Piece of Mind

"Lucy's narrative is sensitive, witty, and illuminating; her innate connection to Gus, the Central Park polar bear, is excellently drawn. Her journey and the evolution of her relationships offer a rare glance at the unknowable. Lovers of Liz Moore's Heft will want to read this debut novel." - Library Journal, Starred review

"Adelman’s debut novel is a moving story of grief, resilience, and self-actualization....Adelman fully inhabits Lucy’s voice, and the resulting tale is as realistic as it is uplifting." - Publishers Weekly, Starred review

“From the first page of Piece of Mind, I fell in love with Lucy, its quirky, brave, funny heroine. And that feeling grew as she navigates her changing, often confusing, world. Michelle Adelman has created an unforgettable character and an unforgettable story.” - Ann Hood, author of An Italian Wife and The Knitting Circle

“Piece of Mind is compulsively readable, built around a set of relatable, engaging characters and a compelling central problem for its protagonist.” - Liz Moore, author of Heft


“Like the Tourettes-ticcing Lionel Essrog in Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn, or the obsessive-compulsive Mona Gray in Aimee Bender's An Invisible Sign of My Own, Michelle Adelman's heroine—and she definitely is that—travels a path that is by nature solitary, yet intersects with all that is best in ourselves. I hope you'll root for Lucy's success as much as I do.” - Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the Jinni


“Piece of Mind is animated by sense and innocence. Michelle Adelman has written a truly charming novel full of humor and warmth. Sex and drugs and polar bears abound.” - Cathleen Schine, author of Fin and Ladyand The Three Weissmanns of Westport