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Leap
“a heartfelt coming-of-age story worth a read . . . Rowan grows and learns more in one summer than a lot of us do in years, which is what made Leap an enjoyable read” —Liberty Press, June 2013
Summer 1979. Rowan Marks is done with high school. Next comes college. But in between there's a yawning gulf—the last carefree summer vacation.
Rowan's older brother Ben is smoking too much dope. Her best friend Danny is in love with her. And Catherine, the new girl in their small Ohio town, rubs her the wrong way. But that's OK. Rowan can deal with it.
Just when she thinks she's got it all worked out, everything turns on its head. Catherine steals her heart, Danny falls out with her, and when Ben crashes the family car, the family secrets come tumbling out.
All of a sudden, Rowan has a stark choice—is she going to grow up or give up?
Z Egloff is an exciting new talent. Leap is an accomplished follow-up to her first novel, Verge, which won the Bywater Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.
Praise for Z Egloff's debut novel, Verge:
"Verge has heart and wit and intelligence."—Emma Donoghue, author of Room
"Verge is powerful, quirky, and fresh. . . . Z Egloff creates a rich, inclusive world and a heroine who's one of the most endearingly fallible characters I've met in a long time."—Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home
"With Verge, Z Egloff enters the ring of fiction with the assurance of an old hand. . . . This is a talented writer."—Carol Anshaw, author of Aquamarine
Summer 1979. Rowan Marks is done with high school. Next comes college. But in between there's a yawning gulf—the last carefree summer vacation.
Rowan's older brother Ben is smoking too much dope. Her best friend Danny is in love with her. And Catherine, the new girl in their small Ohio town, rubs her the wrong way. But that's OK. Rowan can deal with it.
Just when she thinks she's got it all worked out, everything turns on its head. Catherine steals her heart, Danny falls out with her, and when Ben crashes the family car, the family secrets come tumbling out.
All of a sudden, Rowan has a stark choice—is she going to grow up or give up?
Z Egloff is an exciting new talent. Leap is an accomplished follow-up to her first novel, Verge, which won the Bywater Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.
Praise for Z Egloff's debut novel, Verge:
"Verge has heart and wit and intelligence."—Emma Donoghue, author of Room
"Verge is powerful, quirky, and fresh. . . . Z Egloff creates a rich, inclusive world and a heroine who's one of the most endearingly fallible characters I've met in a long time."—Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home
"With Verge, Z Egloff enters the ring of fiction with the assurance of an old hand. . . . This is a talented writer."—Carol Anshaw, author of Aquamarine
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
1 person is currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Z Egloff
6 books12 followersZ Egloff (they/them) was born in California, raised in the Midwest, and schooled (academically and otherwise) on the East Coast. At Amherst College, where they received a B.A. in English, their mentor was David Sofield. He encouraged their writing but their abandoned the pursuit post-college; they had yet to find their voice. Z spent the next decade running a small farm in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, driving a tractor and plucking weeds. At age thirty, ready for something different and less physically taxing, they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue a Masters in Psychology. After completing their MA, they worked as a counselor and case manager with high-risk teenagers. All of these experiences, though interesting and rewarding, failed to fully satisfy. It wasn’t until they began writing fiction age 39 that they knew they had found her vocation. Z's debut novel, Verge, was awarded the Bywater Prize for Fiction in May of 2008.
Z is also an ordained minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, holding a Master’s in Consciousness Studies from Holmes Institute. Z, along with their wife Rev. Dr. Melissa Phillippe, is the co-founder of OhMyGod Life, a non-profit organization. OhMyGod Life’s mission is to bring radical joy to the world. At their virtual home, OhMyGodLife.com, they offer videos, music, books, classes, and more. Z and Melissa also speak, perform music, and facilitate workshops and retreats nationwide.
Z is also an ordained minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, holding a Master’s in Consciousness Studies from Holmes Institute. Z, along with their wife Rev. Dr. Melissa Phillippe, is the co-founder of OhMyGod Life, a non-profit organization. OhMyGod Life’s mission is to bring radical joy to the world. At their virtual home, OhMyGodLife.com, they offer videos, music, books, classes, and more. Z and Melissa also speak, perform music, and facilitate workshops and retreats nationwide.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 25, 2024
Dieses Buch war eine kleine Überraschung für mich. Es war eines jener Bücher, die ich für eine Challenge ausgewählt habe, und das mir aufgrund des Covers aufgefallen ist. Ich wusste nichts über den Inhalt - nur, dass es wahrscheinlich eine Coming-of-Age-Geschichte sein wird.
