2024 National Book Foundation 5 Under 35
Four artists are drawn into a web of rivalry and desire at an elite art school and on the streets of New York in this “gripping, provocative, and supremely entertaining” (BuzzFeed) debut
“Captures the ache-inducing quality of art and desire . . . a deeply relatable and profoundly enjoyable read, one drenched in prismatic color and light.”—Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of With Teeth
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Debutiful
It’s 2011: America is in a deep recession and Occupy Wall Street is escalating. But at the elite Wrynn College of Art, students paint and sculpt in a rarefied bubble. Louisa Arceneaux is a thoughtful, observant nineteen-year-old when she transfers to Wrynn as a scholarship student, but she soon finds herself adrift in an environment that prizes novelty over beauty. Complicating matters is Louisa’s unexpected attraction to her charismatic roommate, Karina Piontek, the preternaturally gifted but mercurial daughter of wealthy art collectors. Gradually, Louisa and Karina are drawn into an intense sensual and artistic relationship, one that forces them to confront their deepest desires and fears. But Karina also can’t shake her fascination with Preston Utley, a senior and anti-capitalist Internet provocateur, who is publicly feuding with visiting professor and political painter Robert Berger—a once-controversial figurehead seeking to regain relevance.
When Preston concocts an explosive hoax, the fates of all four artists are upended as each is unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat New York art world. Now all must struggle to find new identities in art, in society, and among each other. In the process, they must find either their most authentic terms of life—of success, failure, and joy—or risk losing themselves altogether.
With a canny, critical eye, Sirens & Muses overturns notions of class, money, art, youth, and a generation’s fight to own their future.
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Vanity Fair, BuzzFeed, The Millions, Glamour, Bustle, Electric Lit, Autostraddle, Lambda Literary
Genre: Literary Fiction
“Captures the ache-inducing quality of art and desire . . . a deeply relatable and profoundly enjoyable read, one drenched in prismatic color and light.”—Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of With Teeth
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Debutiful
It’s 2011: America is in a deep recession and Occupy Wall Street is escalating. But at the elite Wrynn College of Art, students paint and sculpt in a rarefied bubble. Louisa Arceneaux is a thoughtful, observant nineteen-year-old when she transfers to Wrynn as a scholarship student, but she soon finds herself adrift in an environment that prizes novelty over beauty. Complicating matters is Louisa’s unexpected attraction to her charismatic roommate, Karina Piontek, the preternaturally gifted but mercurial daughter of wealthy art collectors. Gradually, Louisa and Karina are drawn into an intense sensual and artistic relationship, one that forces them to confront their deepest desires and fears. But Karina also can’t shake her fascination with Preston Utley, a senior and anti-capitalist Internet provocateur, who is publicly feuding with visiting professor and political painter Robert Berger—a once-controversial figurehead seeking to regain relevance.
When Preston concocts an explosive hoax, the fates of all four artists are upended as each is unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat New York art world. Now all must struggle to find new identities in art, in society, and among each other. In the process, they must find either their most authentic terms of life—of success, failure, and joy—or risk losing themselves altogether.
With a canny, critical eye, Sirens & Muses overturns notions of class, money, art, youth, and a generation’s fight to own their future.
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Vanity Fair, BuzzFeed, The Millions, Glamour, Bustle, Electric Lit, Autostraddle, Lambda Literary
Genre: Literary Fiction
Praise for this book
"Captures the ache-inducing quality of art and desire . . . a deeply relatable and profoundly enjoyable read, one drenched in prismatic color and light." - Kristen Arnett
"Brilliant . . . This narrative is intricate, moving, and often funny, and its scenes are beautifully crafted. . . . A wonderful book." - Charles Baxter
"With wit, tenderness, and insight, Sirens & Muses explores why art matters, who gets to make it, and what it's worth. Antonia Angress's portrayal of the art world and its politics is stunning in its detail and inventiveness--and Louisa Arceneaux is a heroine to remember." - V V Ganeshananthan
"Sirens & Muses captivated me with its well-drawn, complex characters and vivid descriptions and settings. Antonia Angress is a keen observer of relationships, and this is a gorgeously rich and thoughtful novel." - Annie Hartnett
"A page-turning, sexy, witty dive into making art and the art world and just how great the chasm is that lies in-between . . . This thoroughly modern novel explores classic themes of class, talent, and power and introduces Antonia Angress as a thrilling new voice." - Joanna Hershon
"Antonia Angress is so talented, and her depiction of young artists--with their egos and inspirations and ambitions--is unforgettably impressive. Read. This. Book." - Julie Schumacher
"Powerful, elegant, and mesmerizing, Sirens & Muses reimagines ambition, passion, identity, and the intricate bonds between women. Antonia Angress is a writer to watch." - Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
"Sirens & Muses features characters as flawed as they are talented--full of desire, ambition, and aching regret. Their journeys engrossed me till the very last page." - Dawnie Walton
"Brilliant . . . This narrative is intricate, moving, and often funny, and its scenes are beautifully crafted. . . . A wonderful book." - Charles Baxter
"With wit, tenderness, and insight, Sirens & Muses explores why art matters, who gets to make it, and what it's worth. Antonia Angress's portrayal of the art world and its politics is stunning in its detail and inventiveness--and Louisa Arceneaux is a heroine to remember." - V V Ganeshananthan
"Sirens & Muses captivated me with its well-drawn, complex characters and vivid descriptions and settings. Antonia Angress is a keen observer of relationships, and this is a gorgeously rich and thoughtful novel." - Annie Hartnett
"A page-turning, sexy, witty dive into making art and the art world and just how great the chasm is that lies in-between . . . This thoroughly modern novel explores classic themes of class, talent, and power and introduces Antonia Angress as a thrilling new voice." - Joanna Hershon
"Antonia Angress is so talented, and her depiction of young artists--with their egos and inspirations and ambitions--is unforgettably impressive. Read. This. Book." - Julie Schumacher
"Powerful, elegant, and mesmerizing, Sirens & Muses reimagines ambition, passion, identity, and the intricate bonds between women. Antonia Angress is a writer to watch." - Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
"Sirens & Muses features characters as flawed as they are talented--full of desire, ambition, and aching regret. Their journeys engrossed me till the very last page." - Dawnie Walton
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