Claire Messud is a master at depicting the intricacies of human relationships and the isolating forces of modern life that threaten those connections. In each of her novels, Messud focuses on the the dramatic tension between the ordinary and the unexpected. Her finely drawn characters thrive on the familiar boundaries of their worlds, yet each discovers starting but subtle truths when those boundaries are stretched or broken. Hailed as a writer of exceptional skill, Messud has created her most compelling work to date in The Emperor's Children.