Fates and Furies

Structure. Of all the books I’ve read this year, Laruen Groff’s Fates and Furies led me to believe that I am smarter than I really am. While reading this finely written novel, I believed I was understanding her finely crafted wordplay. I thought I understood the components of Greek tragedy at play. The structure of the novel presents versions of a marital relationship: his version in the fates part, and her version in the furies section. As in many marriages, the husband tends to be a bit clueless, while the wife is in command of everything that matters. His version and her version seem like very different relationships. I even thought I “got” the third element of the structure: the equivalent of a Greek chorus which Groff sets off in bracketed text. Things are not as they appear, I’ve considered upon reflection. This novel is not a meditation on marriage, and not necessarily a Greek tragedy. It may be more or less than what I think it is. As of today, I see this novel as a reflection on the consequences of dishonesty. Secrets long held become the means of vengeance. Perhaps the original sins led to a life founded on lies and could become nothing more or less than it was. I marvel at Groff’s prose and the way she structured the novel. I’m confident that I’m not nearly as smart as I thought I was, nor am I clueless. Read this novel for yourself and you may see what I mean. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Fates and Furies from amazon.com.