Critical Praise

“A beautiful and ferocious book, THE ELECTRIC WOMAN comes packed with fire eaters and knife throwers, survivors and caretakers, and yet somehow no marvel is more wondrous than the writing itself. Tessa Fontaine’s memoir is a brilliant testament to family, grief, love, and the astonishing trick of being --- and feeling --- alive. I loved every page.”

—Annie Hartnett, author of RABBIT CAKE

“Yes, I have done it. I have run away to the circus, a realm of wonder, harsh reality, and colorful characters, vividly described by a remarkable writer who pulls off her own high-wire act with honesty and abandon, moving from loss to delight. Tessa Fontaine is an escape artist determined to detonate the grim reality of mere existence, taking us on the most original journey I can remember in a recent memoir. As she moves through guises and adventures, she learns how to become the woman her mother loves and the person she didn’t think she could be: her own marvelous self.”

—George Hodgman, author of BETTYVILLE

“THE ELECTRIC WOMAN delivers us to the potent mercy of unmitigated love, the passion of shared suffering, the resilience of the spirit, and the ecstasies of our transfigurations. The heart breaks, and breaks open. I have never read a book more tender of more true.”

—Melanie Rae Thon, author of SWEET HEARTS