Another Song about the King

About the book

About Another Song about the King

In this stunning novel, a mother's desperate desire to be somebody, fueled by the memory of a date she once had with Elvis, provokes an intense rivalry with her daughter. Silvie Page, determined to escape the control and frustrations of her mother, has started her own life--she's moved to New York, gotten a job in publishing, met a wonderful man. Still, her entangled and competitive relationship with her mother, Mimi, continues to haunt her. Moving back and forth in time, Another Song About the King explores how the fantasies and experiences of one generation have an impact on the lives of another. Frustrated by her life as a housewife in the sixties, Mimi names her daughter Silvie, as a near anagram of Elvis. Caught up in a fantasy world of the King and fame, Mimi sews clothes from her unique designs but remains mired in unfulfilled artistic ambitions and the need to dominate her family. Yet even as Silvie begins to free herself from Mimi's jealousy and expectations, a family crisis draws her back into her mother's web. Another Song About the King is a rich and moving novel that goes deep into the heart of identity and the complex relationships within a family to reveal the ways in which happiness can be held hostage to the past and a daughter's struggle for freedom can lead to reconciliation, renewal, and love. Written with lyricism, insight, humor, and grace, it introduces a fresh new voice in American fiction, Kathryn Stern.

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