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Anxieties of Interiority and Dissection in Early Modern Spain
by Enrique FernandezAnxieties of Interiority and Dissection in Early Modern Spain brings the study of Europe's "culture of dissection" to the Iberian peninsula, presenting a neglected episode in the development of the modern concept of the self. Enrique Fernandez explores the ways in which sixteenth and seventeenth-century anatomical research stimulated both a sense of interiority and a fear of that interior's exposure and punishment by the early modern state.Examining works by Miguel de Cervantes, María de Zayas, Fray Luis de Granada, and Francisco de Quevedo, Fernandez highlights the existence of narratives in which the author creates a surrogate self on paper, then "dissects" it. He argues that these texts share a fearful awareness of having a complex inner self in a country where one's interiority was under permanent threat of punitive exposure by the Inquisition or the state. A sophisticated analysis of literary, religious, and medical practice in early modern Spain, Fernandez's work will interest scholars working on questions of early modern science, medicine, and body politics.
Anxiety and Evil in the Writings of Patricia Highsmith: Writing Aristocratic Identity In Late Medieval French And English Literatures
by Fiona PetersDrawing on an impressive range of secondary material, including many elusive reviews, interviews and articles from the under-explored Highsmith Archive, Fiona Peters suggests that the usual generic distinctions -crime fiction, mystery, suspense - have been largely unhelpful in elucidating Patricia Highsmith's novels. Peters analyzes a significant selection of Highsmith's works, chosen with a view towards demonstrating the range of her oeuvre while also identifying the main themes and preoccupations running throughout her career. Adopting a psychoanalytic approach, Peters proposes a reading of Highsmith that subordinates murder as the primary focus of the novels in favor of the gaps between periods of activity represented through anxiety, waiting, lack of desire and evil. Her close readings of the Ripley series, This Sweet Sickness, Deep Water, The Tremor of Forgery, and The Cry of the Owl, among others, reveal and illuminate Highsmith's concern with minutiae and the particular. Peters makes a strong case that the specific disturbances within her texts have resulted in Highsmith's writing remaining resistant to explication and to the more sophisticated interpretative strategies that would seek to position her within a specific genre.
The Anxiety of Influence: A Theory of Poetry
by Harold BloomHarold Bloom's The Anxiety of Influence has cast its own long shadow of influence since it was first published in 1973. Through an insightful study of Romantic poets, Bloom puts forth his central vision of the relations between tradition and the individual artist. Although Bloom was never the leader of any critical "camp," his argument that all literary texts are a response to those that precede them had an enormous impact on the practice of deconstruction and poststructuralist literary theory in this country. The book remains a central work of criticism for all students of literature and has sold over 17,000 copies in paperback since 1984. Written in a moving personal style, anchored by concrete examples, and memorably quotable, Bloom's book maintains that the anxiety of influence cannot be evaded--neither by poets nor by responsible readers and critics. This second edition contains a new Introduction, which explains the genesis of Bloom's thinking and the subsequent influence of the book on literary criticism of the past twenty years.
The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf: A Novel (Werewolf Girl Ser. #3)
by Martin MillarNow eighteen, Scottish teenage werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is settling in London, though she still struggles with anxiety, depression, and self-abuse. Her new friends support her - and all is fine until the Guild of Werewolf Hunters start picking off her clan, one by one.Most of the Scottish Werewolf Clan have a very low opinion of Kalix Macrinnalch, youngest daughter of the Thane. There is little sympathy for her illiteracy, her substance abuse, her self-harming, her eating disorder, her anxiety and depression and her propensity for extreme violence. Safe from her clan in London, and living with two friendly students, she's been much calmer. If only she were allowed to live quietly, she might get on top of her problems.Unfortunately, that's difficult for the young werewolf. She's still the number one target for the werewolf hunters, and they're stepping up their efforts to find her. And no matter how Kalix tries to make her life more normal, there will always come a time when, under threat, her insanity and battle-madness will descend on her, and the skinny young girl will again transform into the most feared and ferocious werewolf in the country.
