Softcover. NY, George Braziller, Uncorr. proof, 1990, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: None, Softcover, pale green wrappers. An uncorrected proof. In her ninth novel, one of France's major authors examines the issue of self-love through a long and convoluted dialog taking place between parts, or strands, of a personality. The separate parts of the personality take on distinct voices and have quite different interpretations of events and exchanges that have occurred within the life of the collective "we," engaging in rambling, speculative, often accusatory reminiscences. The novel progresses in a slow, circular fashion: tension is built up entirely from within the character, between its voices. Much is kept vague, as if written from, or descriptive of, a dream state. This is a fascinating novel, full of the elliptical yet probingly psychological prose so characteristic of Sarraute. Clean copy.
