Thursday, October 8
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
This month we will be discussing Evil Genius by Claire Oshetsky – get the book here
Contact reference@dobbsferrylibrary.org for the ZOOM link
“It’s San Francisco, 1974, and the third floor of the phone company where Celia Dent works is abuzz with drama. Colleague Randall Smiley was caught having an affair with company executive Vivienne Bianco. When Vivienne’s husband found her in bed, clearly postcoital, he shot her while Randall hid under the bed. Celia and her coworkers hang on Randall’s every word, at least as long as they can stretch their break. Unfortunately, Celia has to get back to answering calls from customers who can’t pay their bills before she can hear the end of Randall’s story, but the intrigue of Vivienne Bianco’s death kicks off revolutionary shifts in Celia’s own life. Narrated by Celia with years of distance, the story is propelled forward by her captivating voice. Oshetsky’s (Poor Deer, 2024) masterful writing explores Celia’s world, the people around her, and her escape from their grasp. In their acknowledgements, Oshetsky writes that they wanted to give a weapon to Ms. Dent in John Cheever’s story, “The Five Forty-Eight,” and Evil Genius grew from that idea. A remarkable exploration of domestic abuse, coming-of-age, and the freedom to build our own lives.
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association.”