The Last True Poets Of The Sea

“A warm, wise, strange meditation on developing the strength to be vulnerable.”–Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Drake has created an authentic and romantic tale, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, that shows that life can be embraced again even after enduring a tragedy.”–School Library Journal (starred review)“Drake’s enthralling debut doesn’t shy away from the big stuff. The Last True Poets of the Sea explores themes of identity, mental health, romance and family with grace and gravitas.”–BookPage (starred review)“Violet emerges as a genuine, sympathetic protagonist struggling to create something new from the wreckage of her life.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)*“Wry, quick-witted, and filled with deep grief and fathomless joy in equal measure, this is a triumphant debut. Echoes of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and the barest touches of magical realism give shape to the story, which precisely and profoundly maps the ebbs and flows of surviving through trauma.”–Booklist (starred review)“As warm and bright as a beach bonfire on a hazy summer night, The Last True Poets of the Sea will lift you up on a tide of love and lyricism, and carry you away, laughing and crying.”–Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author“At once hilarious, insightful, and swashbuckling, Drake’s debut is a lyrical adventure like no other.”–David Arnold, New York Times best-selling author of Mosquitoland “This story of a young woman coming to terms with herself and her family is so filled with virtues and heart that it is hard to know where to begin. It is at once tender and incisive, profound and page-turning, warm and beautifully written and very funny.”–Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Circe and Song of Achilles2020 CCBC Choices List 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA)

Julia Drake grew up outside Philadelphia. As a teenager, she played some of Shakespeare s best heroines in her high school theater program, and their stories would stay with her forever. She received her BA in Spanish from Williams College, and her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, where she also taught writing to first-year students. She currently works as a book coach for aspiring writers and teaches creative writing classes for Writopia, a nonprofit that fosters love of writing in young adults. She lives in San Francisco with her partner and their rescue rabbit, Ned.