Much like Daisy Jones and the Six and Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto is Back tells the story of a fictional female celebrity, this time spanning roughly from the mid 1950s to mid 1990s.
Carrie Soto is a champion tennis player. Coached by her father, Javier Soto, she set record after record in women’s tennis, retiring in the late 1980s. She absolutely dominated the sport, setting records no one else came close to – until younger player Nicki Chan wins the US Open in 1994, stealing Carrie’s record. At the age of 37, Carrie decides to come out of retirement to reclaim her title as the best female tennis player in history. The “Battle Axe” – or the Bitch as some people call her – is back in the game.
Jenkins Reid has always had an incredible ability for writing about the world of fame and talent and in this book she explores the cost of these two things, especially for women. What does it take to become as immensely talented as Carrie? How strong do you have to be to keep playing despite what people may say about you? And, ultimately, what is the cost of female ambition? As well as the vivid world Jenkins Reid depicts, Carrie Soto herself is a fascinating character. She is often dislikeable, sometimes cruel, but always self-assured and a formidable opponent. She knows what she wants and is never afraid to get it. The Battle Axe is back, and she’s not going down without a fight.
Recommended by Siobhán
