Holy Skirts: A Novel of a Flamboyant Woman Who Risked All for Art (P.S.)

Year 2005
Pages 384
Binding Paperback

Worth buying if: You appreciate richly drawn, character-driven literary fiction about artists.

Skip it if: You want fast-paced plot-driven thrillers rather than reflective, episodic storytelling.

Exact edition: Paperback · ISBN-13 9780060778019. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.

If this page helped you decide, purchasing through the Amazon button above supports UPB Books at no extra cost to you and helps us continue improving the site. Thanks for visiting today.

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Affiliate disclosure: purchases made through links on this site may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

Summary

Rene Steinke's Holy Skirts follows a flamboyant artist whose life and loves collide with family, faith, and politics as she risks everything for creative truth; the novel mixes lyrical scenes, vivid characters, and moral tension across generations.

Why this book now

Its exploration of artistic courage, gender expression, and clashes with conservative institutions remains resonant in ongoing cultural debates about identity and censorship.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

00:00

1-sentence hook

A daring, sensual novel tracing one woman's relentless pursuit of art, identity, and freedom against conservative tides.

Card 1 of 2

Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You appreciate richly drawn, character-driven literary fiction about artists.
  • You enjoy novels that probe religion, family duty, and public scandal.
  • You like having at least a little reader response before you buy.

Maybe skip if...

  • You want fast-paced plot-driven thrillers rather than reflective, episodic storytelling.
  • You prefer strictly plot-first narratives with minimal lyrical or introspective passages.

Mood / Vibe Tags

intimate defiant lyrical provocative Medium length

Decided it fits?

Exact edition: Paperback · ISBN-13 9780060778019

Worth buying if: You appreciate richly drawn, character-driven literary fiction about artists.

Skip it if: You want fast-paced plot-driven thrillers rather than reflective, episodic storytelling.

Buy Paperback on Amazon

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Reader guide

Cues to help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Steady Needs some room

At roughly 384 pages, expect a measured, immersive read that rewards attention to character detail and thematic resonance over a few focused sittings.

What stands out here

This Perennial P.S. edition foregrounds Steinke's original literary voice and the novel's layered exploration of art versus community, useful for readers and book groups.

Best way to approach it

Read slowly to absorb the novel's atmospheric scenes and moral nuance; linger on character interactions and recurring religious imagery to get the fullest payoff.

Paperback: ISBN-13 9780060778019

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.