Robin Wasserman

Robin Wasserman is an American novelist and essayist who has authored numerous works for children, young adults, and adults. After graduating from Harvard University and UCLA, she began her career as an associate editor at a children's book publisher before transitioning to writing full-time. Her early work includes the young adult series "Seven Deadly Sins" and "Chasing Yesterday," which established her presence in the young adult literary market. She later expanded into adult fiction with critically acclaimed novels, including "Mother Daughter Widow Wife," which was a finalist for the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Wasserman's nonfiction writing has appeared in notable publications including The Atlantic, VQR, Buzz Feed, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. She currently resides in Los Angeles, where she serves on the faculty of the Mountainview Low-Residency MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University and works as a television writer. Her versatility as a writer is demonstrated through her ability to work across multiple genres and formats, from young adult series to literary fiction and television. This adaptability, combined with her academic background and publishing industry experience, has helped establish her as a significant voice in contemporary American literature.

Readers praise Wasserman's psychological depth and complex female characters, particularly in "Girls on Fire" and "Mother Daughter Widow Wife." Many reviews highlight her ability to capture teenage experiences authentically in works like "The Book of Blood and Shadow." Readers appreciate: - Raw, unflinching prose style - Detailed research in historical fiction - Strong character development - Plot twists and suspense Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in novel beginnings - Dark/disturbing content some find excessive - Multiple timeline structures can be confusing - Some find the endings unsatisfying Average ratings: Goodreads: - Girls on Fire: 3.6/5 (11,000+ ratings) - The Book of Blood and Shadow: 3.7/5 (3,000+ ratings) - Mother Daughter Widow Wife: 3.4/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon: - Girls on Fire: 4.0/5 - Mother Daughter Widow Wife: 3.9/5 Notable reader comment: "She writes female rage and friendship with an intensity that feels like a punch to the gut" - Goodreads reviewer

Skinned A young adult science fiction novel following a teenage girl whose consciousness is downloaded into a mechanical body after a fatal accident.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy A collection of ten interconnected stories co-written with Cassandra Clare about Simon Lewis attending the Shadowhunter Academy.

Seven Deadly Sins Series A contemporary young adult series exploring each deadly sin through the lives of California teens at an elite private school.

Mother Daughter Widow Wife A literary novel about a woman who boards a bus to Philadelphia and emerges without any memory of her identity or past life.

Girls on Fire A psychological thriller set in the 1990s about an intense teenage friendship that becomes dangerously obsessive.

The Book of Blood and Shadow A young adult thriller following a high school student who uncovers a centuries-old religious mystery while translating Latin documents.

The Waking Dark A horror novel about a small Kansas town where one day multiple residents inexplicably commit murder before killing themselves.

Crashed (Skinned Trilogy Book 2) Continues the story of a mechanically embodied teenager as she discovers an underground network of other artificial beings.

Wired (Skinned Trilogy Book 3) Concludes the trilogy about artificial consciousness with a confrontation between mechanical and organic humans.

Libba Bray writes both young adult and adult fiction that blends supernatural elements with complex character studies. Her work spans multiple genres and demonstrates similar range to Wasserman's bibliography.

Nova Ren Suma creates psychological narratives that blur reality and fiction in young adult literature. Her focus on female relationships and identity parallels themes found in Wasserman's work.

E. Lockhart crafts novels that move between young adult and adult audiences with sophisticated plotting and unreliable narrators. Her books explore memory and identity in ways that align with Wasserman's literary interests.

Megan Abbott writes crime fiction that examines female relationships and power dynamics. Her transition from young adult to adult fiction mirrors Wasserman's career path.

A.S. King produces work that crosses age categories while maintaining literary depth and experimental structures. Her exploration of memory and consciousness reflects similar themes in Wasserman's novels.