In Lynn Steger Strong's novel Want, first person narrator Elizabeth has trouble remaining present. Her unnamable disappointments and desires keep her in a perpetual state of psychological and physical motion. At 34, Elizabeth is working her first full-time job and struggling to raise her two daughters while making rent in New York City. She blames her unhappiness on old hurts from her childhood friendship, her financial difficulties, and her unsatisfying work. An amalgamation of banal and shocking events challenges Elizabeth to confront her insatiable restlessness. The novel explores themes including desire, need, and fear.
