The Odyssey — Lara Williams

A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by The Millions • A Best Book to Read in April by Town & Country and The AV Club • One of 2022's Best Beach Reads by Southern Living

From the prize-winning author of Supper Club -- a debut novel that Vogue called “Stephanie Danler's Sweetbitter meets Donna Tartt's The Secret History" -- comes The Odyssey, a fresh twist on the epic journey and an unapologetic takedown of capitalism and "lifestyle" that will appeal to fans of Melissa Broder and Ottessa Moshfegh (Molly Young, New York Times)

Ingrid works on a gargantuan luxury cruise liner where she spends her days reorganizing the gift-shop shelves and waiting for long-term guests to drop dead in the aisles. That is, until the day she is selected by the ship's enigmatic captain and self-appointed lifestyle guru, Keith, for his mentorship program.

Encouraging her to reflect on past mistakes, Keith pushes Ingrid further than she ever thought possible. But it isn't long before Ingrid's unwavering devotion forces her to reckon with the dark underbelly of life on the sea, and the surrealist absurdity of work itself.

“A serious vibe . . . a slyly poignant satire.” -- Cosmopolitan
“Tantalizing.” -- Booklist
“Deliciously unpredictable.” -- Mateo Askaripour, author of Black Buck
“Startlingly unique and beautifully written.” -- Frances Cha, author of If I Had Your Face
“Deeply unsettling and unexpectedly moving.” -- Lydia Kiesling, author of Mobility