The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf: Number 3 in series (Werewolf Girl #3)
by Martin MillarMost of the Scottish Werewolf Clan have a very low opinion of Kalix Macrinnalch, youngest daughter of the Thane. There is little sympathy for her illiteracy, her substance abuse, her self-harming, her eating disorder, her anxiety, depression and propensity for extreme violence. Safe from her clan in London, and living with two friendly students, she's been much calmer. If only she were allowed to live quietly, she might get on top of her problems.Unfortunately, that's difficult for the young werewolf. She's still the number one target for the werewolf hunters, and they're stepping up their efforts to find her. And no matter how Kalix tries to make her life more normal, there will always come a time when, under threat, her insanity and battle-madness will descend on her, and the skinny young girl will again transform into the most feared and ferocious werewolf in the country.
Anxious Audrey
by Mabel Quiller-CouchMabel Quiller-Couch (1866-1924) was a Cornish writer. She was the the sister of Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, and her sister Lilian M. Quiller- Couch was an author as well. She wrote Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall with her sister in 1894. Other works include Martha's Trial (1895), One Good Seed Sown (1896), The Recovery of Jane Vercoe.. (1896), Some Western Folk (1897), Paul the Courageous (1901), A Waif and a Welcome (1905), Zach and Derby (1906), The Carroll Girls (1906), A Pair of Red Dolls (1907), Troublesome Ursula (1907), Kitty Trenire (1909), Some Great Little People (1910), The Story of Jessie (1910), Children of Olden Days (1910), On Windycross Moor (1910), The Mean-Wells (1910), True Tales from History (1910), The Little Princess.. (1910), Better than Play (1911), A Book of Children's Verse (as editor) (1911) and Dick and Brownie (1912).
The Anxious Conspirator (Murder Room #538)
by Michael Underwood'Roger waited but nothing further came. Dayne's expression, however, told its story. A story of fear and cunning ...'Tony Dayne's predicament presents a problem. The English police had promised him escape and immunity for feeding them all he knew about his partners in an international counterfeiting ring.But an accident and an over-zealous policeman gets Tony pulled during the raid. The best the police can do for him is appoint a young lawyer, Roger Elwin, who does some detecting that takes him as far afield as Vienna and the violent end of yet another conspirator.
The Anxious Conspirator
by Michael Underwood'Roger waited but nothing further came. Dayne's expression, however, told its story. A story of fear and cunning ...'Tony Dayne's predicament presents a problem. The English police had promised him escape and immunity for feeding them all he knew about his partners in an international counterfeiting ring.But an accident and an over-zealous policeman gets Tony pulled during the raid. The best the police can do for him is appoint a young lawyer, Roger Elwin, who does some detecting that takes him as far afield as Vienna and the violent end of yet another conspirator.
The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt
by Gabrielle Prendergast★ “A meaningful, heartwarming read...perfect for an early middle grade reading level and great for the classroom. Prendergast explores powerful themes in a way that is hopeful and shows kids they too can make a difference. A must-purchase for exploration of advocacy for kiddos with sensitive souls.” — School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review Sara isn't great with strangers: she has selective mutism, so being in a new place isn't always easy. Sara's little brother is born premature. He looks small and red, like a baby bird, so she calls him Birdy. Because she can't visit him often, she writes him letters about everything that's happened since he's been born—like how her mom and stepdad are sending her to Toronto to stay with her half-sister, Abby. And how Abby lives in this amazing storage container house on a vacant lot and hopes to build a whole community of them for unhoused people. Sara discovers she too has ways of getting things done—like passing the librarian a note asking for books instead of saying it out loud, or talking to the dogs at the homeless encampment as a way of meeting their people. When she sees that the mayor and the police are making things harder for the unhoused community, Sara realizes she can be an advocate—through her letters—and that there's more than one way to stand up for what you believe in and make your voice heard. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Anxious Gravity: A Novel
by Jeff WellsThe life of a naive, born-again teen can sometimes seem God-awful, as Gideon discovers at Overcomer Bible Institute. Having given himself over to religion, Gideon quickly finds his newfound faith challenged by sexually aggressive women, a disturbed student armed with a power drill, and Siamese-twin evangelists. A satiric look at the religious and secular worlds, Anxious Gravity succeeds at the daunting task of being both thoughtful and wildly entertaining. "Jeff Wells is the most consistently funny humorist in Canada today." -Michael Bate, Editor-in-Chief, Frank
Anxious People: A Novel
by Fredrik Backman#1 New York Times bestseller From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and &“writer of astonishing depth&” (The Washington Times) comes a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.Viewing an apartment normally doesn&’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths. First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she&’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there&’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don&’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can&’t agree on anything. And there&’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn&’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn&’t outside parking the car. As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people. Rich with Fredrik Backman&’s &“pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature&” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People&’s whimsical plot serves up unforgettable insights into the human condition and a gentle reminder to be compassionate to all the anxious people we encounter every day.
