A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing

Jena Lin plays the violin. She was once a child prodigy and now uses sex to fill the void left by fame. She's struggling a little. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing the demands of her strict family and creative friends, and hooking up. And then she meets Mark—much older and worldly-wise—who consumes her. But at what cost to her dreams?

When Jena is awarded an internship with the New York Philharmonic, she thinks the life she has dreamed of is about to begin. But when Trump is elected, New York changes irrevocably and Jena along with it. Is the dream over? As Jena's life takes on echoes of Frances Ha, her favourite film, crucial truths are gradually revealed to her.

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing explores female desire and the consequences of wanting too much and never getting it. It is about the awkwardness and pain of being human in an increasingly dislocated world—and how, in spite of all this, we still try to become the person we want to be. This is a dazzling and original debut from a young writer with a fierce, intelligent and audacious voice.

Praise for A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing:

'I absolutely inhaled this book. Gutsy, bold and surprising, with a darkness that draws you in and keeps you hanging onto every word.' Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull

'Jessie Tu's writing is fierce and bold; I read this novel with escalating excitement, galvanised by the emergence of a powerful new voice.' Christos Tsiolkas, author of Damascus

'Searing, unflinching and unapologetic, Jessie Tu is a fearless talent.' Sophie Hardcastle, author of Below Deck

'With A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, Tu has made a remarkable and strong entry into the national literary scene.' - Australian Book Review

'An excellent debut...Tu eschews the idea of victimhood while staying aware of the persistence of patterns of structural social inequity.' - The Weekend Australian

'Fresh and energetic...this is a raw and illuminating glimpse into the world of a child prodigy.' - Canberra Times

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing is fiercely observant and daring, shining a spotlight on an Australian experience that is vastly underrepresented.' - Mamamia

'A fascinating and intense debut that challenges systemic racism and misogyny in the progressive artistic world...confronting, brilliant and original, Jessie Tu is an incredible new voice in Australian literature.' - Readings

'Tu's writing is piercing, with a staccato tone blending sections of intensity and quiet...The result is an absorbing, occasionally confronting and captivating first novel. In Jena Lin, Jessie Tu has crafted a memorable character—and we hope for more.' - The Sydney Morning Herald

'Bold, enthralling and sharp.' - Vogue