64th book of 2022
Introvert Gina Mulley is determined to become a tattoo artist, and to find somewhere she belongs in her conventional Long Island town. But this is 1985, when tattooing is still a gritty, male-dominated fringe culture, and Gina’s funky flash is not exactly mainstream tattoo fare. The good news is that her older brother Dominic owns a tattoo shop, and he reluctantly agrees to train her.
Gina has a year to prove herself, but her world is turned upside down when a mysterious psychic and his striking assistant, Anna, arrive on the scene. With Anna’s help, Gina recognizes that the only way she has a shot at becoming a professional tattoo artist is to stand up for herself, and embrace her quirkiness both in her art and her life.
When Gina and Anna fall in love, Dominic gives Gina an ultimatum. She’s faced with an impossible choice: Is the romance and newfound independence she’s found worth sacrificing her dreams? Or can she find a way to have it all?
CW: Sexism, sexual content, homophobia, child abuse, mental illness, racial slurs, miscarriage, sexual assault
Rating
Review
This book was a delight to read! It was a cover-buy book, as I loved the colour and the tattoo-like title.
Here we are following Gina, who is on a quest to find her future. It would be easier if a crystal ball could just tell you, but sadly it doesn’t exist. This book is a slice of life at a moment where it’s sometimes difficult to think of the future or project yourself in it.
I loved Gina’s evolution. With the help of some people, she thinks more about her life, what is happening, and how to overcome some problems. In the beginning, I wanted her to talk and not be wallpaper, but as you see her evolve in her relationship, work and life, you see her blooming like a flower. The author talks a lot about flowers in this book (for some reasons that will be spoilers if I tell you), and I found it funny as I was comparing Gina to a flower from the start.
However, I was most of the time upset by her brother’s behaviour. I understand why he was like that, but I only wanted to shake him to wake him up, so he won’t lose himself. There is a lot of miscommunication between Gina and him, which is mundane in sibling relationships, but sometimes I just wanted to scream to them to speak to resolve their problems.
In the book, you have tattoo drawings at the beginning of some chapters. I found this ingenious to have done it; it helps to be more immersed in the story.
Liz.
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