paint me pink

Seventeen-year-old Shady (who is also known as Sherry) has lived her entire life under the control of a mother who forced her into a role she never asked for. Her father abandoned her and her mother at birth, claiming that he only wanted a son. As a result, her mother has raised her as a perfect daughter, erasing Shady's true identity in favor of Sherry. While Sherry plays the part of a cheerful and obedient girl, Shady remains buried deep inside, a bitter, angry shadow of a boy who never had a chance to grow into himself. Now, after years of silence and suppression, Sherry is about to meet her father for the first time. Her mother has arranged for them to spend the summer with him and his traditional, honor-driven family—a family that values reputation above all else. As Sherry steps into this world, the pressure to uphold an image of perfection looms large. With her father’s family unaware of her true identity and the weight of shame threatening to destroy her, Sherry must confront the haunting question of who she really is and whether she will ever be able to escape the confines of a life built on lies. Themes: Identity, gender, self-discovery, family, repression, societal expectations, and the search for truth.