“My life begins at the Y …” So begins the story of Shannon, a newborn baby dumped at the doors of the YMCA. Bounced between foster homes, Shannon defines life on her own terms even as she longs to uncover her roots. Where is she from? Who is her true family? Why would they abandon Shannon on the very day she was born?

The answers lie in the heartbreaking tale of her mother, a girl herself and one with a desperate fate. Through Marjorie Celona’s intimate observations and quirky wit, the two stories converge to shape a unique and lasting story of identity and family. This novel asks us to consider the “why” of our lives even as it reveals that the answer isn’t always clear and it doesn’t always matter.

Written with rare beauty and power, Y marks the debut of an astonishing new talent.