Glitter Baby is a story about Fleur Savagar as she grows up from a lonely child being educated in a convent to a star-savvy talent agent who understands and loves her place in the world as well as herself. It is a typical bildungsroman, a story about growing up, and has many literary qualities.
But, alas, it is categorized as "romance" and thus has not garnered the literary and critical attention it deserves.
I suppose that could be Phillips' desire--to make money on mass market romance--or it could be the prejudices of publishing agents to classify any book where the main plot involves a love story of some kind where the protagonist is female and she has sex as part of growing up--but my critical self can't help but also point out that many literary novels about young men growing up also have them having sex as part of the maturing process. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Glitter Baby is excellently written, beautifully told, and one of my favorite novels of the year. I'll definitely be reading more of what Phillips has to offer. And I'm so happy that there are such thoughtfully written books that have a happy ending.
Highly recommended to all readers.
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