Local Girls

In a dazzling series of family portraits, Hoffman evokes the world of the Samuelsons, a family torn apart by tragedy and divorce in a world of bad judgment and fierce attachments, disappointments, and devotion. At the heart of this collection is Gretel Samuelson, a sly young girl who leaves home and navigates through loyalty and loss with the help of three women, including her best friend, love-struck cousin and her mother.