Anxious People: A Novel
by Fredrik BackmanAn instant #1 New York Times bestseller, the new novel from the author of A Man Called Ove is a &“quirky, big-hearted novel….Wry, wise, and often laugh-out-loud funny, it&’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure&” (People).Looking at real estate isn&’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can&’t fix their own marriage. There&’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can&’t seem to agree on anything. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment&’s only bathroom, and you&’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world. Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next. Proving once again that Backman is &“a master of writing delightful, insightful, soulful, character-driven narratives&” (USA TODAY), Anxious People &“captures the messy essence of being human….It&’s clever and affecting, as likely to make you laugh out loud as it is to make you cry&” (The Washington Post). This &“endlessly entertaining mood-booster&” (Real Simple) is proof that the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope can save us—even in the most anxious of times.
Anxious People \ Gente ansiosa (Spanish edition)
by Fredrik BackmanUn robo a un banco con toma de rehenes. Una escalera llena de policías a punto de asaltar un apartamento. Llegar a esto fue sorprendentemente fácil. Sólo hizo falta una mala idea. Una idea mala de verdad.Visitar un apartamento en venta no es una situación de vida o muerte. A menos que sea la víspera de Nochevieja, vivas en una pequeña ciudad en Suecia y alguien haya tenido la peor idea de su vida y decidido atracar un banco que no maneja efectivo. Entonces, sí lo es. Porque, cuando alguien es así de idiota, es inevitable que no sepa cómo huir y termine en un apartamento en venta tomando rehenes sin querer.Pero puedes confiar en la policía. A menos que los dos agentes encargados del caso no se entiendan entre ellos y tengan cero experiencia con tomas de rehenes. Entonces, no.Aunque todo irá bien si los rehenes mantienen la calma. A menos que sean los peores rehenes de la historia: una millonaria suicida, una anciana encantadora, un matrimonio de jubilados amantes de IKEA, dos recién casadas que nunca se ponen de acuerdo, una agente inmobiliaria excesivamente entusiasta y un hombre disfrazado de conejo. Entonces, no, porque, cuando todos son idiotas, es imposible mantener la calma. Sin embargo, policías y rehenes están a punto de descubrir que quizá ser idiota no está tan mal y que, a veces, la ansiedad puede ser la solución.En Gente ansiosa se dan cita todos los elementos del universo de Fredrik Backman, habitado por personajes tan imperfectos como enternecedores, y teñido de un sentido del humor inimitable, mezcla de ironía y compasión, que ha cautivado a millones de lectores de todo el mundo.FREDRIK BACKMAN es autor de nueve libros, entre ellos el bestseller internacional Un hombre llamado Ove, cuya versión cinematográfica fue candidata a dos Óscar. Sus obras se han traducido a cuarenta y seis idiomas. Gente ansiosa se convertirá en una serie de Netflix en 2022. Backman vive en Estocolmo con su esposa y sus dos hijos.
