The Adults: A Novel

The Adults is a coming-of-age novel set in an affluent Connecticut suburb. At its center is Emily Vidal, a smart and snarky teenager who becomes involved in a dangerous relationship with an adult. The story unfolds around Emily's father's fiftieth birthday party, which brings adults to the Vidals' patio. Emily's mother has organized the elaborate celebration despite her and her husband's impending divorce. The novel features an assortment of eccentric neighbors, high school teachers, and teenagers, all marked by anxiety and a desire to be noticed and loved. Through Emily's struggle to grow up, the novel examines matters of the heart and how both children and adults come to terms with life, death, and love. It explores a world where the boundaries between adult and child can become dangerously blurred.