The Butterfly Lampshade Summary
Aimee Bender

The Butterfly Lampshade Overview

Aimee Bender's novel The Butterfly Lampshade is a first person narrative tracing eight-year-old Francie's transition from her life in Portland, Oregon with her mother, to her new life in Los Angeles, California with her aunt and uncle. After her mother suffers a psychotic break, Francie must move to a new home and start a new life. Years later, she works through her memories of this journey in order to understand who she is, and how her past has shaped her identity. The novel explores themes of family, fear, and memory.