Exalted - by Anna Dorn (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Emily Forrest runs Exalted, the hottest astrology account on Instagram, from her studio apartment in Los Angeles. Burned out on meme-making and listicles, Emily's passion for astrology is waning despite her gift for deciphering the signs, until she comes across a birth-chart that could potentially change her mind. Beau Rubidoux's planets are aligned, each paired with its optimum sign--his chart is exalted. She decides that Beau, a well-connected photographer in Echo Park, could potentially be the love of her life and help her fulfill her true destiny: to be a star. Meanwhile in Riverside, Dawn Webster has been dumped once again. At 48, she is forced to return to the same restaurant where she started waiting tables at 18. With no girlfriend, no career, and her only son gone to Hollywood, the once-vivacious Dawn is aimless and alone. Persona non-grata at the local gay bar, she guzzles cheap champagne and checks Exalted to feel seen. She is a fiery Leo, and one day she will get her due" --

Book Synopsis

"A brutally funny and observant ride through astrology culture, love, and self-discovery." --NYLON's Most Anticipated Books of 2022

"A depressed Millennial astrologist, a self-hating lesbian with a rage (and drinking) problem, and profound questions of connection and destiny make Exalted an unforgettable read. Clear your schedule and consult your horoscope because Anna Dorn's novel will make you cackle and gasp, and you won't be able to put it down."--Edan Lepucki

Emily Forrest runs Exalted, the hottest astrology account on Instagram, from her studio apartment in Los Angeles. Burned out on meme-making and listicles, Emily's passion for astrology is waning despite her gift for deciphering the signs, until she comes across a birth-chart that could potentially change her mind. Beau Rubidoux's planets are aligned, each paired with its optimum sign--his chart is exalted. She decides that Beau, a well-connected photographer in Echo Park, could potentially be the love of her life and help her fulfill her true destiny: to be a star.

Meanwhile in Riverside, Dawn Webster has been dumped once again. At 48, she is forced to return to the same restaurant where she started waiting tables at 18. With no girlfriend, no career, and her only son gone to Hollywood, the once-vivacious Dawn is aimless and alone. Persona non-grata at the local gay bar, she guzzles cheap champagne and checks Exalted to feel seen. She is a fiery Leo, and one day she will get her due.

Alternating between Emily and Dawn's very different points of view, Exalted is a deliciously dark novel that explores desire, the projection of our need for love, and what we're really searching for when we keep scrolling. Anna Dorn's signature wit and biting social commentary takes readers across Southern California until Emily and Dawn's shocking connection is finally revealed.

Review Quotes

"Exalted -- a riotous new novel from Anna Dorn -- is exquisite chaos... Dorn is building an Anna Dorn Literary Universe, full of women behaving badly -- a universe I can certainly get behind." --Autostraddle

"No matter what your sun sign is, it looks like it's in the stars to check out Exalted. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water signs will all be able to find something in Anna Dorn's comedic novel, which alternates between the story of a millennial astrologer meme queen who runs a viral astro Instagram and feels as though one man's chart is the answer to her destiny, and an aimless, middle-aged lesbian who religiously follows the account." --Thrillist

"There is, quite simply, a deep satisfaction in seeing Emily and Dawn behave badly... Emily and Dawn may be liars, irresponsible and harmful, but they're also charismatic and fun, and they inspire empathy and love from the people they mesh with. Exalted is also incredibly funny, keenly tuned in to contemporary internet culture and generational differences." --Ilana Masad, Los Angeles Times

"Anna Dorn's novel Exalted is a fun, fast paced, and hilarious examination of the projection of love that deals with astrology, social media, and the illusion of perfection." --Electric Literature

"Both Dawn and Emily overlap in increasingly surreal ways, and both women use astrological stereotypes to understand their lives on a deeper plane ('My Gemini moon says some really empty things sometimes'). The result is a humorous, highly contemporary melodrama, perfect for summertime reading." --Shondaland

"Dorn's not afraid to throw jabs at obsession in all its forms -- Instagram, love, desire, control, the freedom of mind-altering substances, and more -- and the payoff is the perfect balance of wickedness and fun." --Nylon Magazine

"Dorn returns with a hilarious and surprising chronicle of astrology packed with sharp cultural commentary... The narrative conveys a deep knowledge of astrology, which the characters skewer with sharp-witted observations ('Freud, ' Emily claims, 'is just Astrology for men'). Compulsively readable, this consistently shocks and delights." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

"Like the planets of the zodiac, the two women orbit each other, leading to a toe-curlingly awkward finale that's as funny as it is cringeworthy. Ultimately, this is a story about seeking--money, fame, fate, and most importantly, human connection; with prose as delightfully moody as its heroines, it's cynical yet strangely uplifting." --Kirkus Reviews

"Exalted is electric, life flowing through every sentence. Moody and modern, Dorn has masterfully crafted characters and voices that make this novel both laugh out loud readable and emotionally complex-- it'll make you feel like shit, but you'll enjoy every moment of it." --Jean Kyoung Frazier

"Anna Dorn writes vivid, striking prose that reinterprets pop culture, the particularities of Southern California, and the complex technology of our human brains." --Dana Spiotta

"I highly enjoyed Exalted--a fun, funny, druggy, wise, and surprising page-turner about highs and lows and parents and relationships." --Tao Lin

"No one observes Instagram's chokehold on the millennial psyche like Anna Dorn does. Exalted is shrewd and biting, required reading for astrology devotees and skeptics alike. I inhaled this novel like the obsessive Scorpio I am." --Grace Perry

"Satirically taking on internet culture and our sometimes desperate desire to connect, Exalted is sardonic and thought-provoking. But how are Emily and Dawn connected? You'll have to read it to find out." --BuzzFeed