Old Enough

Jakobson’s astute debut chronicles a young woman’s exploration of her trauma and sexuality. After an unsteady coming-of-age in high school, college sophomore Savannah “Sav” Henry has come out as bisexual and made a group of queer friends. When Sav’s childhood best friend, Izzie, announces her engagement, Sav flashes back to painful and unprocessed memories involving Izzie’s unnamed older brother, who raped her when she was 16 and he was 20. Though Sav is drawn back into Izzie’s orbit, she’s passed over as maid of honor because Izzie, who didn’t understand what Sav went through with her brother and blamed Sav, doesn’t want things to be “awkward.” As Sav prepares for the wedding, she risks her friendship with a classmate named Candace, the first to introduce her to the other queer people in their dorm, by secretly fooling around with Nova, a polyamorous woman who broke up Candace’s relationship. Jakobson lands the intensity of college friendships and sexual relationships with exquisite depictions of Sav and her cohort. Though the trauma plot threatens to become heavy-handed, Jakobson lends a gentle touch, showing how Sav works through her conflicted feelings about her rape. This writer shows plenty of promise. Agent: Ayla Zuraw-Friedland, Frances Goldin Literary Agency. (June)