“Hundreds of years ago, their parents might have abandoned their babies in the woods. Instead, the neglect was stretched out over many years, a slow-motion withering. The kids were still abandoned, still neglected in the woods, but the forest was lovely.”
This novel explores sexuality, caste systems, the service economy, and privilege in a way that is slightly undercut by an unreliable narrator. The protagonist of "The Guest," Alex, is a blank slate the reader can imprint any number of "struggles" onto, with the lack of an origin story guiding these examinations.
“The thrill was familiar. The giddy anxiety of watching yourself and waiting to see what you would do next.”
From kleptomania to nymphomania to impulse control, Alex resists categorization in what seems to be a highly conscious choice by Emma Kline. However, where the book's intent seems to be to portray Alex as complicated and misunderstood, the overall effect leans hard toward intentionally confusing.
“She’d been almost jealous of the people she’d known in the city who’d totally cracked up, spiraled into some other realm. It was a relief to have the option to fully peace out of reality.”
"The Guest" is undeniably engrossing, leading to a manic read that matches the story's rhythm and pace. While readers may find themselves wanting more interiority from the serial thief/sex worker Alex, Cline withholds it in a way that can foster frustration -- balanced against absorption.
“The appearance of calm demanded an endless campaign of violent intervention.”
No comments:
Post a Comment