Long a darling of the fashion world, model (and granddaughter of the one, the only Roald Dahl) Sophie Dahl has proven that she is also herself deserving of praise as an author. Playing with the Grown-Ups, her second work of fiction, is a bittersweet coming-of-age story. The novel follows Kitty from her awkward pre-teen days straight through to her adult life as a wife and soon-to-be mother. On the surface, her childhood is glamorous and exciting. Her mother, Marina, is a tragic beauty - a semi-famous painter with male admirers singing her praises from all corners of the globe. Unfortunately, Marina's insatiable cravings for novelty, enlightenment and satisfaction eventually take precedence over her responsibilities as a mother. Marina drags Kitty and her siblings from their grandparents' English country home to the big city of New York to an ashram in the middle of nowhere and then back across the ocean again. To find her own identity and happiness, Kitty is forced to make a heartbreaking decision - will she continue to play games with the grown-ups, or break free from her mother's shadow once and for all?

Playing with the Grown-Ups manages to be funny, cringe-inducing and quietly sad all at once. It is a beautiful, unique work of fiction from an exciting new talent.