Odette Rising

"Moving and fiercely clever... a triumph of storytelling." -Clare Leslie Hall, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Country

A mesmerizing coming-of-age story of an extraordinary young woman in turn-of-the-century France as she rises to find a life she'd never dreamed possible

She had always felt that she must stay in the shadows, that if she asked for little, she could not feel loss. But here was life and joy.

It's 1896 in Sevres, France and, from her bedroom window, Odette Hure watches a funeral procession carry her father's coffin away. She is twenty-one and she has not left the house for ten years.

Odette looks on as her life passes, reading and soothing herself with food. But with the sudden death of her father, the walls she has built around herself begin to crumble. Forced into the world, she discovers to her horror that she is responsible for her father's considerable fortune and his celebrated stockings factory-renowned for its exquisite designs that adorn the slender ankles of Parisian femmes celebres.

Now Odette must try and navigate the world she has hidden from for so long. In doing so, she will unearth secrets left behind by her father and the shocking truth of her own identity. With the help of an unorthodox found family, she will discover all that she is capable of. Odette is a heroine for the ages-complex and flawed, but compelling and full of warmth-and we share her joy as she begins to soar.

From the publisher

Penguin Random House / Pamela Dorman Books | Oct 13, 2026 | 352 Pages | ISBN-13 9780593995518 | Women's Fiction / Historical Fiction

1. When we first meet Odette, she has been hiding from the world for a decade. What do you think kept her inside for so long, and how did your understanding of her reasons change as the story went on?

2. Odette's only joy comes from the extravagant menus she dreams up for the housekeeper to prepare. How does Edwards use food throughout the novel? Is it comfort, rebellion, pleasure, or a way of hiding, and does that meaning shift as Odette changes?

3. Odette goes from a recluse to an incredibly wealthy, powerful business owner overnight. Did she handle this sudden thrust into responsibility better or worse than you expected?

4. How does running the factory she inherited shape Odette's view of her own body and of the women who wear what she sells?

5. Did the revelations about Odette's family and her father's secrets change your understanding of her childhood and the circumstances that shaped her? How did they affect the way you viewed her father?

6. Discuss how the novel handles the theme of being looked at and judged. Which characters see Odette clearly, and which only see her as they expect?

7. What fairytale elements do you see in the book, and how does the story break from the usual expectations?

8. Who was your favorite secondary character in Odette's support system, and how did they challenge traditional late-19th-century societal norms? Did you trust the people Odette chose to trust?

9. The author is a psychotherapist. How realistic did her emotional growth feel, and were there moments where her progress stalled or reversed?

10. The title promises that Odette rises. By the end, what does "rising" mean for her? Does she change to fit the world, or does the world have to make room for her as she is?

Book Club Talking Points:
Odette Rising is a strong book club choice because it blends a compelling woman-centered story with history and the difficult choices people make when their world is changing. Odette's journey gives readers plenty to discuss - from the expectations placed on women to the risks she takes and the forces that shape her life. The historical setting also opens the door to conversations about what is fact, what is fiction, and how much freedom women truly had to determine their own futures.

"I adored this moving and fiercely clever novel about a young reclusive woman's rebirth into 19th century Parisian society. Absorbing, stirring and vividly drawn, Odette Rising is a triumph of storytelling." -Clare Leslie Hall, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Country

"Odette Rising reads like a subverted fairytale, steeped in wonder and daring, while gently upending traditional notions of beauty and propriety along the way. Edwards writes with compassion and insight, guiding her characters toward wholeness, while never demanding they conform. Masterful." -Florence Knapp, New York Times bestselling author of The Names

"This evocative coming-of-age tale masterfully explores identity and body image as Odette uncovers dark family secrets and challenges societal limitations. A heartfelt, beautifully researched story about confronting self-limiting beliefs and finding light." -Woman & Home