Immersions by Kyle McCarthy
Get swept away in this fairy tale-tinged novel about obsessive love, which "moves with the stylish swagger of the contemporary even as it sounds the deepest trenches of myth . . . visionary and intoxicating” (Leslie Jamison)
- Sale Date
- ISBN
- 9781963108705
- Page Count
- 256
- Language
- English
- Dimensions
- 5¾ x 8¾
- Imprint
- Tin House
Meet the Author
Kyle McCarthy
A Most Anticipated Book of 2026 from LitHub
Black Swan meets Bluebeard in this novel of sisterly rivalry and obsessive love set in the New York City dance scene.
Frances’s older sister Charley was a star of the modern dance world. But just as she was ascending, she fell in love with Johnny, an enigmatic trust fund artist, and married him. A few years into their turbulent marriage, Charley mysteriously leaves her dance company and joins an enclosed convent in Provence. Much to the shock of her family, she changes her name to Sister Anne and cuts off contact with the outside world.
Frances, a dancer herself, grew up in the shadow of her brilliant sister and is suddenly unmoored without her. From their first uneasy meeting, Frances has distrusted Johnny. Now, she is certain he had something to do with her sister’s abrupt abandonment of her art and family. When Frances discovers that Johnny has returned to New York, she reaches out to him, looking for answers and seeking confrontation. The two plunge into an ambiguous intimacy—diving ever deeper, as each tries to unlock the other's secrets. A slender and twisted tale of sexual coming-of-age and of the deep bonds of lust and loyalty, Immersions asks how we are made—and unmade—by desire.
Black Swan meets Bluebeard in this novel of sisterly rivalry and obsessive love set in the New York City dance scene.
Frances’s older sister Charley was a star of the modern dance world. But just as she was ascending, she fell in love with Johnny, an enigmatic trust fund artist, and married him. A few years into their turbulent marriage, Charley mysteriously leaves her dance company and joins an enclosed convent in Provence. Much to the shock of her family, she changes her name to Sister Anne and cuts off contact with the outside world.
Frances, a dancer herself, grew up in the shadow of her brilliant sister and is suddenly unmoored without her. From their first uneasy meeting, Frances has distrusted Johnny. Now, she is certain he had something to do with her sister’s abrupt abandonment of her art and family. When Frances discovers that Johnny has returned to New York, she reaches out to him, looking for answers and seeking confrontation. The two plunge into an ambiguous intimacy—diving ever deeper, as each tries to unlock the other's secrets. A slender and twisted tale of sexual coming-of-age and of the deep bonds of lust and loyalty, Immersions asks how we are made—and unmade—by desire.
Praise for Immersions
-
“Set in the lush and cutthroat world of ballet in New York City, McCarthy’s exploration of familial bonds, intimacy and the erotic, and obsession is taut and delicate all at once.”
Forbes, a Best Book of May -
“McCarthy’s sensual, embodied prose—particularly her descriptions of dance and sex and the echoes between the two—captivated me . . . as compelling and intricate as modern dance itself.”
Zona Motel -
“McCarthy’s writing is lovely and evocative . . . Taut, foreboding, and lightly erotic storytelling.”
Booklist
About the Imprint
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