Alexandra

Alexandra is the first person narrator and main character of the novel. In the narrative present, Alexandra is anticipating her move from San Francisco to Ithaca with her boyfriend J. She has lived in California for the majority of her life, with the exception of two years she spent in Shanghai as a child. At 24 years old, Alexandra has learned to rely upon the predictability of her tech writing job and her life with J for a sense of stability. Moving, however, promises to upset her entire sense of self. Though she is a talented writer and a hard worker, she feels undervalued at her job. She considers quitting when she moves, and embracing the transition as a time for reinvention. Yet she also fears that if she quits her job, she will lose her sense of purpose.

On the cross-country drive to New York with J, Alexandra...