Sirens & Muses A Novel
Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress, published by Random House Publishing Group on July 11, 2023, is a novel that explores the intricate dynamics of rivalry and desire among four artists at an elite art school in New York. Set against the backdrop of a nation grappling with economic recession and social movements, the story follows Louisa Arceneaux, a scholarship student navigating the complexities of her new environment, where artistic merit is often overshadowed by the pursuit of novelty.
Readers will encounter a rich narrative that delves into the intense relationships and artistic ambitions of Louisa, her charismatic roommate Karina, and their peers, including the provocative Preston Utley and the controversial professor Robert Berger. As their lives intertwine, the characters face challenges that force them to confront their identities and aspirations within the competitive New York art scene. Sirens & Muses presents a critical examination of themes such as class, art, and the quest for authenticity, inviting readers to reflect on the intersection of personal and societal struggles. This edition spans 384 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Four artists are drawn into a web of rivalry and desire at an elite art school and on the streets of New York in this “gripping, provocative, and supremely entertaining” (BuzzFeed) debut
National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree • “Captures the ache-inducing quality of art and desire . . . a deeply relatable and profoundly enjoyable read, one drenched in prismatic color and light.”—Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of With Teeth
FINALIST FOR THE MINNESOTA BOOK AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Glamour, PopSugar, Debutiful
It’s 2011: America is in a deep recession and Occupy Wall Street is escalating. But at the elite Wrynn College of Art, students paint and sculpt in a rarefied bubble. Louisa Arceneaux is a thoughtful, observant nineteen-year-old when she transfers to Wrynn as a scholarship student, but she soon finds herself adrift in an environment that prizes novelty over beauty. Complicating matters is Louisa’s unexpected attraction to her charismatic roommate, Karina Piontek, the preternaturally gifted but mercurial daughter of wealthy art collectors. Gradually, Louisa and Karina are drawn into an intense sensual and artistic relationship, one that forces them to confront their deepest desires and fears. But Karina also can’t shake her fascination with Preston Utley, a senior and anti-capitalist Internet provocateur, who is publicly feuding with visiting professor and political painter Robert Berger—a once-controversial figurehead seeking to regain relevance.
When Preston concocts an explosive hoax, the fates of all four artists are upended as each is unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat New York art world. Now all must struggle to find new identities in art, in society, and among each other. In the process, they must find either their most authentic terms of life—of success, failure, and joy—or risk losing themselves altogether.
With a canny, critical eye, Sirens & Muses overturns notions of class, money, art, youth, and a generation’s fight to own their future.
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