num_pages: 176
description: In her debut novel award-winning poet Brynne Rebele-Henry re-imagines the Orpheus myth as a love story between two teenage girls who are sent to conversion therapy after being caught together in an intimate moment. Abandoned by a single mother she never knew 16-year-old Rayaobsessed with ancient mythslives with her grandmother in a small conservative Texas town. For years Raya has been forced to hide her feelings for her best friend and true love Sarah. When the two are outed they are sent to Friendly Saviors: a re-education camp meant to fix them and make them heterosexual. Upon arrival Raya vows to assume the mythic role of Orpheus to escape Friendly Saviors and to return to the world of the living with her loveonly becoming more determined after she Sarah and Friendly Saviors' other teen residents are subjected to abusive treatments by the staff.In a haunting voice reminiscent of Sylvia Plath with the contemporary lyricism of David Levithan Brynne Rebele-Henry weaves a powerful inversion of the Orpheus myth informed by the real-world truths of conversion therapy. Orpheus Girl is a mythic story of dysfunctional families trauma first love heartbreak and ultimately the fierce adolescent resilience that has the power to triumph over darkness and ignorance. CW: There are scenes in this book that depict self-harm homophobia transphobia and violence against LGBTQ characters. 
language: English
title: Orpheus Girl
publisher: Soho Teen