Critical Praise

"Sherrill’s re-creation of California in the ’70s is impeccable, and her story of how a girl trapped in a theatrical family manages to transform herself from an observer into the star of her own life is absolutely irresistible"

——Booklist (starred review)

"Readers hungry for a coming-of-age story…will warm to Martha Sherrill’s The Ruins of California, a vibrant patchwork of a novel."

——Elle

"Technically perfect characterization in a tale that explores an imperfect family."

——Kirkus

"An absolutely note-perfect portrayal of California in the ’70s."

——Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Like a happy marriage between Joan Didion and Jane Austen."

——Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer-prize-winning author of March and Year of Wonders

"A spot-on, detailed narrative of a decade of cultural contrasts…very much alive with sweetness and light."

——San Francisco Chronicle