Das ist dieses Buch auch in der Tat, aber dazu kommt noch eine lesbische Liebesgeschichte. Angesiedelt in den 1980er-Jahren. Huch, da kamen einige unerwartete Wendungen zusammen. Auch liess sich das Werk gut und flüssig lesen. Zwar mag es etwas an Charaktertiefe fehlen, aber das störte mich nicht besonders.
Z. Egloff zeigt viele menschliche Probleme und Stolpersteine auf, die uns nicht nur beim Erwachsenwerden begegnen. Psychische Probleme, Beziehungen, Homophobie, Ängste. Aber auch die Freuden der ersten grossen Liebe, Sommerferien, Zukunftsaussichten und Möglichkeit, aus Fehlern und Widrigkeiten zu lernen und daran zu wachsen.
Das ist dieses Buch auch in der Tat, aber dazu kommt noch eine lesbische Liebesgeschichte. Angesiedelt in den 1980er-Jahren. Huch, da kamen einige unerwartete Wendungen zusammen. Auch liess sich das Werk gut und flüssig lesen. Zwar mag es etwas an Charaktertiefe fehlen, aber das störte mich nicht besonders.
Z. Egloff zeigt viele menschliche Probleme und Stolpersteine auf, die uns nicht nur beim Erwachsenwerden begegnen. Psychische Probleme, Beziehungen, Homophobie, Ängste. Aber auch die Freuden der ersten grossen Liebe, Sommerferien, Zukunftsaussichten und Möglichkeit, aus Fehlern und Widrigkeiten zu lernen und daran zu wachsen.
March 27, 2013
A Hefty Slice of Excellent Writing!
Z Egloff is so fine a writer that the reader venturing into her yard is a bit wary that at some point in this outrageously fine novel she is going to miss a step. She doesn't. She has that uncanny ability to write with polished wit while at the same time introducing us to some completely three-dimensional characters and taking us by the hand as she pulls us through that rare time in life between graduating form highschool and entering college, that time when everything is out of proportion and the search for finding the pieces of the puzzle that constitutes life beyond the confines of `home' is at once terrifying and magnetic.
She plops us down in a small Ohio town in 1979 (remember the year, nothing is extraneous information) where Rowan, our newly graduated pre-college self doubting Invisible Person main character, works as an accountant for Sherry (a terrifically loose sweetheart of a floozie) who runs an ice cream parlor, the Sugar Shack, - only in summer, of course. Into Sherry's and Rowan's life steps a corporate type who is looking to usurp Sherry's place into a franchise Ameriburger and tags along a new college grad type named Catherine who is to go over Sherry's books (rather Rowan's book) to see if this is a fit. The opening volley of competition between Rowan and Catherine gradually gives way to a physical revelation and the summer holds something about which Rowan never dreamed.
Accompanying these little lines of story is a cast of characters that represent Rowan's family (including a pot addicted brother Ben) and best friend Danny who would like to be in love with Rowan. Things happen, major and minor and the summer ends up with a history of its own.
Where Egloff shines is in her splendid use of language:' Rowan nod's seriously, though serious is not what she is. She's thinking that the office feels entirely too small for someone as entitled as Catherine. Entitled people need floats, not offices. Rowan can see it now: a tropical theme, perhaps. Palm tress and men in outfits made of colorful cloth serving AmeriBurger's newest employee with tasty fruits and fanning her fair skin with large leaves pulled form exotic plants. While the crowd cheers, transfixed by her alluring, yet obnoxious, aura.' And that is but a tidbit of how Egloff paints her characters.
This is terrific writing from a very talented new writer who grabs you by the throat and takes you to places words haven't managed to find before. She is good.
Grady Harp
Z Egloff is so fine a writer that the reader venturing into her yard is a bit wary that at some point in this outrageously fine novel she is going to miss a step. She doesn't. She has that uncanny ability to write with polished wit while at the same time introducing us to some completely three-dimensional characters and taking us by the hand as she pulls us through that rare time in life between graduating form highschool and entering college, that time when everything is out of proportion and the search for finding the pieces of the puzzle that constitutes life beyond the confines of `home' is at once terrifying and magnetic.
