One Story, Two Perspectives -- Is Either of Them True?

Title: Fates and Furies
Author: Lauren Groff
Host: Liz

A finalist for the 2015 National Book Award, Fates and Furies has been nothing if not controversial among its critics. From the publisher: "At age twenty-two, Lotto and Mathilde are tall, glamorous, madly in love, and destined for greatness. A decade later, their marriage is still the envy of their friends, but with an electric thrill we understand that things are even more complicated and remarkable than they have seemed. With stunning revelations and multiple threads, and in prose that is vibrantly alive and original, Groff delivers a deeply satisfying novel about love, art, creativity, and power that is unlike anything that has come before it."

Insights and Opinions

+ Shirley found the structure of the book and the author's narrative method fascinating -- the story told from two points of view, brackets for comments directed at the reader [a technique found irritating by some], and the reader left to sort it all out.

+ Liz noted that the volume consists of two very different books. Fates is one sort of book. Furies is a second type altogether. Fates is Lotto's story, told from the perspective of a self-absorbed and very unreliable narrator. Furies is Mathilde's book, bound together by twists and surprises. As we read her story, we are stunned to see her true self, in contrast to Lotto's telling.

+ Linda (and the rest of us) considers Groff an extremely gifted writer. But she also found herself wondering -- is this really the way things were sexually during college in the 90s?

+ These two characters are as fascinating as they are unlikable. Both are nasty people. Neither has friends. Even Chollie, Lotto's "lifelong friend" is little more than a parasite. Yet both are entirely wrapped up in each other. At the end (spoiler alert), when we find out what Mathilde is really like, we wonder if her terrible mother wasn't actually right all along.

+ Steve found the book to be over-written, but wasn't bothered by it as he appreciated the many gems in store for the reader throughout. "I cared about the characters within ten pages," he said. "It was magic for me." Margy was equally engrossed, especially as Furies opens. At this point, it's clear the reader needs to hang on and get ready for the coming whirlwind.

+ Steve felt Groff does an extraordinary job in bringing Lotto's plays to life, describing the artistic process, and playing with the concept of beauty. Is Mathilde beautiful or not? Is Lotto handsome or not?

+ Sex is an important theme in this book. There was some discussion around whether it was used as a device to increase sales, but we all disagreed with that, deeming it an effective exploration of two people who are primarily sexual. For them, sex is the primary way in which they relate to each other.

Oddments and Telling Details

+ Conversation was thrown open to the question about what to do when the mini-library in one's front yard fills with donated bodice rippers and Rush Limbaugh books. The verdict: toss 'em!