Little Rabbit
A Novel
by Alyssa Songsiridej
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Pub Date May 03 2022 | Archive Date Apr 30 2022
Bloomsbury USA | Bloomsbury Publishing
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Description
CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE SHORTLIST * PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD LONGLIST * NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION “5 UNDER 35” HONOREE * NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORKER,THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, DEBUTIFUL, ELECTRIC LITERATURE, AND MORE.
"A darkly sensuous tale of awakening that will quietly engulf you in flames."-Ling Ma, author of Severance
When the unnamed narrator of Little Rabbit first meets the choreographer at an artists' residency in Maine, it's not a match. She finds him loud, conceited, domineering. He thinks her serious, guarded, always running away to write. But when he reappears in her life in Boston and invites her to his dance company's performance, she's compelled to attend. Their interaction at the show sets off a summer of expanding her own body's boundaries: She follows the choreographer to his home in the Berkshires, to his apartment in New York, and into submission during sex. Her body learns to obediently follow his, and his desires quickly become inextricable from her pleasure. This must be happiness, right?
Back in Boston, her roommate Annie's skepticism amplifies her own doubts about these heady weekend retreats. What does it mean for a queer young woman to partner with an older man, for a fledgling artist to partner with an established one? Is she following her own agency, or is she merely following him? Does falling in love mean eviscerating yourself?
Combining the sticky sexual politics of Luster with the dizzying, perceptive intimacy of Cleanness, Little Rabbit is a wholly new kind of coming-of-age story about lust, punishment, artistic drive, and desires that defy the hard-won boundaries of the self.
Advance Praise
“Little Rabbit turned me inside out and left me utterly in awe. This daring exploration of the boundaries between desire and obliteration will have you asking who is in control. A fearless portrayal of a young writer shaping her life and art, even as they collide.” —Sanaë Lemoine, author of The Margot Affair
"A darkly sensuous tale of awakening that will quietly engulf you in flames.” —Ling Ma, author of Severance
“Little Rabbit is a glorious debut-riveting, soulful, cerebral, and the sexiest novel I've ever read. In this story about ambition, power, art-making, and the pursuit of beauty, perfect for fans of Luster and Bad Behavior, Alyssa Songsiridej thrillingly interrogates the conflict between reason and desire, between our public and private selves. My life is richer for having read this book. Yours will be too.” —Jessamine Chan, author of The School for Good Mothers
“A fierce and utterly compelling look at the nearly biological instinct to nurture a love affair, even when that love isn't understood by others, and it blows your world apart. Little Rabbit is a totally absorbing debut: nuanced, intelligent, and sexy as hell.” —Courtney Maum, author of The Year of the Horses
“What a hypnotic, sexy, smart, unputdownable book! It delves into so many of my favorite subjects: erotic obsession, art, friendship, and the slippery and surprising nature of selfhood.” —Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781635578690 |
| PRICE | $26.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Linda P, Reviewer
💋💋💋💋💋
Little Rabbit is a debut novel by Alyssa Songsiridej and will cause quite a stir in the publishing industry. I will state upfront that this is (a) not a book for every reader (b) an intense look at an unconventional relationship focusing on a nonconformist sexual relationship. Some people will read this and think only about sex, but the story is more than sex. For me, this story centers on the desire for a person to find their place, to find their core, to find love, and to find the right fit for their life. Our heroine is eccentric, and we only learn her name at the end of the story; her lover/partner is a much older choreographer who, to love his little rabbit, has to control her. She worships him, but he adores her, reveres and admires her. This is a deep and passionate love and truly blew my mind. Again, this book will not be for everyone. For me, I will reread this before the year is out, and I consider this to be one of the BEST BOOKS that has ever been gifted to me by NetGalley. I’ll pay for a copy when released in May 2022. #love #netgalley @netgalley #domination #possession #sex #unconventional #genderfluid @bloomsburypublishing #sensual #pleasure
💋
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Books for the opportunity to read this book which was amazing.
#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #JustBooksBookstagram #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #booklove #readinglife
Makayla S, Reviewer
"I lost myself in the world we made together, dissolving into shared oblivion. As emptiness, I had found myself no longer so alone."
3.5/5 stars
As a queer young writer in Boston is figuring out her career and life, the unnamed narrator strikes up a relationship with a much older choreographer who lives in NYC. With the skepticism of her best friend Annie and her own self-doubt, the narrator, aka Rabbit, still embarks on a long-distance relationship with the older man. throughout the story Rabbit's limits are pushed through submission during sex, while new self-discoveries are made because of this "taboo" relationship.
I found this book to be really well done. While the story got a little disjointed at some parts, the revelations Rabbit makes throughout the story were great. The narrator is not only dealing with this newfound lover, but also her sexuality being brought into question, an unsupportive best friend, and poor self-worth. This book also delves into the world of submission and what someone could be thinking in those types of encounters.
I definitely recommend 'Little Rabbit' to anyone looking for a bleak "romance" that will leave you longing for more from this author.
Crystal D, Reviewer
For me a quick way to describe this book would be a cerebral romance.
A 30 year old author meets a 50 something choreographer at an arts retreat. She doesn't take much positive notice of him at the time, but when he invites her to a show there's something there.
He wakes up something in her. To push him, to allow him to push her. She fully embraces the roughness in their physical relationship but chafes a bit as he tries to take care of her in other areas.
There's confusion and a lack of support from some of their friends and family, notably our author's roommate and best friend Annie is absolutely resistant to the change she sees in her.
We never learn the names of our duo until the final pages of the book, leaving us feeling like we've finally got a peek into their depths.
I'm not a huge fan of the typical romance novel so for me this was a hit.
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