Wet Paint: 'A blistering story' Stylist

Description

'This isn't a book you read, but a book you step into . . . mesmerising' Emma Gannon Since the death of her best friend Grace, twenty-six-year-old Eve has learned to keep everything and everyone at arm's length. Safe in her detachment, she scrapes along waiting tables and cleaning her shared flat in exchange for cheap rent, finding solace in her small routines. But when a chance encounter at work brings her past thundering into her present, Eve becomes consumed by painful memories of Grace. And soon her precariously maintained life begins to unravel: she loses her job, gets thrown out of her flat, and risks pushing away the one decent man who cares about her. Taking up life-modelling to pay the bills, Eve lays bare her body but keeps hidden the mounting chaos inside her head. When her self-destructive urges spiral out of control, she's forced to confront the traumatic event that changed the course of her life, and to finally face her grief and guilt. Perfect for fans of Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends, Raven Leilani's Luster, and Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation. READERS ARE OBSESSED WITH WET PAINT 'This was outstanding. Eve is a wonderfully observed heroine.' ***** Reader review 'If you're wondering whether or not you should read this book, there's an easy answer: you should.' ***** 'I read this in a day.' ***** 'A story with multiple layers, deep and humorous at times, beautifully written.' *****

Chloe Ashby is an author and arts journalist. Since graduating from the Courtauld Institute of Art, she has written for publications such as the TLS, Guardian, FT Life & Arts, Spectator and frieze. Wet Paint is her debut novel.

This isn't a book you read, but a book you step into. Chloe Ashby has created a mesmerising and energetic world of grief, art and self discovery. I loved Eve and spending time with her on every page. * Emma Gannon, author of Olive * An utterly absorbing story of art, friendship, love, and loss. Perfect for fans of Anna Hope's Expectation but very much its own tender, dark, funny, vivid thing. * Lydia Ruffles, author of The Taste of Blue Light * In this poised, heartfelt debut, Ashby paints a raw, richly-detailed portrait of untethered youth, friendship and suppressed grief. * Olivia Sudjic, author of Asylum Road * Dark, witty and totally compelling. * Laura Kay, author of The Split * Wet Paint is a brilliant, heart-rending novel that explores grief and loss with expert precision. Beautifully written and exquisitely told, this story is delicate, powerful and honest all at once. This is an unforgettable novel, and I'll read anything Chloe Ashby writes. * Lucia Osborne-Crowley, author of My Body Keeps Your Secrets * Poignant, at times heart-wrenching, but liberally sprinkled with dry wit. This is a novel about grief, trauma and life-saving relationships. What I liked most about it is that even as Eve spiralled and struggled with loss, guilt and depression, she had people in her life who never gave up on her, so I closed this book feeling warm and hopeful * Jendella Benson, author of Hope & Glory * A compelling exploration of enduring grief, and a striking portrait of the intensity and fragility of the friendships that form us. Darkly funny and relatable - a great read about love, art, and navigating the trials of learning how to be an adult. * Francesca Reece, author of Voyeur * A beautiful exploration of how grief can derail the sense of self at a crucial time in your 20s, shot through with dark humour & hope. I felt like Eve was my mate, and was desperate for her to sort it out! * Sareeta Domingo, author of Who's Loving You * A devastatingly raw depiction of one young woman's grief, Wet Paint is a story about mental health and sexual assault with tenderness at its heart. I was heavily invested in Eve's story and I felt my own kind of grief when it ended. Moving, brave and hauntingly beautiful. * Laura Price * A courageous and unwinding exploration of female pain. Ashby's writing suspends you into the high waves of grief and keeps your feet wet in the puddles of unprocessed trauma. Dark, funny and hopeful, it's a remarkable story. * Abigail Bergstrom * A blistering story of one girl's attempts to outmanoeuvre past trauma, loss and rejection only to find her life descending into chaos * STYLIST * Wet Paint is a searing exploration of grief, friendship and what it is to grow up. It made me laugh but also cry. I will think about this book for a long time. * Annie Lord * A skilful, absorbing novel that is so much about seeing and being seen. * The Spectator * What marks Ashby out as a distinctive voice is the warmth and compassion with which she depicts her characters and their milieu. * The Observer * With a careful, subtle, and compassionate description of the ways in which a life may be shaped by loss, Ashby creates a realistic and elegant portrait of a young woman beginning to recover herself from bereavement. * The Irish Times * A beautiful story made all the richer by Ashby's deep understanding of the profound presence of art in everyday life. * The Arts Society *