The World To See

“When a lonely plant-care worker named Nadine gets sucked into a fading rock star’s marketing campaign, she must confront her feelings of invisibility and lack of agency. To learn why, author Jessica Handler deftly jettisons her readers back a generation, revealing the oppression that stifled three women whose lives were nestled together in surprising ways: Nadine’s mother Helen as well as a woman who captured Helen’s heart, and Nadine’s musical mentor Celeste. Through masterful, poignant storytelling, Handler belts out a modern feminist anthem that’s sure to rattle the rafters and readers’ heartstrings.”

"In her fourth book, The World To See, Jessica Handler peels back the personas of Celeste, a rock star on the decline, and Nadine, a fan on her way up, to reveal their motives and struggles to create their own identities by tracing their backgrounds through their mother’s lives and associated secrets. The book is a fascinating look at how sexual identity, visibility, and women’s issues changed during the turbulent 1950s to 1970s in America. It’s a compelling and entertaining read that is hard to put down."

“Long before Taylor Swift, and even before Madonna, there was audacious and wildly talented Celeste on stage, telling the world what girls want. In this intricately braided story about daughters and mothers, with the female rocker’s art at its center, song carries the repressed desires that connect generations of American women. Jessica Handler has written a beautiful, searing tale of those who struggle between holding themselves back and pushing themselves forward—a tale of all women.”

“The World to See is an intricately crafted portrayal of mothers and daughters felled by loneliness and longing for connection. Handler’s use of artful metaphors delights the reader while highlighting the complexities of female identity and relationships. These vivid characters exploring and claiming their stories will stay with you long after you finish the book.”