THE GOVERNOR’S DAUGHTER

Maria Ereni Dampman envisions an evangelical dystopian America in her debut novel, THE GOVERNOR’S DAUGHTER, one that’s not far from current reality. Emma is the governor’s daughter, a talented ballerina who loves her career, but must give up everything because she’s been contracted to the abusive Ryan, who is slated to take over as the country’s leader when the current leader finishes dying. Regularly brutalized at the whims of the men in her life, Emma’s fantasies alternate between escape and death. The themes in the book are topical, relevant, and a necessary mirror on current rightwing trajectories and the active scenes of dance, brutality, and love are by turns riveting and chilling.