“Marlena” is a novel about two teenage girls and their short but intense friendship.
Cat, the main character in the book has just moved to northern Michigan. She quickly latches on to her neighbor, Marlena, and acquires her habits and friend group.
Soon, she experiences her first drink, first cigarette, first kiss, and first high.
The relationship ends abruptly less than a year later when Marlena is found dead in the woods.
Cat grows up and moves on to New York. But memories come flooding back when Marlena’s younger brother contacts Cat out of the blue.
“Marlena,” the debut novel of Julie Buntin, who grew up near Petoskey. Julie will give a reading at Horizon Books in Traverse City Saturday afternoon. She’ll also be in Gaylord on Tuesday at Saturn Booksellers.
