Why 'Yesteryear' Failed

Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear hit all the benchmarks that a New York Times bestseller should: a propulsive premise (with a culture war lightning rod as centerpiece), a twist that lends itself easily to the silver screen, an author who doubles as an influencer—all-in-all, the undeniable promise of salience and success. Anne Hathaway bought the rights. Everyone is talking about it.