Everything Glittered

Gr 10 Up–A 1927 look inside a Washington, D.C., girls’ finishing school with murder, a queer love triangle, and secret escapades to speakeasies. Gertie is a senior at a finishing school that caters to high society white girls. When Gertie and her friends and schoolmates Clara and Milly sneak out to a speakeasy, they are nearly caught in a Prohibition raid that may have also been a raid to catch LGBTQIA+ folks. Upon their return to school, they learn their beloved headmistress Mrs. Rose was found dead—but they suspect foul play. Encountering queer people at the speakeasy helps Gertie realize she has feelings for some of her female classmates. The story is more plot-driven with an emphasis on the mystery over the characters. Due to the time period, there is description of violence, corruption, institutionalization, and use of what are now slurs for LGBTQIA+ people as it was illegal to be queer at the time. Talley provides a great reflection of coming of age at a time when young girls, especially those of high society, were taught and expected to become society wives, while showing hope for a new generation with new ideas about a better future.