Any Approaching Enemy: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars
by Jay WorrallWith the stunning high-seas adventure Sails on the Horizon, Jay Worrall introduced a bold new hero in the rousing tradition of Jack Aubrey: Charles Edgemont, an ambitious officer in His Britannic Majesty's navy. Raised to the rank of captain for gallantry under fire, Edgemont proved his mettle in the bruising British victory over the Spanish fleet at the Battle of St. Vincent. Now married and in command of the twenty-eight-gun frigate Louisa, the young captain sails toward a day of destiny-for himself and for England. The year is 1798. The war between England and revolutionary France has reached a bloody stalemate, with England in the ascendancy at sea and France unchallenged on the Continent, thanks in large part to an unorthodox twenty-eight-year-old general named Napoleon Bonaparte. But the French, secretly amassing a powerful fleet, mean to break the impasse. When rumors of the French preparations leak, the Admiralty dispatches a squadron of seven ships-among them the Louisa-under the command of Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson to investigate. Blindsided by a storm of ferocious intensity, the ships scatter across the seas. After the storm subsides, the damaged frigates limp back to the rendezvous point. But there is no sign of Nelson's flagship, Vanguard, nor of two other ships of the line. Edgemont fears that the pugnacious rear admiral has pressed on with the mission. Putting his career on the line by disobeying direct orders, Edgemont sets out in pursuit of Nelson and the French fleet on a treacherous voyage along the Tuscan coast. As tensions among the crew threaten to explode into open insubordination or worse, Edgemont makes an unexpected discovery in Naples that may seriously compromise his mission. When the missing French fleet turns up off the shores of Egypt, conveying an army tens of thousands strong, Edgemont is suddenly thrown into a crisis of conscience. As circumstances grow dire and require heroic action, the fate of the crucial battle effectively lies in Edgemont's hands-as does the course of history. From the Hardcover edition.
Any Bitter Thing
by Monica WoodRichard Russo has celebrated Monica Wood's fiction as "thoroughly captivating warm and wise and beautifully written," and Andre Dubus III praised it as "luminous and graceful--entertaining yet transcendent." Any Bitter Thing, Wood's brilliant new novel, is her breakout book, a timely, gripping, and compassionate tale of family, faith, and deeply hidden truths. One of its greatest strengths is its continuous ability to defy expectations. It's not what you think. It is worse. Lizzy Mitchell was raised from the age of two by her uncle, a Catholic priest. When she was nine, he was falsely accused of improprieties with her and dismissed from his church, and she was sent away to boarding school. Now thirty years old and in a failing marriage, she is nearly killed in a traffic accident. What she discovers when she sets out to find the truths surrounding the accidentand about the accusations that led to her uncle's deathdoes more than change her life. With deft insight into the snares of the human heart, Monica Wood has written an intimate and emotionally expansive novel full of understanding and hope.
Any Bitter Thing: An evocative tale of love, loss and understanding
by Monica WoodANY BITTER THING is a novel about how much we can and should forgive, by Monica Wood, the acclaimed author of THE ONE-IN-A-MILLION BOY. The perfect read for fans of Gail Honeyman's ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE and Joanna Cannon's THREE THINGS ABOUT ELSIE. 'If you liked THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, try ANY BITTER THING' GlamourAfter surviving a near-fatal accident, thirty-year-old Lizzy Mitchell faces a long road to recovery. She remembers little about the days she spent in and out of consciousness, save for one thing: she saw her beloved deceased uncle, Father Mike, the man who raised her until she was nine, when she was abruptly sent away.Though her troubled marriage and broken body need tending, Lizzy knows she must uncover the details of her accident - and delve into the events of twenty years ago, when whispers and accusations forced a good man to give up the only family he had.What readers are saying about ANY BITTER THING:'Another great story with wonderful characters''This writer, with her exquisite prose, weaves a gripping and grace-filled story of redemption. I will go back to this amazing book again and again. It shines''A beautiful story. The characters take on a life of their own. Pure human emotion, well written, very touching'
Any Bitter Thing
by Monica WoodLizzy is 30 years old when she almost dies from getting hit by a car. As she recovers, she revisits her childhood being brought up by a priest falsely accused of molestation.
