A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence

In this celebrated novel, Margaret Laurence writes with grace, power, and deep compassion about Rachel Cameron, a woman struggling to come to terms with love, with death, with herself and her world. Trapped in a milieu of deceit and pettiness – her own and that of others – Rachel longs for love, and contact with another human being who shares her rebellious spirit. Through her summer affair with Nick Kazlik, a schoolmate from earlier years, she learns at last to reach out to another person and to make herself vulnerable. A Jest of God won the Governor General’s Award for 1966 and was released as the successful film, Rachel, Rachel. The novel stands as a poignant and singularly enduring work by one of the world’s most distinguished authors.

Republished as 'Rachel, Rachel'. A shy, unmarried schoolteacher named Rachel Cameron experiences a summer of self-discovery and emotional awakening in rural Connecticut. While her repressed emotions are initially triggered by a visit from a preacher and a religious experience, it's her lesbian best friend, Calla, who offers both support and a tentative overture of lesbian love. Rachel, initially repulsed by Calla's advances, realizes the importance of embracing life and ultimately engages in a sexual encounter with a childhood friend, Nick Kazlik.