Had I picked it up a few weeks back, I’m not sure that I would have finished it (let alone have written about it). It’s not for everyone (or most people, frankly). Adultery has a similar tone (bleak), themes (adultery, society), and focuses on a female protagonist who wants to “have it all.” However, unlike the leading ladies in these 19 th century antecedents, Linda is a modern woman, in a first-world, democratic country, and has more control over her fate. It will not thrill you, but if you open your mind to Linda’s world, it will make you think (and maybe even laugh at the dry humor and small absurdities thrown in throughout).Īs I was reading, I mentally compared Adultery to Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (1856) and Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (1878)(the latter, which I also reviewed here). The book is about an emotional and spiritual journey. It is not a favorite of mine, however, it is different from other books and, therefore, stands out-prominently. In truth, not much “happens” in this book but it is deeply emotional and oh-so very human. She considers religion, briefly becomes captivated by a shaman, plots revenge (through an ill-conceived cocaine scheme) she sleeps with a married man and literally finds herself seeing the world from a bird’s eye view.

Additionally, and centrally to the plot, the book concerns one of the most philosophical and cliché questions of all time - what is the meaning of life?ĭespite all her good fortune, Linda struggles to find happiness and can see no “meaning” to life. A small example of this concerns Linda’s children who are referenced but are not real characters (they are seldom seen and not heard unlike many contemporary domestic novels, which heavily feature children). In many other ways this book just feels like it is from another era. In other moments, it reads like a Russian masterpiece, which if you have not read one, I’m referring to their tendency to ramble… (unpopular opinion I will die on this hill). At times, it reads like a Victorian comedy of manners, as the protagonist unduly preoccupies herself with her role in society and how her peers view her. However, Adultery is complex in many other fascinating ways, especially for the contemplative reader.Īdultery does not feel like a modern novel. Paulo Coelho’s Adultery (originally printed in Portuguese) is a simple story - a woman considers committing adultery she commits adultery, and then, life goes on. From an outsider’s perspective, Linda appears to have it all, yet she is unhappy. Have you ever found your thoughts miring in such a dismal place? These are the musings of Linda, a well-to-do journalist, wife, and mother in Switzerland. We say that everything is fine, but it’s not … Everything is awful.

Adultery book review