A recent crop of novels is reimagining the old tale of infidelity, betrayal and the affair, often with a fresh spin and a deeper dive into contemporary life. Authors are tackling the complex web of desire, relationships and monogamy head-on, presenting a nuanced exploration of the human experience.
From polyamory to perimenopause, these novels take on the topic from different angles, shedding light on the complexities and nuances that often get lost in traditional romances. Lily Allen's breakup album West End Girl recently sparked conversation about infidelity, with its catchy beats and honest lyrics capturing a phone call that led to a marriage's unraveling.
In contrast, some of these novels aim for humor and satire, like Miranda July's All Fours, which sends up the clichés of the affair story while still tackling the mid-life crisis that can trigger an infidelity narrative. Others, such as Lauren Elkin's Scaffolding, opt for a more formal and introspective approach, delving into the complexities of desire, relationships and identity.
One notable trend is the rise of polyamory-themed novels, which allow authors to explore new relationship models and offer a fresh perspective on monogamy. While some may view these tales as idealised fixes-all, they also risk creating problems of their own. However, by centreing women and allowing them to be fallible, funny and dynamic, these novels offer a more realistic portrayal of the challenges and complexities of modern relationships.
Ultimately, these novels suggest that the most compelling aspect of infidelity isn't who cheats or doesn't cheat, but rather "everything else around it." They shed light on the universal problems that plague human relationships – independence and stability, home and freedom, longing and ageing.
From polyamory to perimenopause, these novels take on the topic from different angles, shedding light on the complexities and nuances that often get lost in traditional romances. Lily Allen's breakup album West End Girl recently sparked conversation about infidelity, with its catchy beats and honest lyrics capturing a phone call that led to a marriage's unraveling.
In contrast, some of these novels aim for humor and satire, like Miranda July's All Fours, which sends up the clichés of the affair story while still tackling the mid-life crisis that can trigger an infidelity narrative. Others, such as Lauren Elkin's Scaffolding, opt for a more formal and introspective approach, delving into the complexities of desire, relationships and identity.
One notable trend is the rise of polyamory-themed novels, which allow authors to explore new relationship models and offer a fresh perspective on monogamy. While some may view these tales as idealised fixes-all, they also risk creating problems of their own. However, by centreing women and allowing them to be fallible, funny and dynamic, these novels offer a more realistic portrayal of the challenges and complexities of modern relationships.
Ultimately, these novels suggest that the most compelling aspect of infidelity isn't who cheats or doesn't cheat, but rather "everything else around it." They shed light on the universal problems that plague human relationships – independence and stability, home and freedom, longing and ageing.
I've been devouring these new novels about infidelity and affairs, and I gotta say, they're giving me so much to think about 
. Like, I love how some of them are tackling polyamory and perimenopause - it's about time we had more representation in books, you know? 
And I'm also loving the satirical ones like Miranda July's - she always makes me laugh 
. But what really resonates with me is how these novels aren't just about who's cheating or not, but about all the other stuff that goes on in relationships... it's so relatable 
. Have you guys read any of these? What did you think? 
. And I love how some of them are using humor and satire to comment on our societal expectations around relationships and marriage 
. But what really resonated with me was the focus on women and their experiences - it's so refreshing to see them as multidimensional characters, not just victims or vixens 
. Can't wait to dive into more of these books!
and mid-life crisis-induced affair stories 
.
! It's so refreshing to see authors tackling these complex topics with nuance & depth 
The way they're exploring polyamory & monogamy is so dope 
. And I'm all for humor & satire - Miranda July's book sounds like total LOLZ 
. It's all about shedding light on those universal problems that plague us all - independence vs stability, freedom vs home... 
... i mean, infidelity novels are like soooo played out 
. maybe it's not who cheats or doesn't cheat, but how we navigate those messy feelings of longing and ageing 
And don't even get me started on how many times I've seen this topic get hijacked by people trying to shove their own agenda down our throats. It's like, let's focus on the books, folks! 
. I mean, who hasn't been there, right? 
.
. That's where we're at in modern relationships - no one has all the answers and it's messy 
And can we talk about polyamory for a sec? I'm all about exploring new relationship models and learning more about what works (or doesn't) for real people. 
, tackling the complexities of desire, relationships, and monogamy in a super nuanced way 
– it's about time we had some fresh perspectives on relationships that aren't just monogamous! 
And omg, the way these novels shed light on universal problems like independence, stability, and ageing is just so relatable 
I feel like I'm missing out on some major relationship drama.
. newsflash: people have been cheating on each other for centuries, no need for fancy novels to tell us that