Five novels involving destructive relationships

Meg Serino is a graduate of Emory Law School and the Bennington Writing Seminars. Born in New York City, she now lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Annapurna is Serino's first novel. Her research (and love of hiking) led her to Nepal, where she trekked to the base camp of Annapurna. Closer to home, she enjoys hiking with her family and her dog, Penny.

At Lit Hub the author tagged five "books that examine the complexities of destructive relationships and the stories we tell ourselves—the excuses we make—before we can let them go." One title on the list:

Julie Buntin, Marlena

The bonds that form between teenage girls can be intensely thrilling. They can also be destructive. Sometimes, those friendships have lasting repercussions. In this novel, Catherine, a woman in her 30s, grapples with memories of her adolescence with Marlena, who is captivating, wildly charismatic but also troubled. Like Annapurna, it’s about how events and relationships from the past can haunt those in your present. Cat’s fifteen-year-old self—insecure and caught in the swirl that is Marlena—transforms and defines her, even as an adult.

Buntin’s portrayal of the power and dynamics of young female friendships is both vivid and visceral, and stays with you.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue