The Girl Who Outgrew the World - by Zoje Stage (Paperback)

About the Book

"When precocious Lilly, an eleven-year-old, undergoes an inexplicable and startling growth spurt, her father and doctors decide to take drastic action to curb what they see as a dangerous development. Faced with condescending treatment and cruelty, Lilly escapes and embarks on a journey to discover her true self. Zoje Stage's new novella is a parable for how patriarchy treats the female body (and, by extension, the female mind and soul) and the objectification of girls"--

Book Synopsis

When precocious Lilly, an eleven-year-old, undergoes an inexplicable and startling growth spurt, her father and doctors decide to take drastic action to curb what they see as a dangerous development. Faced with condescending treatment and cruelty, Lilly escapes and embarks on a journey to discover her true self. Zoje Stage's new novella is a parable for how patriarchy treats the female body (and, by extension, the female mind and soul) and the objectification of girls.

Review Quotes

"The subversive fairy tale world and engaging plot will draw readers in." - Publishers Weekly

"Zoje Stage has crafted the perfect fairy tale: Magical, brutal, and full of heart. A beautifully written story that I can't stop thinking about." - Samantha Downing, internationally bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and For Your Own Good

"A perfect blend of The Wizard of Oz meets Jerzy Kosinski, The Girl Who Outgrew the World reminds us of the parts of childhood too painful to remember, the people around us, who kept us small. But this time the story's rewritten: at last, it's the girl who gets to go on an epic hero's journey. Fabulous in every sense of the word." - Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors

"A strikingly beautiful novella about girlhood, teeming with fairy tale whimsy and heart-wrenching truth. Stage has created an entrancing, bittersweet adventure for the ages." - Rachel Harrison, author of The Return and Cackle

"I could feel my heart beat gold, my eyes fill with stars, and birds flutter from my mouth as I read this heart-tugging modern fairy tale. In The Girl Who Outgrew the World Zoje Stage spins an enchanting modern parable in which all we hope is to be accepted as our very unique selves in this world." - Cynthia Pelayo, three time Bram Stoker Award(R) nominated author

"I cannot put into words how much I loved this book. Stage's writing is haunting and engaging, a power-punch of metaphors that transcend the words on the page...When I say this is one of the best books I've read all year, I am screaming it with my whole heart." - Mandy McHugh, author of Chloe Cates is Missing