Any Closer
by Mary CalmesCharlie Ryder has a colorful past, painful memories, and an embarrassing secret. After three years working for Leo Foster's construction company, Charlie's worst fears are realized, and Leo finds out what Charlie has worked so hard to hide. When Leo meets the revelation with absolute love and acceptance, Leo has to trust that Charlie's love isn't just gratitude, and Charlie has to learn to trust again, period. It's going to take a lot of work for these two men to get any closer.
Any Day Now: A Novel
by Terry Bisson“An unsettling, funny, freaky reimagining of America, impeccably written, by one of our most . . . interesting transgressors of literary boundaries.” —Michael Chabon, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and ClayWritten in a voice that is warmhearted and hauntingly original, Any Day Now is the story of Clay, a small-town boy searching for his place in the new America—and hoping desperately to forget what happened back East with the girl he loved.This poignant excursion into the last days of the Beats and the emerging radicalized culture of the sixties from Kentucky to New York City is a road movie of a novel. Beginning as a fifties coming-of-age story and ending in an isolated hippy commune under threat of revolution, Any Day Now provides a transcendent commentary on America, and the perils of growing up, then and now.“He writes like a man who invented language . . . Treat yourself to this book.” —Peter Coyote, author of Sleeping Where I Fall“Bisson just wrote his personal masterpiece, a book which will drop you through the floor of your assumptions about coming of age inside the politics and counterculture of the Vietnam era and into a fresh new-old world.” —Jonathan Lethem, National Book Award winning and New York Times–bestselling author of Fortress of Solitude“Highly recommended for its literary quality and creativity of vision.” —Library Journal“[An] unsettling but always interesting alternate-history novel, which offers much subversive commentary on contemporary society [with] jazz-like prose.” —Booklist“The story has a thrumming momentum, a sense of slangy sass and jive, light-hearted yet soulful.” —The Washington Post“Thoroughly enthralling . . . a truly unique reading experience.” —San Francisco Book Review
Any Day Now
by Gordon J. BrownA young woman escapes abandonment, poverty, and crime—but making it in the music world can&’t protect her from her past, in this intoxicating thriller. It&’s 1984 and sixteen-year-old Catherine Day&’s mother has deserted her in their Glasgow home. Alone and desperate for money, Catherine is soon ensnared by local criminals. But that&’s not the life she wants for herself. So she joins a band. Catherine battles hard to succeed—and is aided by a mysterious guardian angel: a man who has connections to her mother and knows things about her family that could change her life forever. But as her star gradually begins to rise and her world feels more secure, a horrifying event reveals she can&’t escape her origins that easily, and what matters most is survival.
Any Day Now: A Novel (Sullivan's Crossing #2)
by Robyn CarrFrom the Bestselling Author of the hit Netflix series, Virgin River!For Sierra Jones, Sullivan's Crossing is meant to be a brief stopover. She's put her troubled past behind her but the path forward isn't yet clear. A visit with her big brother Cal and his new bride, Maggie, seems to be the best option to help her get back on her feet. Not wanting to burden or depend on anyone, Sierra is surprised to find the Crossing offers so much more than a place to rest her head. Cal and Maggie welcome her into their busy lives and she quickly finds herself bonding with Sully, the quirky campground owner who is the father figure she's always wanted. But when her past catches up with her, it's a special man and an adorable puppy who give her the strength to face the truth and fight for a brighter future. In Sullivan's Crossing Sierra learns to cherish the family you are given and the family you choose.
Any Day with You
by Mae RespicioA warm, tender story about a creative girl who hopes that by winning a filmmaking contest, she'll convince her great-grandfather not to move back home to the Philippines. For fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Kelly Yang. <p><p> Kaia and her family live near the beach in California, where the fun of moviemaking is all around them. Kaia loves playing with makeup and creating special effects, turning her friends into merfolk and other magical creatures. This summer, Kaia and her friends are part of a creative arts camp, where they're working on a short movie to enter in a contest. The movie is inspired by the Filipino folktales that her beloved Tatang, her great-grandfather, tells. Tatang lives with her family and is like the sparkle of her special-effects makeup. When Tatang decides that it is time to return to his homeland in the Philippines, Kaia will do anything to convince him not to go.
