Bittersweet

Taylor has always thought of herself as an artist, never lacking ideas or creative energy. But when her beloved Grams, who has raised her from infancy, suffers a stroke, Taylor’s world is shaken. People she thought she knew suddenly assume confusing new identities. Worst of all, her artistic ability deserts her—and if she isn’t an artist, who is she? Since she can’t create images on paper or canvas, there seems to be no reason not to paint her own face and body, no reason not to stop talking for a week, or throw the telephone out the window, or make a boutonniere of raw frogs’ legs for her prom date. . . . Slowly, Taylor finds her way through the aching grief of Grams’s absence and the shifting layers of her emotional reality to a clearer perception of herself, her surroundings, and her connections with others. Poignant, edgy, and irreverent, her voice will resonate with anyone who has had difficulty crossing shaky ground.