She plops us down in a small Ohio town in 1979 (remember the year, nothing is extraneous information) where Rowan, our newly graduated pre-college self doubting Invisible Person main character, works as an accountant for Sherry (a terrifically loose sweetheart of a floozie) who runs an ice cream parlor, the Sugar Shack, - only in summer, of course. Into Sherry's and Rowan's life steps a corporate type who is looking to usurp Sherry's place into a franchise Ameriburger and tags along a new college grad type named Catherine who is to go over Sherry's books (rather Rowan's book) to see if this is a fit. The opening volley of competition between Rowan and Catherine gradually gives way to a physical revelation and the summer holds something about which Rowan never dreamed.
Accompanying these little lines of story is a cast of characters that represent Rowan's family (including a pot addicted brother Ben) and best friend Danny who would like to be in love with Rowan. Things happen, major and minor and the summer ends up with a history of its own.
Where Egloff shines is in her splendid use of language:' Rowan nod's seriously, though serious is not what she is. She's thinking that the office feels entirely too small for someone as entitled as Catherine. Entitled people need floats, not offices. Rowan can see it now: a tropical theme, perhaps. Palm tress and men in outfits made of colorful cloth serving AmeriBurger's newest employee with tasty fruits and fanning her fair skin with large leaves pulled form exotic plants. While the crowd cheers, transfixed by her alluring, yet obnoxious, aura.' And that is but a tidbit of how Egloff paints her characters.
This is terrific writing from a very talented new writer who grabs you by the throat and takes you to places words haven't managed to find before. She is good.
Grady Harp
January 17, 2024
Rowan is in between - she's graduated high school but hasn't yet started college. She's rambling her way through her last summer at home with nothing but loose ends to keep her occupied. She is a bit immature for her age, while she's clearly intelligent she is also well and truly stuck in juvenile pastimes that are bound to affect her future. Her inner musings show she's an introvert and quick to fall back into herself when the going gets tough. Unfortunately for Rowan, she has nothing but tough going, partly of her own making and partly because that's life. As she tries to navigate family, friends, and new-found lovers, Rowan will come face-to-face with the inevitable - she's an adult now, and no one is coming to save her from what that means. She'll have to figure out who she is and what she wants, and how she can relate to the people who surround her.
Leap lept off the pages for me - I was blown away by how captivated I was with this story, these characters, and particularly the author's writing style. The characters were absolutely compelling, as were their circumstances. Set in the 70's, time and place help the storyline along, and there's enough detail to keep the reader in the right frame of mind. Egloff writes Rowan's internalization brilliantly - you can feel the character spin out and shut down in times of stress and sadness, it almost makes you dizzy, and then you can feel the recovery as Rowan talks herself through her coping mechanisms. Incredible writing, a well-rounded main character, and relatable issues all make Leap a stand out novel.
Leap lept off the pages for me - I was blown away by how captivated I was with this story, these characters, and particularly the author's writing style. The characters were absolutely compelling, as were their circumstances. Set in the 70's, time and place help the storyline along, and there's enough detail to keep the reader in the right frame of mind. Egloff writes Rowan's internalization brilliantly - you can feel the character spin out and shut down in times of stress and sadness, it almost makes you dizzy, and then you can feel the recovery as Rowan talks herself through her coping mechanisms. Incredible writing, a well-rounded main character, and relatable issues all make Leap a stand out novel.
January 23, 2024
I wish Z. Egloff had more books published. Both Leap and Verge are absolutely wonderful. They made me grin, they made me cry. Just so, so good.
July 15, 2016
I am guilty of judging this book by its cover. I though it'd be one of those quirky, poorly written ya lesbian novels churned out without much editing or consideration. it wasn't. Z. Egloff is a great writer; I was totally off-base. in Leap, a historical fiction novel set in rural Ohio in the 1970s, she paints a vivid picture of what first love — and heartbreak — is like, and her skill at drawing out emotions is intense. reading this novel threw me back into high school for hours after turning the last page. her writing isn't perfect, and the descriptive can get a little excessive. here's a taste from just the first page: Sherry "blows a bleached curl off her forehead"; she "extends a bronzed arm, brushed with gold." I've hardly met this character; do I care that Sherry has bleached hair and tan, blond arms? not really. but Egloff fully deserves the honor of glowing reviews from Alison Bechdel and Emma Donoghue. she's definitely a lesbian author to keep an eye out for; I'm glad Leap tipped me off about her work.
Verge
was even better, and I hope to read more from her in the future.
December 8, 2014
As a coming of age story with a pretty simple plot line, I appreciated the unusual quirks of characters. It felt like the author enjoyed writing the story.
April 21, 2015
2.5 stars, but I rounded up.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews