Bright Young Things

November 1, 2013
An early work by the English author of The End of Mr. Y (2006) available for the first time in the U.S., this enticing novel explores the fate of six aimless twentysomethings who answer an advertisement for a job seeking Bright Young Things in 1999. Solitary Anne, prickly Thea, fragile Emily, nerdy Jamie, edgy Bryn, and brilliant Paul wake up the day after their job interview in a house on an island. There's no cell phone reception and no visible means of escape, but the pantry is full of food. With no idea why they've been kidnapped and no way to leave the island, the six begin to get to know each other, starting with surface things, like favorite bands and TV shows, and later delving deeper into their sexual experiences and deepest fears in a revealing game of truth or dare. Just when they're starting to get comfortable with each other, a startling discovery behind a locked door changes everything. Thomas' observations about her generation at the turn of the twenty-first century are piercing and thought-provoking.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)