The Bombshell: A Novel

"If a book could possess “French-Girl Style,” The Bombshell would have it... effortlessly cool: a smart, sophisticated tale of sexual and political awakening over the course of a fateful summer.”—New York Times Book Review

"An escapist, Hollywood-ready excursion to Corsica."—Vogue

Corsica, 1993. As a sun-drenched Mediterranean summer heads into full swing, beautiful and brash seventeen-year-old Séverine Guimard is counting down the days until graduation, dreaming of stardom while smoking cigarettes, and seducing boys in her class to pass the time. The pampered French American daughter of a politician, Séverine knows she’s destined for bigger things.

That is, until one night, Séverine is snatched off her bike by a militant trio fighting for Corsican independence and held for a large ransom. When the men fumble negotiating her release, the four become unlikely housemates deep in the island’s remote interior. Eager to gain the upper hand, Séverine sets out to charm her captors, and soon the handsome, intellectual leader, Bruno, the gentle university student, Tittu, and even the gruff, unflappable Petru grow to enjoy the company of their headstrong hostage.

As Séverine is exposed to the group’s politics, they ignite something unexpected within her, and their ideas begin to take root. With her flair for the spotlight and newfound beliefs, Séverine becomes the face of a radical movement for a global TV audience. What follows is a summer of passion and terror, careening toward an inevitable, explosive conclusion, as Séverine steps into the biggest role of her life.

An electric novel by an extraordinary new talent, The Bombshell is filled with seduction and fervor, and explores the wonders and perils of youthful idealism, the combustibility of celebrity, and the sublime force of young love.

Darrow Farr is a Salvadoran American writer. She was a Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University from 2017 to 2019 and received an MFA in creative writing from the Michener Center at the University of Texas. The Bombshell is her debut novel. She was born and raised outside Philadelphia, where she now lives with her husband and son.