What You Make of Me: A Novel

"In the face of tragedy, Dess’s narrator memorably dramatizes the anxiety-inducing exigencies of the creative arts, and the need of artists to remain focussed on their craft." —The New Yorker

“Ms. Dess shrewdly explores the intersections between intimacy and possession.” —The Wall Street Journal

In this mesmerizing debut from a bright new talent, two enigmatic and unforgettable siblings confront what–and who–they’re willing to sacrifice for their art

On the eve of her first solo show, Ava is feeling defiant. The art gallery acolytes have insisted on writing “explanations” of her paintings for an accompanying catalog, but what do they know of her work? What do they know of her brother, Demetri, whose face echoes across every canvas?

Inseparable since childhood, for as long as they can remember, Ava and Demetri have been each other’s muses—and mirrors. Demetri encouraged Ava’s raw talent as a painter, while Ava pushed Demetri to pursue filmmaking. But as they make their way in New York, the codependency that once sustained them soon threatens to be their undoing. Betrayals mount, fueled by Ava’s reckless acts and her disdain for Demetri’s last-ditch efforts to make something of consequence,
but what ultimately and irreversibly tips the scales won’t be found on canvas or film. Because now, at thirty-one, Demetri is dying.

As Ava considers the meaning of her portraits, what soon emerges from her intimate and offhanded meditations is a stunning and unsettling confession of secrets, epiphanies, rivalry, and infidelity. Vaulting between childhood and the days leading up to Demetri’s death, here is a searing portrait of two remarkable siblings reckoning with the limits of loyalty. Heralding the arrival of an impressive new talent, What You Make of Me asks how much of ourselves we owe to the ones we love—and what remains when the making is done.