The story follows Jodie Rattler from her start growing up on Skinker Boulevard to her heights as a famous folk musician back to her hometown to care for her aging mother. Along the way, it traces both Smiley’s favorite memories of St. Louis places and those that belong to Jodie.
Making note of the local spots in the text is one of the joys of reading this as a St. Louisan. We’ve pulled out a few of our favorite mentions here, but there are many, many more.
For an in-depth look at the novel and to hear from Smiley herself, read this week's cover story, "Just Her Luck.”