How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund?

Dey Street editor Montague debuts with a delightful if uneven story of a 70-year-old woman exploring her queer identity. Magda Eklund, a psychiatrist in New York City, refuses to come to terms with the death of her best friend, Sara, reacting to the news by throwing herself into her work. After Sara’s widower off-loads Sara’s possessions and her ashes on Magda, she stumbles upon Sara’s plans for a road trip to celebrate Magda’s 70th birthday. Magda decides to take the trip on her own, with Sara’s ashes in tow, hoping to make peace with the unrequited love she felt for Sara. Her journey eventually brings her to a Texas women’s retreat, where she meets Judy, a lesbian in her 60s going through a messy divorce. It takes a while for the novel to find its footing, but Magda is a companionable heroine and her travels are portrayed evocatively, as she manages to hunt down Sara’s childhood home in New Orleans and finds closure at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum in New Mexico, which Sara had always wanted to visit. This earnest road novel has plenty of appeal. Agent: Mollie Glick, CAA. (Oct.)