Plum

“Anderegg debuts with a tour de force of second-person narration. As J scrapes together a measure of sanity and stability, the story culminates in a triumph of endurance and love. Anderegg’s depiction of familial dysfunction and its lasting effects is pitch-perfect.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review “This debut novel is told entirely in the second person, a bold move that injects the story with a special sort of hypersensitivity. Anderegg delicately considers the strange hollowness [...] of having the freedom and tools to find happiness, but nursing a shot nervous system and a crooked view of relationships. Yet, the book insists that nurture (or lack thereof) is not all there is. Anderegg’s novel outlives its pages.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review “Andy Anderegg must have had her whole heart in her hands when she wrote this beautiful, devastating book about loss and abuse and siblinghood and survival. The language and style are so fully her own, a new exhilarating voice, you won’t be able to stop reading. I couldn’t. I inhaled it.” —Deb Olin Unferth, author of Barn 8 “Plum is a truly original, tender, and heart-searing novel about the secrets we keep, all the ways a soul can be broken, and the lies we have to tell ourselves to move on. Andy Anderegg so beautifully captures the wrenching pain and wild joys of growing up and learning how to survive, and how to make a real, big life for yourself. I will never stop thinking about this book, it's forever imprinted on my heart.” —Crissy Van Meter, author of Creatures “A vulnerable, visceral, and tender reckoning with the lasting imprint of early trauma, and the tangled love and longing for connection it weaves. Anderegg writes in a voice wholly her own, aching and haunting. Plum has echoed in my mind for weeks since I finished reading.” —Sarah Gerard, author of Binary Star and True Love “The second person perspective doesn't serve to draw us closer to the narrative, as we might expect, as it does to excavate our heroine's fractured sense of self and belonging in the world. A smart, utterly heartbreaking debut novel that captures the devastation of trauma throughout generations.” —Ashleigh Bell Pedersen, author of The Crocodile Bride “Plum is an intimate exploration of abuse and the winding path toward healing. It captures the struggle of growing up in a hostile environment and the painful process of self-discovery and acceptance. As J starts to confront her past rather than evade it, the narrative evolves into a reflection on survival, the complexities of human connections, and the long road to recovery.” —Lola Lee, Independent Book Review “Plum is bananas. Anderegg’s style and prose are a breath of fresh air.” —Debutiful, Most Anticipated Books of 2025 “[A] wise and touching novel. Written entirely in the second person, the book captures J’s sharp, brooding interior thoughts. She has a powerful command of details and startling discernment. Insightful, witty, and uplifting.” —Kristen Rabe, Foreword Reviews “Even with such a spare plot, Anderegg has created a beautiful page-turner with an unforgettable perspective.” —Annie Tully, Booklist