A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR &bull, A profound and singular story about a young woman searching for her place in the world, from one of America&rsquo,s most original voices&mdash,the irresistible story of one teenager&rsquo,s reckoning with society at large and her search for a personal utopia. &ldquo,Effulgent and clever.... What fun.&rdquo, ,&mdash,The New York Times Bran&rsquo,s Southern California upbringing is anything but traditional. After her mother joins a Buddhist colony, Bran is raised by her &ldquo,common-law stepfather&rdquo, on Bourdon Farms&mdash,a plant nursery that doubles as a cover for a biker gang. She spends her days tending plants, slogging through high school, and imagining what life could be if she had been born to a different family.  , And then she meets Peter, a beautiful, troubled, and charming train wreck of a college student from the East Coast, who launches his teaching career by initiating her into the world of literature and aesthetics. As the two begin a volatile and ostensibly doomed long-distance relationship, Bran searches for meaning in her own surroundings&mdash,attending disastrous dance recitals, house-sitting for strangers, and writing scripts for student films. She knows how to survive, but her happiness depends on learning to call the shots.  , Exceedingly rich, ecstatically dark, and delivered with masterful humor, Avalon is a poignant portrait of a young woman who, against all odds, is determined to find her place in the world and find clarity in its remote corners.