She’s a Lamb!

Beautiful Jessamyn St. Germain is an actress of sorts who dreams of being a major musical-theater star while she juggles two boyfriends and contemplates a third. When the Vancouver playhouse where she works begins rehearsals for The Sound of Music, she is offered a job minding the child actors; all the while, she is plotting how to take over the role of Maria. Hambrock (Other People’s Secrets) sets up what appears to be a romantic comedy and send-up of the fringes of the entertainment industry, but the narrative quickly veers into an intense and darkly funny trip through the unravelling of a person’s mind. Estranged from her father and exploited by men, Jessamyn clings to belief in her musical talent. As a narrator, she is at times sympathetic but mostly repellent (and unreliable). What makes the book thought-provoking is its unique look at MeToo and sexual objectification. Note also that the novel has a high cringe factor, takes a while to get moving, and is not a feel-good read.