Quotes
One of the Best Books of the Summer - Marie Claire, Publishers Weekly, Goop, PopSugar
"Riley conjures a Technicolor vision of seventies California and casts Suzy's ambition as a feminist quest for self-determination. Her exploits build to a climax that suggests the book's title is not so much an invitation as a challenge."—The New Yorker
"Riley has a stylish grasp of setting as the axis of place and time, writing about the era with captivating authority, palpable texture and a sure-footed knack for rebuilding a moment out of its pop detritus. Enthusiasts of '70s music and literature will tumble into delightful pockets of nostalgia...Ultimately, Riley's vividly realized setting and Suzy's firecracker spirit collide in a surprising whiplash climax."—The New York Times Book Review
"Fly Me, by Daniel Riley... knocked my shoes off. I wasn't expecting any of it.... The surprises in the last 50 pages made the whole book exciting.... [Suzy Whitman] is capable of anything... She's taking liberation beyond the boundaries you'd expect."—Michael Silverblatt, National Public Radio's KCRW
"An excellent time capsule of '70s nostalgia, capturing that devil-may-care beach-culture vibe."—Marie Claire
"A stunning and dangerous ride set in the skies of 1972... Throughout Fly Me, Riley paints a seductive and psychologically intense picture of the times, combining political change, sex, drugs, and a painful coming of age with the idyllic backdrop of a Pacific paradise."—Interview
"One of the summer's freshest novels... Suzy Whitman, like Cher and Elle before her, is a classic California Girl. She explores, she subverts, and despite her tireless chorus of critics, she always finds a way back to herself."—Refinery29
Fly Me "is a vibrant, pitch-perfect rendering of decadent beachside youth culture, with its surfing, drugs, rock 'n' roll, and all-day parties.... It's a well-plotted, tension-filled novel that shows how the curiosity and invincibility of youth might cause an innocent (if tough) young woman to drift into the underworld... Riley keenly portrays the confusion and frustration of youth."—Los Angeles Review of Books
"Fly Me... is a story about people moving around in a self-imposed haze--knowing, on some level, that it can't last, but wanting to stretch it out as long as they can anyway... Almost every page of the book made me think of Lana Del Rey."—Stereogum
"What a trip this novel is... It's Riley's debut novel and it's the perfect balance of grit and gloss."—Publishers Weekly