Meet Me at the Crossroads - by Megan Giddings

About the Book

"From the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of Lakewood and The Women Could Fly, a dazzling novel about two brilliant sisters and what happens to their undeniable bond when a mysterious and possibly perilous new world beckons"--

Book Synopsis

A LIBRARY READS PICK

From the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of Lakewood and The Women Could Fly, a dazzling novel about two brilliant sisters and what happens to their undeniable bond when a mysterious and possibly perilous new world beckons.

On an ordinary summer morning, the world is changed by the appearance of seven mysterious doors that seemingly lead to another world. People are, of course, mesmerized and intrigued: A new dimension filled with beauty and resources beckons them to step into an adventure. But, perhaps inevitably, people soon learn that what looks like paradise may very well be filled with danger.

Ayanna and Olivia, two Black midwestern teens--and twin sisters--have different ideas of what may lie in the world beyond. But will their personal bond endure such wanton exploration? And when one of them goes missing, will the other find solace on her own? And will she uncover the circumstances of what truly happened to her once constant companion and best friend?

Megan Giddings brings her customarily brilliant and eye-opening powers of storytelling to give us a narrative that dazzles the senses and bewitches the mind. Meet Me at the Crossroads is an unforgettable novel about faith, love, and family from one of today's most exciting and surprising young writers.

Review Quotes

"Chilling. . . . Giddings is a writer with a vivid imagination and a fresh eye both of the body and of society. This eerie debut provides a deep character study spiked with a dose of horror." - Publishers Weekly on Lakewood
"Lakewood is a thought-provoking debut and Megan Giddings is a young writer to watch." - Kirkus Reviews on Lakewood
"Both profoundly poetic and utterly compelling, Lakewood presents an intimate portrait of the physical and psychological trauma caused by the use of black people as test subjects for medical experiments in the United States and powerfully connects it to the broader legacy of environmental racism." - Ladee Hubbard, author of The Talented Ribkins, on Lakewood
"Born of a radical imagination and executed with piercing elegance and skill, The Women Could Fly recalls legendary works of dystopian fiction but casts a spell all its own. Giddings is a rare and utterly original voice bridging the speculative and the all too real." - Alexandra Kleeman, author of Something New Under the Sun, on The Women Could Fly
"It can be tempting to read The Women Could Fly, which comes in the shadow of the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, and call the book timely. But the relationship at the heart of this novel--between Jo and her mercurial mother--is much closer to timeless." - New York Times on The Women Could Fly
"The Women Could Fly is an absolute triumph. . . . Giddings conjures up a world that feels familiar, despite the increasingly creepy hints of dystopia. And along the way, she shows what the anti-witch crusaders really fear most: our ability to create a better world if we work together." - Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, on The Women Could Fly
"Magical, mind-bending." - Woman's World
"A mysterious and mesmerizing work of speculative fiction ... an emotional novel about grief and sisterhood." - Town & Country
"Ayanna's story is achingly specific and wondrous in its way, and also universal. It will resonate with readers on many different levels." - Bookreporter.com
"[Giddings] writes with wisdom, grace and a skilled hand; her work is seamless on the page." - Los Angeles Times
"Giddings is a rare and utterly original voice bridging the speculative and the all-too-real." - Amanda Kleeman, author of Something New Under the Sun
"Giddings never lets the immediacy of her subject matter overbalance her graceful storytelling and the deep humanity of her character." - Vulture
"Megan Giddings writes with a scalpel and I'd follow her characters anywhere." - Kelly Link, author of White Cat, Black Dog and The Book of Love
"Meet Me at the Crossroads is a book not of tortuous plots, but of experience. Slow and poetic, its almost hypnotic style eschews sentimentality for experience and wonder, reminding us that while the truth might be out there, it rarely takes the form that we expect." - BookPage (starred review)
"Thought-provoking ... a fantastical tale, yes, but also a haunting exploration of grief, faith, and the bond of sisterhood." - Bustle
"Mesmerizing ... Giddings grounds the ethereal narrative with strong character work and wry narration as it builds to a stunning conclusion. Readers will be enthralled and left with much to ponder." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Gorgeous, heartfelt and wonderfully strange." - Ilana Masad, NPR
"A powerful, unique novel ... Meet Me at the Crossroads is [about] faith, and how people grapple with the numinous and unexplainable." - Locus