When Lou is witness to a tragedy, her confusion about how to react causes a great deal of guilt and seems to widen the divide between her and Ivy. She’s also nursing a serious crush on her best friend Ivy, yet neither is willing to make the first move. But the thought of being in front of the camera doesn’t appeal to Lou, who loves taking pictures of her own and dreams of studying ecology in college. This debut novel from Jules Ohman is a beautifully written book about love, longing, and finding your way.Įverywhere Lou goes, her striking, androgynous looks catch the attention of modeling scouts. But in the limelight, Lou begins to fear that she's losing her identity-as an individual, as an artist, and as a person still in love with the girl she left behind.Ī sharply observed and intimate story of grief and healing, doubt and self-acceptance set against the hyper-image-conscious industry of modeling and high fashion, Body Grammar shines with the anxieties of finding your place in the world and the heartbreaking beauty of pursuing love. It's a whirlwind of learning how to walk and how to command a body she's never felt at ease in. Determined to find a purpose, Lou moves to New York and steps into the dizzying world of international fashion shows, haute couture, and editorial shoots. She prefers to take photographs, especially of Ivy, her close friend and secret crush.īut when a hike ends in a tragic accident, Lou finds herself lost and ridden with guilt. Lou has no interest in fashion or being in the spotlight. A coming-of-age queer love story set in the glamorous but grueling world of international modelingīy the time Lou turns eighteen, modeling agents across Portland have scouted her for her striking androgynous look.

Body grammar jules ohman