The Publishers Weekly
The Mirror in the Well
Micheline Aharonian Marcom. Dalkey Archive, $12.95 paper (152p) ISBN
978-1-56478-511-4
Marcom’s three previous (and provocative) novels earned her much critical
acclaim, but none shocks the reader like her intensely raw latest endeavor.
This short novel is the story of a nameless woman and her lover and husband,
who are intricately involved in the oscillating pleasure and angst of passion.
The text is filled with unflinchingly rendered sex scenes, stream of
consciousness, mythology, dreams and dreamlike realities, all blurred into each
other, resulting in a narrative that portrays with disturbing accuracy the
intimate behaviors and thoughts of lovers. Its explicit language, an
invigorating mix of debauchery and poetic complexity, is disturbing at times,
as in episodes of sexual violence or of uncommon acts (urine-drinking, for
instance). Through this vivid imagery, Marcom gives voice to the essence of
obsession and sexuality while tracing the deterioration of relationships. This
novel is a cultural, feminist and human statement, but at its core, it is an
unrestrained exploration of the intersection of emotion and physical desires.
(Sept.)
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