Any Deadly Thing
by Roy KeseyFollowing the critical success of his debut collection, All Over, and of his debut novel, Pacazo, Roy Kesey now brings us a new gathering of short stories, Any Deadly Thing. These stories first appeared in magazines including McSweeney's, Subtropics, Ninth Letter and American Short Fiction, and have been widely anthologized; among them are winners of a Pushcart Prize special mention, an Honorable Mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, and The Missouri Review's Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize in Fiction. With story locales ranging across the Americas to Europe and Asia, Kesey once again makes the full strange world his stage. "Perfect, masterful portraits of an international cross-section of wise, broken souls--hopeful, brutal, funny as hell, and heart-crushing, every last one." -Elizabeth Crane, author of We Only Know So Much "Roy Kesey is one of my favorite contemporary writers, and Any Deadly Thing is another triumph. These stories, reminiscent of William Gass in the remarkable way they combine a virtuoso playfulness and wit with an atmosphere of grimness and grief and heartbreak, range the world over for their brilliantly realized locales, but they share a deeper setting in what Gass calls 'the only holiness we have,' human consciousness. Kesey demonstrates once again that he is a spectacularly deft and empathetic priest of that creed, which is the only one for me." -Michael Griffith, author of Trophy
Any Dream Will Do
by Maria Duffy'Tis the season to be jolly, except for single Dubliner Jenny Breslin ...Everything about her life - her boring job at the bank, the complete lack of romance - has been untouched by holiday magic, and she dreads the thought of spending yet another festive season with her larger-than-life mother and her mother's new boyfriend.Thank God for Twitter, a place where there are always people ready and waiting to have a chat. She's even managed to make a couple of genuine friends there, even though she's never met them IRL.'So who's on for a few days in Dublin? Would love to meet you all in person. I have a spare room in my house'- this drunken tweet to her Twitter pals changes Jenny's life forever. Before she knows it, she's counting down to a Christmas visit from London-native Zahra Burns, make-up artist to the stars; Fiona Lee, a stay-at-home mum from Galway, and nurse Kerry (the Twitter buddy Jenny feels closest to).Suddenly, Jenny becomes aware of how her life will appear to these strangers. In a word: Boring. It's easy enough to pretend that you're an exciting and sophisticated person when nobody can see you, but now Jenny's worried about being caught out in the occasional lies that she's told. All the more incentive to change her life for the better! But once her pals arrive, Jenny finds herself pining for the past and wondering if people are ever who they claim to be.
Any Dream Will Do
by Maria Duffy'Tis the season to be jolly, except for single Dubliner Jenny Breslin ...Everything about her life - her boring job at the bank, the complete lack of romance - has been untouched by holiday magic, and she dreads the thought of spending yet another festive season with her larger-than-life mother and her mother's new boyfriend.Thank God for Twitter, a place where there are always people ready and waiting to have a chat. She's even managed to make a couple of genuine friends there, even though she's never met them IRL.'So who's on for a few days in Dublin? Would love to meet you all in person. I have a spare room in my house'- this drunken tweet to her Twitter pals changes Jenny's life forever. Before she knows it, she's counting down to a Christmas visit from London-native Zahra Burns, make-up artist to the stars; Fiona Lee, a stay-at-home mum from Galway, and nurse Kerry (the Twitter buddy Jenny feels closest to).Suddenly, Jenny becomes aware of how her life will appear to these strangers. In a word: Boring. It's easy enough to pretend that you're an exciting and sophisticated person when nobody can see you, but now Jenny's worried about being caught out in the occasional lies that she's told. All the more incentive to change her life for the better! But once her pals arrive, Jenny finds herself pining for the past and wondering if people are ever who they claim to be.