Odd One Out
Monica McInerney
For years, Sylvie Devereaux, the one member of her famous family of artists and designers who has no artistic talent at all, has been the “go to” person for their every practical need, and all of it has gone largely unappreciated. But her sister’s second wedding provides a moment of truth. During the reception, Great-Aunt Millicent publicly offers to hire Sylvie as her companion, so that they can be old maids together.
Is that how people really think of her? Is that what she wants? Only her brother Sebastian seems to see Sylvie as a warm-hearted, talented woman who deserves a life of her own. With his encouragement, Sylvie begins to step out of her family’s shadow, but creating a future for herself isn’t as straightforward or predictable a process as she expects. And where she ends up surprises everyone, Sylvie most of all.