It’sthemid-1950sandMargotThornsenisgrowingupbetweenaParkAvenueapartmentinNewYorkCityandherfamily’ssumptuousOysterBayestate,asthepresumedheirtoherlategrandfather’ssteelfortune.StuckinthemoresandboresofWASPsocietywithitscocktailpartiesandwhite-glovedgalas,Margotisconstantlyrubbingagainstthestricturesofherdomineeringmother,whonevermissesanopportunitytolectureherontheimportanceofmarryingwell.Meanwhile,Margotdreamsofmicroscopesandbeetlesandbooks.Asshecomesofageinthe1960s,atimeofwarandassassinationsandriots,Margot’spathdivergesandshefindsherselfintheexpansiveworldofRadcliffeCollege,navigatinganewageofsexualliberation,scientificdiscovery,acidtrips,androck’n’roll.Theoldrulebookhasbeenburned.Therearenomorelimits.Butnowthatshecanchoose,whatdoesMargotreallywant?Hailedforher“intelligentandheartfeltfiction“(KirkusReviews),WendellSteavensonwriteswithgrace,precision,andgreatpsychologicalperception.WithMargot,shehascraftedanintimateportrayalofthequiettormentofyoungwomenoftheera,acomicallycausticmother-daughterstory,andamemorableevocationofonewoman’spassionforthewonderofscience.
