hoy-den: n. A high-spirited, boisterous, or saucy girl. Chronicling a year in Toronto, Hoyden follows the gradual rise and quick plummet of Abigail Somerhaze, a bright-eyed photojournalist wannabe who spends her weekends helping the homeless, developing her portfolio, and dreaming of driving down Route 66. But when her bank balance becomes frightening, she’s forced to suck up her fantasies and join a dot-com company on the verge of greatness. In doing so she devolves from a pretty woman with a keen eye and a keener wit to a bitter biddy on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Eking out an existence in a city where you are what you do, Abi struggles with swapping her soul for a steady paycheque, battles bon amis and bosses, veers further and further away from journalistic greatness, and comes face to face with herself. But can she say when and can she say how much? Grab some vino, turn on the jazz, and join Abi as she drunkenly tours the Corridors of Power, soberly teeters on the buttresses of poverty, and ultimately uncovers the admin within. Written with the quick wit of Dave Eggers and Helen Fielding, and the manic pace and pop culture references of Bret Easton Ellis, this book announces the debut of a remarkably funny new talent.