In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl

Originally announced for spring 2001, but later postponed, this Welsh first novel was one of the twenty-one books recently selected by the Orange Prize jury for special Orange Futures commendation to highlight and promote outstanding works by the brightest and best young women writers. Also selected were Elizabeth McCracken and Zadie Smith. From the jury's commendation: "Bursting with passion and metaphor, this is the story of Rebecca Tregianni, her relationship with her beautiful, unfaithful, unloving, and alcoholic mother, and her repeated rape at the hands of her first step-father. Set in the unremittinlgy depressed Rhonda Valley, where everyone is out of work and/or out of their heads and/or in and out of each other's beds, the reader bears witness to Rebecca's against-the-odds struggle to grow up, get educated, and get free. And she has it really tough. Childhood sexual abuse, poverty, neglect, violence segues into teenage depression, self-harm, suicide attempts, and drug and alcohol abuse."