This Was Not the Plan, coming Spring 2024
{this page is under construction; links currently lead to Daphne’s earlier books}
When theater director Sylvia Tanisman wins her first Tony award, her husband uses the occasion to announce he’s divorcing her. Sylvia flees the shambles of her marriage by accepting a visiting professorship at Linden, an elite college in Pierre, New York. A few counties north, high school senior Meg Croyden has narrowly survived a self-destructive, rebellious youth and is headed to Linden
on a full scholarship. In the town of Pierre, lifelong resident and devout Catholic Caroline Byrne McClanahan struggles with the secret shame of a family that is falling apart. When circumstances bring the three women—hailing from starkly different worlds—to the local abortion clinic in Pierre, their fates are forever entwined.
This Was Not the Plan tackles one of the most important issues of our time with humor, compassion, and authenticity. The story is by turns funny, dark, and darkly funny. The collision of the lives of Sylvia, Meg, and Caroline reminds us of the dangers of thinking in black and white and the importance and possibility of finding humanity in each other, even where you least expect it.
“This Was Not the Plan starts out as a funny and sharply observed campus novel and then deepens into a thought-provoking examination of the complicated and always thorny politics of abortion. Daphne Uviller is a shrewd and compassionate writer, able to imagine a wide variety of intersecting lives and outlooks, and find humor in even the darkest moments.”
Praise for Daphne’s earlier books
“One should not simply read Super in the City; one should gobble it up like candy. This is particularly intelligent candy, mind you — but don’t let that stop you from indulging in a big old sack of fun.”
“[Uviller has]...a polished lead character, an ear for snappy dialogue and a propulsive storytelling style.”
“...Gleefully unpretentious...gallops at full speed from the very first line... undoubtedly smarter and funnier than most other girls-in-the-city novels.”
“Fun...sassy!”
“Witty and piquant.”