Shred Sisters

Literary agent Lerner (Food and Loathing, a memoir) traces the impact of mental illness on a pair of sisters in her moving debut novel. Amy, the narrator, describes herself as studious and highly motivated compared to her wild and beautiful older sister, Olivia, who frequently engages in risky or outright illegal behavior, from shoplifting to disappearing for days a time. As the sisters grow up, Ollie’s misbehavior poses greater dangers, not only for herself, but also for their parents and for Amy’s friendships, romantic relationships, and even her career. Ollie’s condition isn’t named until late in the novel; part of Lerner’s skilled approach to narrative lies in subtly depicting the destigmatizing of mental illness and the evolution of treatment during the period from the sisters’ childhood in the 1970s through the 1990s. Lerner’s portrayal of Amy’s five-year course of therapy is particularly rewarding, as Amy explores the limits and strengths of her bond with Olivia. The result is a quietly lovely and ultimately hopeful chronicle of a complicated family. Agent: David Black, David Black Agency. (Oct.)