A review by batrock
Milostné pletky Nathaniela P. by Adelle Waldman

1.0

I read this on the recommendation of The New Yorker, and let me tell you that was a mistake. This is a woman's reactionary version of "dick lit" or "lad lit", about a poor misunderstood creative man who doesn't, you know, want to commit, and women are crazy and always getting in the way of his productive drive, you know.

So in parodying a genre, Waldman has actually just expertly recreated it in exactly the same way, with characters almost completely lacking in self-awareness and the entire patriarchal literature status quo maintained. I hated Nathaniel, but I wasn't a big fan of Hanna, either. Someone could read this as a triumph for women, but it's just too good at being what it is to actually be subversive in the slightest.

(and yes, I realise I'm saying this as a man, so feel free to discount my review).