What You Make of Me: A Novel

"In the face of tragedy, Dess’s narrator memorably dramatizes the anxiety-inducing exigencies of the creative arts, and the need of artists to remain focussed on their craft." —The New Yorker
“Ms. Dess shrewdly explores the intersections between intimacy and possession.” —The Wall Street Journal
In this mesmerizing debut from a bright new talent, two enigmatic and unforgettable siblings confront what – and who – they’re willing to sacrifice for their art

On the eve of her first solo show, Ava is feeling defiant. The art gallery acolytes have insisted on writing “explanations” of her paintings for an accompanying catalog, but what do they know of her work? What do they know of her brother, Demetri, whose face echoes across every canvas?
After all, Ava and Demetri have only ever had each other. Abandoned first by their mother, who drowned in the Long Island Sound, and then again by their...