Anita de Monte Laughs Last - Xochitl Gonzalez Taschenbuch

''Rollicking melodic tender and true. And oh so very wise''Robert Jones Jr. author of The ProphetsWho gets to leave a legacy?1985. Anita de Monte a rising star in the art world is found dead in New York City her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn't. By 1998 Anita's name has been all but forgotten - certainly by the time Raquel a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill surrounded by progeny of film producers C-Suite executives and international art-dealers most of whom float through life knowing that their futures are secured Ra quel feels herself an outsider. Students of colour like Raquel are the minority there and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds she stumbles upon Anita's story raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive witty examination of power love and art daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.Praise for Xochitl Gonzalez and Olga Dies Dreaming''Don't underestimate this new novelist. She's jump-starting the year with a smart romantic comedy that lures us in with laughter and keeps us hooked with a fantastically engaging story''Washington Post''The sharpest and best written social comedy in a while''Los Angeles Times''An astounding new voice''Esquire