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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Some violence including a traumatic event in Elle's childhood
Language
Barely any
Mild language
Sexual Content
A lot
Explicit sexual content; frank adult treatment of desire and affairs
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking throughout
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Deep psychological examination of a life built on a secret, and the weight of suppressed trauma
What this book is about
Elle has been married for twenty-five years. This morning, she slept with Jonas — her childhood love. In the hours that follow, she revisits the events of her life that led here: a complicated childhood, a summer camp on a Cape Cod lake, and a secret she has carried for decades. Heller's debut is emotionally raw and explicitly sexual.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Explicit sexual content
Sexual trauma (childhood)
Adult themes throughout
Reader Verification
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