Scan barcode
hannahlizg's review
4.0
Telling a story of an affair through the places it takes place, a car, a kitchen sink, outside a chapel, is such a clever and original idea. The story follows Ema as she contemplates her affair with Paul, her stakes in the relationship, and how much of her feelings are reciprocated. She's lonely and seeking something to fill the void. Each vignette exposes a little more of the parallels between places and what they can reflect about relationships: a car tells Ema that Paul is neat, image focused, and methodical; the chapel tells her that she does not know if Paul is religious. A hotel room reminds Ema that her fantasy and her reality do not line up. It's about the power balance in the relationship, how can one manipulate the other to get what they want, how invested are they in this relationship. This book also switches between "young woman" and man and their actually names, as if depersonalizing and universalizing them at once, and that's what this short novel does so well: it is both universal and so personal.
janaaier's review
4.0
Interesting narrative device that is used to tell a story of a disappointing affair populated with tightly drawn characters.
natalienicholas's review
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
erikasanborn's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
rbrown's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
krisi_uzunova's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
interesting take on time/space involvement within affairs and how the scarcity of time and space is what makes them enticing
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
What a clever little book! French debut novelist Agnès Riva presents the story of an adulterous relationship in which each chapter is set in a different rendezvous location. The covert couple—Ema and Paul—are coworkers in the legal field. The story is told from the perspective of Ema—a young woman, dissatisfied, looking for excitement—and the couple is in such a laser focus that reader and lovers alike seem to have blinders on, leaving other characters out of sight, out of mind. A study of place, time, and inevitable separation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
More...