their perception of reality.
A New Yorker Best Book of 2024
Rose has come a long way. Raised—and often neglected—by a wayward mother in New York City’s chaotic bohemia, she has finally built the life she’s always wanted: a good job at a self-help startup, a clean apartment, an engagement to a stable if self-satisfied tech CEO who shares her faith in human potential, hard work, and the sacrifice of childish dreams.
Rose’s sister Cecilia, on the other hand, never grew up. Irresponsible and impetuous, prone to jetting off to a European monastery one month and a falcon rescue the next, Cecilia has spent her life in pursuit of fairy-tale narratives of transcendence and true love—grand ideas Rose knows never work out in the real world. When Cecilia declares she’s come home to New York for good, following the ending of a whirlwind marriage, Rose hopes Cecilia might find a way to be ready to face adulthood: compromises and all.
But then Cecilia gets involved with the Avalon: a cabaret troupe—one that appears only at night on a boat that travels New York’s waterways—and soon vanishes. The only way Rose can find Cecilia is by tracking down Avalon herself.
But as Rose gets closer to solving the mystery of what happened to her sister, the Avalon works its magic on her, too. And the deeper she goes into the Avalon’s underworld, the more she begins to question everything she knows about her own life, and whether she’s willing to leave the real world behind.
A New Yorker Best Book of 2024
Rose has come a long way. Raised—and often neglected—by a wayward mother in New York City’s chaotic bohemia, she has finally built the life she’s always wanted: a good job at a self-help startup, a clean apartment, an engagement to a stable if self-satisfied tech CEO who shares her faith in human potential, hard work, and the sacrifice of childish dreams.
Rose’s sister Cecilia, on the other hand, never grew up. Irresponsible and impetuous, prone to jetting off to a European monastery one month and a falcon rescue the next, Cecilia has spent her life in pursuit of fairy-tale narratives of transcendence and true love—grand ideas Rose knows never work out in the real world. When Cecilia declares she’s come home to New York for good, following the ending of a whirlwind marriage, Rose hopes Cecilia might find a way to be ready to face adulthood: compromises and all.
But then Cecilia gets involved with the Avalon: a cabaret troupe—one that appears only at night on a boat that travels New York’s waterways—and soon vanishes. The only way Rose can find Cecilia is by tracking down Avalon herself.
But as Rose gets closer to solving the mystery of what happened to her sister, the Avalon works its magic on her, too. And the deeper she goes into the Avalon’s underworld, the more she begins to question everything she knows about her own life, and whether she’s willing to leave the real world behind.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Readers, please remember that experiences with a book are subjective to each person. Also, I need to remember why I donât read Goodreads reviews until AFTER Iâve read something. I almost passed on this book - despite liking the synopsis on the dust jacket - because of some less-than-stellar reviews I read. Sometimes, my TBR is so long that I feel like I seek out excuse to skip some stories. I am so, SO glad I did not skip this one.
Why did I love this book? I love stories set in NYC, more specifically, the NYC I know and Iâve seen with my own eyes. This book is precisely that. (The only thing I haven't seen? A rent-controlled apartment.
Why did I love this book? I love stories set in NYC, more specifically, the NYC I know and Iâve seen with my own eyes. This book is precisely that. (The only thing I haven't seen? A rent-controlled apartment.
Initially, it was so hard for me because the first few chapters seemed a bit slow. Nevertheless, while reading Part Two of the book, I experienced a pleasant shock when I discovered that the speed had intensified significantly, and it was just impossible not to fall in love with the book. It is praiseworthy that the author managed to arouse some sense of mystery and tension within the tale.
However, when I finished reading the book, I was disappointed. I could not help feeling that something was missing â this caused feelings of wanting some better closure. I realize that the author might as well have intended not to define the motif of keeping magic, but I wished that all my beloved characters had definite endings.
It was a good read, as the ending slightly disappointed me, but at least it did not bore me throughout. How the story was narrated made it enjoyable; how she created a plot was sincerely fascinating. I connected with the characters because they had strong personalities that made it easy for me to feel their struggles.
However, the beginning chapters were a bit dragged, and it was only in the latter part that the book caught up. Even though I wished for a better resolution, I acknowledge the authorâs decision to keep some parts unclear and encourage readers to develop their conclusions.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
However, when I finished reading the book, I was disappointed. I could not help feeling that something was missing â this caused feelings of wanting some better closure. I realize that the author might as well have intended not to define the motif of keeping magic, but I wished that all my beloved characters had definite endings.
It was a good read, as the ending slightly disappointed me, but at least it did not bore me throughout. How the story was narrated made it enjoyable; how she created a plot was sincerely fascinating. I connected with the characters because they had strong personalities that made it easy for me to feel their struggles.
However, the beginning chapters were a bit dragged, and it was only in the latter part that the book caught up. Even though I wished for a better resolution, I acknowledge the authorâs decision to keep some parts unclear and encourage readers to develop their conclusions.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.