Robert Jones, Jr. , author of The Prophets Who gets to leave a legacy?1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in NewYork City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn't. By 1998Anita's name has been all but forgotten - certainly by the time Raquel, athird-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill,surrounded by progeny of film producers, C-Suite executives, and internationalart-dealers, most of whom float through life knowing that their futures aresecured, Raquel feels herself an outsider. Students of colour, like Raquel,are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the sameopportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved witha well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising upthe social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles uponAnita's story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship,which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Moving back and forththrough time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de MonteLaughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love and art, daringto ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied worldof the elite.
